The ‘Heavy Brigade’ L.S.G.C. & French Medaille Militaire Group of 4 awarded to Regimental Sergeant Major Maxwell Grant Davidson, 5th Dragoon Guards, a ‘probable’ charger with the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava, who was also awarded the Medaille Militaire for serving ‘throughout the whole of the Eastern campaign’, comprising: Crimea, 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Sergt M. G. Davidson 5th Dn Gds), erased and re-engraved in contemporary lettering; Army Long Service & Good Conduct, V.R. 2nd type (1855-1874) (863. Regtl. Sergt. Mjr. M. Davidson, 5th Dragoon Gds.), officially impressed; Turkish Crimea, 1855-56, Sardinian Issue (No. 863. T.S.M. Davidson. 5th Dragoon Gds.), regimentally impressed; France, Medaille Militaire, in silver-gilt and blue enamel, unnamed as issued; Group loose, generally toned, contact marks and edge bruising, the first with soldered suspension and two replacement rivets, the last with some loss to blue enamels, generally fine, L.S.G.C. good very fine (4) Regimental Sergeant-Major Maxwell Grant Davidson (1832-1878) was born in Ireland and enlisted with the 5th Dragoon Guards in 1845 in Dublin at a young age – possibly as young as 14. Serving in the Crimea at the rank of Sergeant, according to ‘Forgotten Heroes: The Charge of the Heavy Brigade’ by Dutton, Davidson is listed as: ‘probably rode in the charge’. This high likelihood is rather reinforced by the presence of his French Médaille Militaire. The citation for this award states: ‘(He)…served throughout the whole of the Eastern Campaign; was present at Inkermann, Balaklava, and whole of the Siege of Sebastopol, and was always distinguished for his zeal and activity and irreproachable character in every respect.’ The roll confirms the award of four Médailles Militaires to the 5th Dragoon Guards – to the R.S.M., two T.S.M.s and to Sergeant M. Davidson.His discharge certificate, still apparently held by the American Numismatic Society Archive, states that he served for a total of 25 years and 202 days with the colours, finally receiving his discharge on 18 May 1875. A contemporary report from the ‘Irish Times’ of 20 April 1875, states that in the lead up to his retirement, he was presented with a purse of gold by Lieutenant-Colonel Godman on behalf of the officers of the regiment as a ‘special mark of their appreciation’ after a career of ‘nearly thirty years’. The 1871 Census shows him as living with his family at the Cavalry Barracks at Leeds, in which city he eventually died on 20 May 1878.Ex American Numismatic Society Sale, Morton & Eden, 24-25 May 2006

Estimate: GBP 3000 - 5000