DEL-COM001 -- Lord Uxbridge (CONSIGN)(ST)

Lord Uxbridge (1768 -1854). Under his direction, the 7th Light Dragoons became a highly respected unit and, in 1808, the now Lieutenant-General Paget led the British cavalry in the Peninsular War at Sahagun, Benavente and Corunna. After an impressive military career Paget, as Lord Uxbridge, was Britain's second-in-command at Waterloo. An exceptional cavalry leader, it was his unleashing of the British heavy cavalry that smashed Napoleon Bonaparte's first major attack of the battle.

One of the last cannon shots fired that day hit Paget in the right leg, necessitating its amputation. According to anecdote,Wellington was close to him when his leg was hit, and exclaimed, "By God, you've lost your leg!" - to which Uxbridge replied, "By God, sir, so I have!" According to his aide-de-camp, during the amputation Paget smiled and said, "I have had a pretty long run. I have been a beau these 47 years and it would not be fair to cut the young men out any longer". He was to have an articulated artificial limb. Lord Uxbridge's amputated leg had a somewhat macabre after-life.