The Impressive ‘Malaya, Borneo and South Vietnam Jungle Fighter’ D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Warrant Officer First Class J. G. Sandford, 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, for great gallantry, forceful leadership and aggressive demeanour as a Platoon Commander during multiple close-quarter jungle fights. One of the four D.C.M.s awarded to New Zealanders during the Vietnam War, Sandford was probably the most decorated New Zealand combatant senior N.C.O. of his generation Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (775188 Sgt. J. G. Sandford, R.N.Z. Inf. Regt.); New Zealand Operational Service Medal, unnamed as issued; New Zealand General Service Medal, 2 clasps, Malaya 1960-64, Vietnam (775188 Cpl. J G Sandford RNZIR); Vietnam 1964-73 (775188 Sgt. J. G. Sandford, RNZIR); Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue, New Zealand (775188 WO1 J G Sandford RNZIR); New Zealand Defence Service Medal, 2 clasps, C.M.T. [Compulsory Military Training], Regular (775188 T/Cpl J G Sandford NZ Inf); Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal, unnamed as issued; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, 1 clasp, 1960- (775188 J G Sandford) generally good very fine and better (8) £12,000-£15,000 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 30 September 1969 ‘V775188 Sgt John Grant Sandford ‘’V” Coy, 1st Bn Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment’ The original recommendation states: ‘Throughout his year of service in South Vietnam as a Platoon Sergeant in Victor Three Company, Sergeant Sanford displayed exemplary conduct, devotion to duty and professional ability. His loyalty, forceful leadership and aggressive demeanour were a fine example to his platoon. On 3rd October, 1968 Sergeant Sandford while commanding 1 Platoon found three well concealed caches. Lacking Engineer assistance he personally undertook the dangerous investigation of the caches and their surrounds for mines and booby traps. His prompt and resourceful action resulted in the capture of 31,000 pounds of rice. In November 1968 Sergeant Sandford again commanded 1 Platoon on operations. On the 10th November his platoon engaged an enemy force moving cautiously through the jungle. His excellent siting and control enabled the platoon to engage an alert enemy party at close range. The enemy survivors of the initial engagement took cover and returned fire. After a fierce firefight the enemy soldiers fled leaving one of their members firing from an almost inaccessible position. After placing a machine gun to give covering fire, Sergeant Sandford ran forward under fire to a position from where he could throw a grenade and, at great risk to himself, killed the remaining enemy soldier. On 9th April 1969 Sergeant Sandford was again in command of 1 Platoon when it engaged a strong enemy party. He moved forward to the section most closely engaged and as he arrived in this section’s area the enemy threw a grenade, which landed close to several members of the section. Unhesitatingly Sergeant Sandford leapt forward, picked up the grenade and threw it back at the enemy. This unselfish act was successful. The grenade exploded to the front of the section and Sergeant Sandford and two other soldiers were only lightly wounded. At the conclusion of his action he elected to remain on duty commanding the platoon in spite of his wound. Throughout his service in South Vietnam Sergeant Sandford distinguished himself as a skilled and courageous soldier, whose personal gallantry was an inspiration to the men under his command.’ John Grant Sandford was born in Blenheim, South Island, on 15 December 1937. As a result of a referendum in 1949, Compulsory Military Training (CMT) was reintroduced for all New Zealand males following their eighteenth birthday; at call-up, a choice was offered as to which of the three services to train with. Sandford chose to undergo training with the New Zealand Infantry Corps; he completed 14 weeks of intensive full-time military training in 1956, followed by an obligation to attend three years of scheduled part-time training. He was appointed Temporary Corporal, his CMT service was duly certified as ‘Efficient’ and he attested for the Regular Army, joining 1st New Zealand Regiment. Sandford married his wife Glenda on 6 June 1959 at Blenheim. They had two boys, born in New Zealand in 1959 and 1961, and a girl who was born in 1963 at Terendak Camp, Malacca. The New Zealand government had committed troops to the British Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve, a joint land, sea and air force incorporating units from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It was based in Malaya and Singapore, with the mission to deter communist aggression in South-East Asia. The land component was an infantry brigade, designated 28th British Commonwealth Brigade. After Malaya became independent in 1957, Bukit Terendak, close to Malacca, was selected as home base for 28th