Captain Henry Francis Mellish served in the 10th Hussars in the Peninsula War, arriving there in 1808. He was ADC to one of Wellington's generals Sir Ronald Ferfuson. It was said one day that Mellish had been taken prisoner. When Wellington heard this he said: “They will not keep him long.”Sure enough the next day Mellish returned riding a stolen French donkey. Everyone laughed and said it was not worth ?5. He retorted:"I will make it worth ?35," and he promptly rode back towards the enemy lines where it was shot dead under him, and he then returned to claim the ?35 from the Government for the loss of his mount in battle.