British Legion Medal

 

The First Carlist War 1833 - 1839.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

The British Legion Medal was a British Empire campaign medal presented for service in Spain during the First Carlist War - a civil war which was fought in Spain between 1833 and 1839. The medal was instituted in 1836 and was awarded to all those who volunteered and subsequently served in Spain with the British Auxiliary Legion.

 

 

The medal is circular, 36mm in diameter and was struck in silver. The obverse of this medal bears a Cross Pattée with the central inscription; ‘TUJO’ (meaning ‘foreign’) surrounded by a laurel leaf.

 

The reverse depicts a British lion at the centre surrounded by a cordon of the Golden Fleece. The inscription; ‘ESPANA’ is above and the inscription; ‘AGRADECIDA’ below meaning; ‘Grateful Spain’.

 

The ribbon suspender is by way of a ring attached to a fastening that surmounts the medal.

 

The medal was issued un-named.

 

 

 

The ribbon is 34mm wide and is dark blue in colour with a narrow yellow stripe along either edge.

 

 

None were authorised for this medal.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

 

This section contains information on:-

 

- The First Carlist War.

- The British Auxiliary Legion.

- Sir George De Lacy Evans.

 

The First Carlist War - The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833 to 1839, fought between factions over the succession to the throne and the nature of the Spanish monarchy.

 

It was fought between supporters of the regent, Maria Christina, acting for Isabella II of Spain, and those of the late king's brother, Carlos de Borbón (or Carlos V). The Carlists supported return to an absolute monarchy.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The British Auxiliary Legion - The British Auxiliary Legion, also called the British Legion (La Legión Británica), existed from 1835 to 1837. It was a British military force sent to Spain to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain against the Carlists in the First Carlist War.

 

Under the Quadruple Alliance, Great Britain had controlled maritime traffic along the Cantabrian coast since the beginning of the war.

 

In 1835 the war was not going well for the Liberal side and they asked their allies to become more involved in the war. The French sent their Foreign Legion which landed at Tarragona on 17 August with around 4,000 men and was renamed the Spanish Legion. Although the British refused to send troops directly, in June 1835, they decided to form a military volunteer corps, and that became designated an auxiliary to the Spanish Legion.

 

By the end of the summer of 1836 a force of 10,000 men under the command of De Lacy Evans had assembled in San Sebastian. They fought near Hernani and Vitoria, but were pushed back and had to hold the fort on Mount Urgul de San Sebastián, to prevent the Carlists from taking the city.

 

In November 1836 they were put under the command of Baldomero Espartero and helped to lift the siege of Bilbao.

 

In 1837 they suffered a serious defeat in the Battle of Oriamendi, but were successful in stopping the Expedición Real, an attempt by the Carlists to march on Madrid.

 

The volunteers had signed on for a tour of two years and by the end of 1837 most of the men had returned home. Some 1,000–1,500 men remained, and fought on several fronts. Their casualties were so heavy that in practical terms the unit was dissolved.

 

In total, a quarter of the force - some 2,500 men - died, only half of them in combat.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

Sir George De Lacy Evans - Sir George de Lacy Evans GCB (1787 - 9 January 1870) was a British Army general who served in four wars in which the United Kingdom's troops took part in the 19th century. He was later a long-serving Member of Parliament.

 

Evans was born in 1787, in Moig, County Limerick, Ireland. Educated at Woolwich Academy he entered the British Army in 1806 as a volunteer, obtaining an ensigncy in the 22nd Regiment of Foot in 1807. His early service was in India, but he exchanged into the 3rd Light Dragoons in order to take part in the Peninsular war.

 

He was sent on the expedition to the United States of 1814 during the War of 1812 under Major General Robert Ross. Evans was quartermaster general to Ross at the Battle of Bladensburg on 24 August 1814, and during the Burning of Washington, as well as at the Battle of North Point on 12 September 1814, where Ross was killed.

 

 Returning to the European war with the restoration of Emperor Napoleon I, Evans was present at the battle of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815 and the battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815.

 

Evans commanded the British Legion which volunteered to assist Isabella II of Spain in the First Carlist War. During the Crimean War he commanded the 2nd Division of the British Army.

 

He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Rye in 1830, and from 1831 to 1832, and for Westminster from 1833 to 1841 and from 1846 to 1865. He was also awarded the Grand Cross of the French Legion of Honor.

 

Evans died on 9 January 1870, and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.