Full medal write up
MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE 1793-1814, 4 CLASPS, SAHAGUN & BENEVENTE, VITTORIA, ORTHES, TOULOUSE ‘J. RING, 10TH HUSSARS’, WATERLOO 1815 ‘JOHN RING, 10TH ROYAL REG. HUSSARS’, FITTED WITH ORIGINAL STEEL CLIP AND RING SUSPENSION
John Ring aged 18 from Yaldon, Kent, enlisted into the 10th Royal Hussars at Maidstone on 12 June 1803. Serving throughout the peninsular war with in Captain William’s troop, he was awarded the Military General Service Medal with Sahagun & Benevente, Vittoria, Orthes and Toulouse, which was the full clasp entitlement for the 10th Hussars, bar several odd men. He further took part in the Waterloo campaign, serving in Captain Charles Wood’s troop, a piquet of this troop being one of the first to discover the retreat of the Prussians from Ligny on 17 June, reporting this to Wellington.
He was finally discharged from the army on 24 June 1817 due to reduction of the Regiment and regarding his conduct, it was stated this had been:
“Good, that he served in the campaigns of 1808-9 and 1813-14 and distinguished himself by gallant conduct at the battle of Orthez”.
The battle of Orthez, where Ring was noted for his gallantry. This extracted from the Regimental history:
“Marshal Soult having collected his forces at Orthez, took up a strong defensive position, where he was attacked by the Allies on the 27th February. The main body under Wellington crossed the Gave below Orthez, and attacked the right and centre of the French, and at the same time the division under Hill forded the river above that town, with the object of cutting off their retreat. ‘The cavalry, under Sir Stapleton Cotton and Lord Edward Somerset, closely followed on their flank; but the only opportunity that occurred during the battle for the action of cavalry was taken by Cotton, who charged with the 7th Hussars, supported by Somerset’s dragoons, and took 300 prisoners; 2,000 more threw down their arms, but made good their escape. The enemy lost 3,900 killed, wounded, and prisoners, and six guns in this battle; the Allies, 2,300. The Tenth had a few men slightly wounded, and one man and horse severely, by the bursting of ashell. In the pursuit the regiment was employed with the advanced guard, and drove before it the French rear guard. On the 28th the right squadron, composed of Captain Harding’s and Captain Lloyd’s troops, A and F, under Lieutenant-Colonel Palmer, being considerably advanced, came in contact with a body of French cavalry formed on the road. Captain Harding’s troop, supported by Captain Lloyd’s, immediately charged, broke the enemy’s ranks, killing several men, and took thirty-four French dragoons prisoners, at the same time capturing eight horses. The centre and left squadrons, under Colonel Quentin, which were in support, came up and drove the remainder of the French rear guard across the Adour. Captain Harding and five privates were severely wounded, four horses killed, and eight wounded. The regiment bivouacked that night on the banks of the river. In reference to this affair the following order was published :—
Major-General Lord Edward Somerset will be pleased to convey his best thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel Quentin and the officers and men of the 10th Royal Hussars for their gallant and steady conduct yesterday.
(Signed) Stapleton Cotton. “
A good account of the 10th Hussars part in the Peninsular and Waterloo campaign can be found on the britishempire website:
https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/10thhussars.html
Condition, MGS with contact marks around 3 and 9 o’clock etc; the pair were clearly worn by Ring which can’t have been too common. Thus the pair about VF.
Very scarce to have an enlisted man noted for his gallantry in his service papers and fine pair of medals showing full entitlement of medals/clasps for the 10th Hussars during the Napoleonic Wars.