Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Sahagun & Benevente (W. Von Hellen, Cornet 3rd Hus K.G.L.) nearly very fine £2,600-£3,000

Fayle Collection, Sotheby’s, December 1921; An important Collection of Medals to the K.G.L., Dix Noonan Webb, April 2003; Fred Rockwood Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 2014.

William Von der Hellen was born on 9 April 1786, at Köhlen, Cuxhaven, Niedersachsen. He was gazetted as a Cornet in 1806, promoted to Lieutenant in 1810, and to Captain in 1814. He served in the Baltic Expedition 1807-08; in the Peninsula 1808-09, being heavily involved at Benevente whilst commanding the outlying piquets of the regiment. Although the regiment took no further part in the Peninsula war, it did see action in Northern Germany in 1813-14, and in the Netherlands later in 1814. The 3rd Hussars also took part in the campaign of 1815 and battle of Waterloo, where Von Hellent commanded a Troop of the regiment. He was placed on half pay in February 1816 and his Waterloo Medal was dispatched to him at Wellen, near Beverstedt, in Hannover. Captain Willian von der Hellen died at Wellen on 11 October 1862.

Seven officers and 89 other ranks of the 3rd Hussars K.G.L. lived to claim the M.G.S. medal, mostly with the single clasp for Sahagun & Benevente, the rarest clasp awarded to the K.G.L.

Sold with detailed research and additional background information saved to a USB memory stick.