The Collection of British Orders, Decorations and Medals formed by the late Fred Rockwood

The magnificent Peninsular Gold Cross group awarded to Lieutenant-General Sir John Rolt, K.C.B., G.C.H., K.C., Portuguese Service, late 58th Regiment, Colonel of the 2nd (Queen's) Regiment, who was shot through the body in the action on landing in Egypt and, from 1809 to 1814 was never one day absent from duty

i. The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s breast star, silver with appliqué centre in gold and enamels, the reverse inscribed ‘Rundell Bridge & Rundell, Jewellers to Their Majesties, His Royal Highnefs the Prince Regent and the Royal Family’, fitted with gold pin for wearing, some chipping to ‘Ich Dien’ motto and stalks of wreath

ii. The Royal Guelphic Order, G.C.H., Knight Grand Cross breast star, silver, gold and enamels, the reverse unsigned, fitted with gold pin for wearing, the wreath now mostly devoid of enamel

iii. Army Gold Cross 1806-14, for Vittoria, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, 1 clasp, Toulouse, named on lower three arms of the Cross (Lieut. Coll. / Iohn Rolt / 17th Portug. Regt.) fitted with swivel-ring gold suspension bar and gold ribbon buckle

iv. Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal 1808-14, for Vittoria (Lieut. Colonel Iohn Rolt)

v. Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Egypt, Busaco, Pyrenees (Sir J. Rolt, K.C.B. Capt. 58th Foot & Major 13th Portse.) fitted with gold ribbon buckle

vi. Portugal, Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge in gold with gold ribbon buckle

vii. Turkey, Sultan’s Medal for Egypt 1801, gold, 4th class, the reverse field engraved ‘JR 58th Regt. Egypt’, fitted with replacement gold suspension bar as for Small Gold Medal, this last a little worn but generally, unless otherwise described, good very fine and better (7) £35000-45000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of British Orders, Decorations and Medals formed by the late Fred Rockwood.

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John Rolt entered the 58th Foot as an Ensign on 1 March 1800 and was promoted to Lieutenant in June 1801. He accompanied the 58th in the campaign to eject the French from Egypt by means of a Turkish assault from the Sinai, an attack by a British force from India and a landing, by a third force under Sir Ralph Abercromby, on the Mediterranean shore. This latter force assembled at Malta, where the 58th found themselves part of a large Brigade, known as the Reserve, under Sir John Moore. After six weeks practising beach landings on the Turkish coast, the invasion fleet arrived off Aboukir Bay on 1 March 1801. In the small hours of the 8th, all the landing craft were filled and quietly rowed to an off-shore rendezvous. At 8 a.m. the boats, each carrying fifty men, pulled for the shore, covered by two gunboats. As the range closed, French gunners opened fire, throwing up columns of water drenching the men, while the French infantry poured volleys into the boats. On landing, Moore's Reserve and the Guards Brigade formed up by battalions and advanced up the beach despite the inferno. The 42nd Highlanders, finding themselves under cavalry attack, were saved by the fusillades of the 58th. Both regiments then advanced up the beach to clear their front. While still forming, the Guards, to their left, were also assailed by French horse, but the 58th were at hand and checked the enemy, allowing the Guards, to form a front and help repulse the horsemen. Within two hours, after some further skirmishing among the dunes, the beachhead was secured. The 58th had lost ten killed and forty-seven wounded including Rolt who had been 'shot through the body.’ He was granted the Gold Medal from the Grand Seignior for his services in Egypt.

Between 1802 and 1804 he served with his regiment in Ireland. In 1805, he returned to the Mediterranean with the 1/58th and accompanied the expedition to Naples. Having been promoted Captain on 5 September, he joined the 2/58th in Jersey the following year, where he remained until 1809 when the battalion left for the Peninsular. In February 1810, he was appointed Major in the 13th Line Regiment in the Portuguese service and was present at the battle of Busaco, covering the operations against Ciudad Rodrigo and capture of Badajoz. Rolt commanded the 17th Portuguese Regiment from April 1812 until the end of the war,
including actions of Berlanza and near Las Casas, battle of Vittoria, actions in the Pyrenees at Santa Barbara, 2nd August, and attack of Vera heights, 7th October, battle of the Nivelle, battle and operations of the Nive, 9th-13th December, 1813, battles of Orthes and Toulouse. Rolt was honourably mentioned in the despatches of Marshal Beresford for his services at the Nive. From the period of landing in the Peninsula in 1809, until the conclusion of hostilities in April 1814, he was never one day absent from his duty.

For his war services he was made a Companion of the Bath in June 1815, and, in the following year was granted Royal Licence to accept the insignia of a Knight of the Tower and Sword ‘as a testimony of the high sense which His Majesty the King of Portugal entertains of the great courage and intrepidity displayed by him in several actions in the Peninsula’. It is also noteworthy that he appears to be one of less than ten men entitled to both the Gold Cross and the Egypt clasp to the Peninsula War Medal.

In 1823, Rolt became the commanding officer of the 2nd (Queen's) Regiment, following an inspection of the regiment, by Major-General Sir Henry Torrens, which proved a disaster for the then commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Jordan. Two years later he departed for a staff appointment and then retired from active service. In 1837, he was made a Knight of Hanover and in 1848 he became a KCB. On the death of Lord Saltoun, in 1853, Sir John accepted the Colonelcy of the 2nd Queen's. He received his final promotion to Lieutenant-General in June 1854 and died at East Southernhay, near Exeter, on 8 November, 1856.