Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Military General Service Medal awarded to General Sir George W. Paty, K.C.B., K.H., 32nd Regiment of Foot and 9th Portuguese Infantry, later Colonel of the 70th Regiment of Foot

Military General Service 1793-1814, 6 clasps, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive (G. W. Paty, Capt. 32nd. & Major 9th. Portse.) fitted with a contemporary silver brooch pin, good extremely fine £3,000-£4,000

Dix Noonan Webb, September 2006 (when sold alongside his other honours and awards).

Sir George William Paty was born in 1788, the son of William Paty, of Bristol. He was appointed Ensign in the 32nd Regiment of Foot on 28 April 1804, becoming Lieutenant in May 1805, and served with that regiment in the Expedition to Copenhagen in 1807. He was promoted to Captain in April 1808, and served afterwards in the Peninsula, latterly attached to the Portuguese Army, from June 1811 to the end of that war in 1814, including the siege and capture of Badajoz, battle of Salamanca, retreat from Madrid to Burgos, battles of Vittoria, the Pyrenees and Nivelle, battles of the Nive on 9-13 December 1813, besides various minor affairs. Paty was promoted to Major in June 1814 and was placed on half pay in December 1816.

Advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in September 1817, Paty returned to full pay as Major in the 96th Regiment of Foot from January 1824 until June 1825, when he was again placed on half pay. However, in June 1826, he returned to full pay as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 94th Regiment of Foot and remained as such until December 1841, having been promoted to Colonel in January 1837. Paty was made a K.H. in 1832 and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in July 1838. Promoted to Major-General in November 1846, he was appointed as Colonel of the 70th Regiment of Foot in May 1854, a position he held until his death, and was advanced to Lieutenant-General the following month. For his services in the Peninsula and subsequently, he was granted a distinguished service reward in April 1848, and besides the silver war medal with six clasps was also a Commander of St Bento d’Avis and Knight of the Tower and Sword of Portugal. He was advanced Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in June 1861, and received his final promotion to the rank of General in March 1862. General Sir George Paty died at 24 Regent Street, London, on 8 May 1868.