Brigade. Terendak would house the entire brigade group with its infantry battalions and support units, military hospital, airstrip, married quarters areas and shopping precinct. Terendak Camp sprawled across several square miles, with the Straits of Malacca as its south-western boundary. Construction and occupation of Terendak was complete by August 1962, bringing all units of 28th Brigade together on a single site. As a result, when the recently redesignated 1st New Zealand Battalion arrived at Terendak, it was accompanied by its families and became the first fully accompanied overseas posting in New Zealand’s military history. The 1st New Zealand Battalion would remain based at Terendak for almost a decade. During the 1960s, elements of the Brigade, either units or components of units, would be detached for short periods from 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Group to other commands or formations for operations in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo or South Vietnam. Into action During the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation that began on 20 January 1963, Sandford’s unit, recently renamed as 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (1 RNZIR), would be committed to the conflict from September 1964, seeing service in Mainland Malaysia and Borneo. Initially, it mostly operated in the jungles of the Malaysian Border Security Area, along the northern frontier with Thailand, where the surviving Communist Terrorists had sought sanctuary. When Indonesian paratroopers landed in Johore, 1 RNZIR was one of the few Commonwealth units in the region and quickly hunted down the infiltrators. The following month, 52 Indonesian soldiers landed in Pontian on the Johore-Malacca border and were also captured by New Zealand soldiers. Sandford, now a Corporal, would later deploy with 1 RNZIR to Borneo, to combat Indonesian cross border infiltration. The Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation officially ended in May 1966. By this time, New Zealand was coming under increasing American pressure to contribute combat troops to the Vietnam War. It sent humanitarian and construction teams and eventually an artillery battery, but this was soon considered insufficient. The government desperately wanted to avoid reintroducing conscription; instead, they drew personnel from designated companies of 1 RNZIR to form a special ‘V’ - for Vietnam service - Company of fully acclimatised, well-trained, experienced jungle fighters that would be sent to South Vietnam, initially for a six-month unaccompanied combat tour, at the end of which time it would return to Malaysia and be replaced by a newly constituted V2 Company. By the time Sandford, now a Sergeant and Platoon Commander, joined the third iteration (‘V3’ Company), the New Zealanders’ combat tours had been extended to 365 days, to match the tour duration of the US army. They also made extensive use of Amer...
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Four: Reserve Constable J. A. Ryan, Royal Ulster Constabulary, late Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Fusiliers General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (23721802 Pte. J. A. Ryan UDR) with named card box of issue; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994, E.II.R. (23721802 LCpl J A Ryan UDR); Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, E.II.R., ‘Royal Ulster Constabular Reserve’ reverse (R/Const J A Ryan) with Royal Mint case of issue; Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal, E.II.R. (R/Const J A Ryan) on 2nd type riband, with Royal Mint case of issue, mounted court-style as worn, nearly extremely fine (4) £600-£800 --- James Alexander Ryan undertook Northern Ireland home service initially with the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers from 15 October 1959 to 14 October 1965, and later with the Ulster Defence Regiment from 20 November 1971 to 10 January 1973, and again with the 2nd Battalion 17 December 1974 to 16 December 1978, all in County Armagh. Ryan also served in Armagh with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as a part time Reserve Constable. Sold with a quantity of original ephemera including the recipient’s fully completed and signed Regular Army Certificate of Service Red Book for the period 17 December 1974 to 16 December 1978; original Army Form B108D Territorial Army Certificate of Service for the period 15 October 1959 to 14 October 1965; original Army Form B108D Ulster Defence Regiment Certificate of Service for the period 20 November 1971 to 10 January 1973; an original signed and named R.U.C. Standard of Efficiency certificate, dated 1 January 1980; three group photographs; a blank R.U.C. pocket notebook; O.C.A. lapel badge; eight various R.U.C. uniform/cap badges; and three Association medals (Royal Irish Rangers, Royal Irish Fusiliers; and Territorial Army), the first two named on reverse ‘L/Cpl J A Ryan 23721802 5th Batt R.I.F.’, and all swing mounted for wear.
