Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important Peninsula War medal awarded to General Sir Arthur Clifton, G.C.B., K.C.H., K.St.A., Colonel of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons, who he commanded in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, where the regiment formed part of the ‘Union’ Brigade, the command of which devolved upon Clifton on the death of Sir William Ponsonby

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Talavera, Busaco, Toulouse (Sir A. Clifton, K.C.B. Majr. 3rd Dn. Gds. & Lt. Col. 1st Dgn) some minor edge bruising and marks, otherwise good very fine £6,000-£8,000

Elson Collection, Glendining’s, February 1963.

Arthur Benjamin Clifton was born in 1771, third son of Sir Gervase Clifton, 6th Baronet. He was educated at Rugby school and entered the army as a cornet in the 3rd Dragoon Guards on 6 June 1794; lieutenant, 7 August 1794; captain, 27 February 1799; major, 17 December 1803; lieutenant-colonel, 1st Dragoons, 25 July 1810; colonel, 12 August 1819; major-general, 22 July 1830; lieutenant-general, 23 November 1841; general, 20 June 1854; Colonel 1st Dragoons, 30 August 1842.

Served the campaigns of 1809-15. Commanded a squadron of the 3rd Dragoon Guards in covering and supporting four Spanish guns at the battle of Talavera, and employed in different subsequent operations; battle of Busaco, pursuit of Massena from Santarem, taking from him prisoners and baggage; Battle of Fuentes d’Onor, actions at Navé d’Aver, El Boden, Fuentes Guinaldo, and Aldea de Ponte; several affairs during the retreat of the army from Salamanca to Ciudad Rodrigo; charged with a squadron a body of French infantry under General Clausel, near Salamanca, killing or taking nearly a hundred of the enemy; Battle of Vittoria, blockade of Pampeluna, several affairs in the Pyrenees, Battle of Toulouse, skirmishing with the enemy and covering the retreat on the 17th of June, and Battle of Waterloo. He was awarded the Gold Medal and one Clasp for Fuentes d’Onor and Vittoria, and the silver medal for Talavera, Busaco and Toulouse. Clifton commanded the 1st Dragoons at Waterloo, where they formed part of the 2nd or ‘Union’ Brigade. On the death of Sir William Ponsonby, the command of the Union Brigade devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Clifton. He was made a C.B. for Waterloo and a Knight of St Anne of Russia; he was made K.C.H. in 1832, advanced to K.C.B. in 1838, and to G.C.B. in 1861. At the funeral of the Duke of Wellington in November 1852, Clifton was one of the ten general officers bearing bannerols during the service at St Paul’s.

General Sir Arthur Clifton, G.C.B., K.C.H., K.St.A. died unmarried on 7 March 1869, aged 99.