The order insignia of Major-General Sir George Colt Langley, KCB, Deputy Adjutant-General Royal

The order insignia of Major-General Sir George Colt Langley, KCB, Deputy Adjutant-General Royal Marines 1862-67 and decorated veteran of the 1st Carlist War: The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, military division, Knight Commander's neck badge and breast star, the gold and enamelled badge hallmarked for 1814 with indistinct maker's mark and later cravat, the star in silver, silver-gilt and enamels, badge with two lions missing from the junctions of the arms, otherwise nearly extremely fine; Spain: the Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand, small breast badge, gilt and enamel with narrow bar suspension, together with another breast badge of reduced size with ring suspension, each with some wear and some damage to enamel, near very fine. [4]

By descent

George Colt Langley was born in Bristol in 1810 and entered the service as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 30th June 1829. He served in the new frigate H.M.S. Castor from 4th May 1832, including the enforcement of the Dutch trade embargo of 1832-33. In May 1833 he proceeded to the Lisbon Station and was present at the sieges and attacks on Porto and Lisbon. In September 1834 he proceeded to the North Coast of Spain for participation in the First Carlist War. He commanded Castor's marines during the siege and blockade of Bilbao, and was part of the Marine detachment under Lord John Hay that landed and occupied the convent of Desierto in the Nervión river in the Spring of 1836. In May of that year a Battalion of Marines was formed under Colonel John Owen, C.B., and Langley was appointed Quarter Master, but he relinquished this "lucrative situation" to resume command of Castor's marines when they were sent to join the operations before San Sabastian. During the capture of Passages in late May he occupied the Eastern Heights commanding the harbour, and was attacked here by a superior force of Carlists on the 9th June. He was severely wounded, while leading a counter charge, by a musket ball that passed through his right thigh. He was mentioned in a despatch of Lord John Hay and awarded the Order of San Sebastian. Following a period of convalescence in Plymouth he returned to Spain until the end of hostilities and appears to have been granted a second award of the Order of San Sebastian. He rose in rank over the following decades, becoming Deputy Adjutant General Royal Marines in 1862 and promoted Major General 10th November 1866. He was created C.B. in 1869, retired in 1877, and was elevated to K.C.B. 24th May 1881. He died on the 29th December 1896, having survived his eldest son, Major Lionel Langley, R.E. (see lot 74)