Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/176

78 2. The decoration of Honour for the campaign of the year 1809, (Tab. II. No. 9), was originally instituted by Duke Charles II. on the 30th October, 1824, for the yet living soldiers in the Brunswick service who had followed the Duke Frederick William in 1809, from Bohemia to England; but was afterwards distributed, also, amongst those of them who were no longer in the Brunswick service.

It consists for officers, of a gold, and for sub-officers and privates of a bronze Cross, surrounded by a laurel and oak wreath. The year 1809 stands in the centre of the front bearing upon the wings the words, 'Fir Treue und Tapferkeit' (For loyalty and valour), the reverse shows the Brunswick white steed, and in the centre and upon the wings originally the name, 'Karl Friedrich August Wilhelm,' and since his expulsion, the name of the present reigning Duke. The Cross is worn upon the left breast, suspended by a sky blue watered ribbon.

3. The medal of Honour for the Spanish-Portuguese Campaign.— The troops which came over to England with Duke Frederick William in 1809, formed, it is well known, the nucleus of the contingent which England lent to Spain and Portugal in the War of Independence against Napoleon, and which took part in nearly all the battles fought in the Peninsula from 1810 to 1814. Duke Charles II. founded also for these troops (30th October, 1824) a medal of honour (Tab. II. No. 10), for officers in silver, and for sub-officers and men in bronze. It is worn upon the left breast, suspended by a crimson red ribbon; the front shows the word, ' Peninsula,' encompassed by a laurel wreath, while the reverse exhibits within a scutcheon, two C's in monogram (the initial of the founder). As may be supposed, the medal is possessed by nearly all the owners of No. 2.