Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 5 clasps, Talavera [6], Busaco [1], Fuentes D’Onor [3], Ciudad Rodrigo [16], Badajoz [25] (John Lovett, Royal Staff Corps.) very fine £1200-1400

Ex Glendining’s, November 1918; Hamilton-Smith Collection 1927; Elson Collection 1963.

A unique combination of clasps to the Royal Staff Corps and the only medal with the clasp for Busaco

This unit was formed in 1800 as Rutherford’s Regiment and re-designated as ‘A Corps to be Attached to the Quarter Master General’s Department’ in 1801, becoming the Royal Staff Corps in 1803. It comprised of specially appointed officers and men whose duties were as combat engineers. At the capture of Badajoz, they assisted in placing the ladders for the escalade of the Castle and took part in the storming of one of the Bastions. A Sergeant was one of the first to enter the breach at Ciudad Rodrigo in 1812, and four officers led columns into action across the river Bidassoa in 1813.