Three: Private H. Robeson, 1st Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), who was killed in action at Gheluvelt during the First Battle of Ypres on 31 October 1914 1914 Star (S-5064 Pte. H. Robeson. 1/ The Queen’s R.); British War and Victory Medals (S-5064 Pte. H. Robeson. The Queen’s R.) good very fine (3) £200-£240 --- Herbert Robeson was born in Bermondsey, Surrey and attested at Croydon before proceeding to France on 19 September 1914 to join the 1st Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), which formed part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 1st Division, in Haig’s I Army Corps. Robeson was reported missing, and later determined to have been killed in action, on 31 October 1914. On that day, his battalion had been heavily involved at Ghelevelt during the 1st Battle of Ypres where they defended the Menin Road. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Three: Private W. Bull, 2nd Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), who was killed in action at the First Battle of Ypres on 7 November 1914 1914 Star, with copy clasp (L-9838 Pte. W. Bull. 2/The Queen’s R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-9838 Pte. W. Bull. The Queen’s R.) good very fine (3) £200-£240 --- William Bull served with the 2nd Battalion, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) during the Great War on the Western Front from 4 October 1914 and was killed in action on 7 November 1914 at the First Battle of Ypres, aged 21 years. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
The K.H. and Waterloo pair awarded to Colonel Edward Wildman, 7th Hussars, who served with the 4th Dragoons in the Peninsula where he received two severe sabre wounds in the head and arm at Albuhera, and was taken prisoner but escaped; he was slightly wounded and had three horses killed under him at Waterloo The Royal Guelphic Order, K.H. (Military) Knight’s, breast badge, gold and enamels, 46mm x 33mm, of continental manufacture, lacking green enamel to both wreaths and with further damage to both centres; Waterloo 1815 (Capt. Edw. Wildman, 7th Regiment Hussars.) fitted with original steel clip and contemporary silver bar suspension, light contact marks, otherwise very fine (2) £5,000-£7,000 --- Provenance: Richard Kirch, August 1991, since when the K.H. had been added for display purposes (Spink, April 1993). Edward Wildman was born in London on 23 March 1790, son of Thomas Wildman, of Bacton Hall, Suffolk, and the younger brother of Colonel Thomas Wildman, 7th Hussars, who served as A.D.C. to the Earl of Uxbridge at Waterloo. Edward Wildman was aged 16 years 2 months on his first entrance into the army as an Ensign in the 13th Foot on 2 May 1806, becoming Lieutenant on 6 May 1807. He transferred in the same rank to the 4th Dragoons on 29 October 1807, and served in the Peninsula from April 1809 to August 1811, and from September 1812 to April 1814. He was present at the battles of Talavera, Busaco, Redinha, Albuhera, retreat from Salamanca to Portugal 1812, Vittoria, battle of Pyrenees in front of Pampalona, Tarbes and Toulouse. At Albuhera he received two severe sabre wounds in the head and arm, was made prisoner, escaped and was sent home for recovery. Promoted to Captain in the 60th Foot in December 1814, he transferred to the 7th Hussars on 23 February 1815, and served with the regiment at Waterloo, where he was slightly wounded and had three horses killed under him. He was promoted to Major in September 1818, to Lieutenant-Colonel in September 1823, and commanded the 6th Dragoon Guards from then until 1839, when he was placed on the half-pay of the Chasseurs Brittanique. He was appointed a Knight of Hannover in 1836, and became Colonel in the Army on 28 June 1838. He married in 1818, Antonia, daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir Hildebrand Oakes, G.C.B. and had issue. Colonel Edward Wildman died in December 1846.
Three: Private E. G. Foster, 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment 1914 Star (9160 Pte. E. G. Foster. 2/ Bedf: R.); British War and Victory Medals (9160 Pte. E. G. Foster. Bedf. R.) nearly very fine (3) £80-£120 --- Edward/Edgar George Foster served with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 6 October 1914. The 1914 Star medal roll lists the recipient’s first name as Edward whereas the recipient’s Medal Index Card states it to be Edgar.
Three: Corporal A. E. King, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, later Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), who was wounded at the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914 1914 Star, with clasp (9912 Pte. A. King. 2/ R. Sc: Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (9912 Cpl. A. E. King. R. S. Fus.) nearly very fine (3) £100-£140 --- Albert Edward King served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers during the Great War on the Western Front from 6 October 1914 and was admitted to No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station with gun-shot wounds to his left leg and hand on 29 October 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres. He was subsequently advanced Corporal and transferred to the Scottish Rifles.
