Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private William Crawford, 3rd Foot Guards

Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Vittoria, St. Sebastian (W. Crawford, 3rd Foot Guards); Waterloo 1815 (William Crawford, 2nd Batt. 3rd Reg. Guards.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension, some scratching in fields of both, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £2,800-£3,400

Glendining’s, October 1913.

The 2nd Battalion 3rd Foot Guards had been in action in Holland at Bergen-op-Zoom and following this operation was stationed near Brussels. Therefore, when Napoleon began his last campaign in June 1815, the battalion was thrown straight into the action, fighting at Quatre Bras on June 16th and at Waterloo two days later. During the battle the 2nd Battalion was positioned on the right of the line with its light company helping to defend the chateau of Hougoumont along with the light companies of the 1st Foot Guards and Coldstream Guards. Throughout the day the defenders of Hougoumont frustrated the attacks of over 30,000 Frenchmen who failed to take the position moving one historian to write, 'probably the gallantry of the defenders of this post has never been surpassed on any battlefield.' It was the crowning glory of their service under Wellington. The battalion returned to London in January 1816.

William Crawford served in Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. Sir Alexander Gordon’s Company at Waterloo. Gordon himself was an A.D.C. to Wellington at Waterloo and was killed on 18 June. Crawford’s Company was engaged in the defence of Hougoumont.