United Kingdom. A Military General Service Medal to Sergeant Thomas Gray, 15th King’s Hussars, with Four Clasps Including Sahagun

 A Military General Service Medal, in silver, full size, rim officially impressed T. GRAY, SERJEANT, 15TH HUSSARS,on a replacement ribbon with clasps SAHAGUN, VITTORIA, ORTHES, TOULOUSE, light contact marks throughout and small edge knocks, areas of dark patina around edges, clasps have been slightly bent, a lovely medal with rare Sahagun clasp,  in near extremely fine condition. 

Footnote: Sgt Thomas Gray is present on the Military General Service Medal Roll, serving with the 15th Light Dragoons, and entitled to four clasps (Sahagun, Vittoria, Orthes, Toulouse). This medal was sold by Glendinings in December 1905, and by Baldwin’s in February 1954. 

The 15th King’s Hussars played an active and distinguished role in the Peninsular War (1808–1814), serving as part of Wellington’s cavalry forces against Napoleon’s armies in Spain and Portugal. As a light cavalry regiment, their duties included reconnaissance, screening the army's movements, pursuing retreating enemy forces, and disrupting French supply lines. They took part in several key engagements, including the Battle of Morales in 1813, where they helped rout a French cavalry force, and the Battle of Vittoria, where their swift charges contributed to the collapse of French resistance. Known for their speed, discipline, and aggressive tactics, the 15th Hussars were instrumental in maintaining pressure on the French throughout the campaign and played a vital role in the Allied push into southern France.

The Sahagún clasp on the Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was awarded to surviving British soldiers who participated in the Action at Sahagún on December 21, 1808, during the Peninsular War. This cavalry engagement took place in northern Spain and is most famously associated with the 15th King’s Hussars, who executed a brilliant and decisive charge against French cavalry under challenging winter conditions.

Led by Lord Henry Paget (later Lord Uxbridge), the 15th Hussars surprised and routed superior numbers of French cavalry, capturing around 140 prisoners and inflicting heavy losses, all while suffering minimal casualties themselves. The action at Sahagún showcased British cavalry skill and audacity, earning lasting recognition—reflected in the award of this specific campaign clasp when the MGSM was retrospectively issued in 1847 to veterans of earlier wars. Official records indicate that the Sahagun clasp was only awarded twenty times, all to officers and men of the 15th King’s Hussars.