"Covering Corporal" Topic

I have enjoyed Alan Mallinson's series of Matthew Hervey novels about an officer in a fictional regiment of light dragoons. They start right at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and proceed to various colonial conflicts, with some flashbacks to events in the Peninsular War.
They are full of detail, but in particular each officer has a 'cover man' who essentially acts as a bodyguard to his officer; more senior officers might rate a corporal or a sergeant. Note that this is a quite distinct position from that of batman or groom. Is this an artistic device to bring in an additional character to the books, or did this actually happen?
Assuming it's a real thing, was there an equivalent in infantry regiments (I've never come across it before).
And again, was an officer assigned a cover man because he was expected to be keeping an eye on the overall situation as well as the immediate fight; or did all cavalrymen typically fight in pairs, in the same way as some skirmishers?

Like the "Look Out Sir" Warhammer roll or extra saving roll … NO.

This is accurate, at least in the British army. Each officer (from ensign up) was assigned a "covering sergeant" who took post behind him (in the case of the colours, there were two who stood directly behind each ensign.). Their job was indeed to act as a bodyguard. They were armed with a spontoon and, when executing or receiving a charge, the sergeant would take post in front of the officer.

Camcleod
LOL

Hmmm, in the ACW, the 1st sergeant of an infantry company was also called the "Covering Sergeant" because he stood directly behind the company commander when in line of battle. The commander (usually a captain) would be in the front rank on the right of the company with the sergeant in the rear rank just behind him. But he wasn't a bodyguard. If the captain stepped out of the line, the sergeant would immediately 'cover' him and step into the captain's position in the front rank. This was important because the line kept its alignment by the touch of elbows and if the captain's spot was empty and the line moved or dressed ranks, a gap in the line could get 'squeezed out' and this could cause problems. No idea if this applies to a Napoleonic equivalent.

Harry Calvert's "Rules and Regulations for the Manual and Platoon Exercises, Formations, Field-Exercise, and Movements of His Majesty's Forces. For the Use of the Non-Commissioned Officers of the British Army" issued by the Adjutant General's office in 1807 discusses the role of covering sergeants.

I note that there is no reference to taking post in front during a charge; that may have been a re-enactorism that I was used to.

While it is correct that, in terms of company and battalion maneuvers, the covering sergeant acted as a place holder and would also scamper ahead to mark certain new positions, in combat they served a much more active role. The covering sergeants for the ensigns carrying the colours were most definitely charged with the responsibility of protecting their young charges and the flags they carried.