Three: Private T. W. Butterworth, 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War during the First Battle of Ypres on 31 October 1914 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8887 Private T. W. Butterworth. 1/ S. Staff: R.); British War and Victory Medals (8887 Pte. T. W. Butterworth. S. Staff. R.) minor spot of corrosion to star, otherwise good very fine (3) £100-£140 --- Thomas William Butterworth served with the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 4 October 1914 and was taken prisoner of war on 31 October 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres. As part of the 22nd Brigade in the 7th Division, the 1st South Staffordshire Regiment suffered extremely heavy losses during the First Battle of Ypres, being able to muster only 100 effective men at the end of the battle.
Three: Acting Corporal T. Morris, 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), who was wounded during the First Battle of Ypres and discharged due to wounds on 15 January 1916 1914 Star, with clasp (7416 Pte. T. Morriss [sic]. 2/ S. Lan: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7416 A. Cpl. T. Morris. S. Lan. R.) very fine (3) £100-£140 --- Thomas Morris was born in Bootle, Lancashire and attested for the Prince of Wales’s (South Lancashire Regiment) at Warrington on 24 February 1904. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 14 August 1914 and suffered a bullet wound to his right forearm on 21 October 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres. He was discharged from the 3rd Battalion, due to wounds, on 15 January 1916 and was awarded a Silver War Badge. Note: The recipient’s surname is spelt Morriss on 1914 Star Roll. Two Medal Index Cards exist for this recipient, one with the surname Morriss indicating entitlement to 1914 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal; the other with the surname Morris indicating entitlement to the British War Medal and Victory Medal only.
Three: Private J. Tanner, 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, who was wounded during the Battle of the Aisne on 19 September 1914 1914 Star (6975 Pte. J. Tanner. 1/ North’n R.); British War and Victory Medals (6975 Pte. J. Tanner. North’n R.) good very fine (3) £100-£140 --- John Tanner was born at High Ongar, Essex in 1885 and attested for the Northamptonshire Regiment on 21 April 1903. He served during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 August 1914 and was repatriated to England on 21 September 1914 having suffered a gun-shot wound to his left arm. He was discharged in consequence of the termination of his first period of engagement on 20 April 1916.
Three: Private J. Fowler, 1st Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), who was discharged in 1915 due to wounds received at Zonnebeke during the First Battle of Ypres on 24 October 1914 1914 Star (7662 Pte. J. Fowler. 1/ R. Berks: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7662 Pte. J. Fowler. R. Berks. R.) very fine or better (3) £100-£140 --- Joseph Fowler was born in Compton, Berkshire in 1886 and attested for the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 29 March 1904. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 August 1914, and was wounded in action at Zonnebeke on 24 October 1914, being repatriated to England four days later. He was discharged, no longer physically fit for war service, on 1 October 1915 and was awarded a Silver War Badge.
Three: Lance-Sergeant H. J. Waller, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), later 3rd Battalion, with whom he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal 1914 Star, with clasp (L-8114 L. Cpl. J. H. [sic] Waller. 4/Midd’x R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-8114 Cpl. J. H. [sic] Waller. Midd’x R.) nearly very fine (3) £240-£280 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 14 January 1916; citation published 11 March 1916: ‘For conspicuous good work. Although untrained in bomb-throwing, Sergeants Coleman and Waller, when bombers were not available, threw bombs with great coolness and effect for four hours.’ Herbert Joseph Waller was born in Edmonton, Middlesex on 27 October 1884 and his Regimental Number indicates that he first attested for the Middlesex Regiment in 1902. He served with the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 14 August 1914, subsequently being posted to the 3rd Battalion, with which battalion he was serving at the time of the award of his Distinguished Conduct Medal. He died in Battersea, London in January 1950.
Three: Corporal G. Harrison, 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment, who having served on the Western Front in 1914, embarked with the 11th (Service) Battalion for Gallipoli and also served in East and German South West Africa before returning to France in July 1916 where he was wounded on 20 September 1916 1914 Star (6585 Pte. G. Harrison. 2/ Manch: R.); British War and Victory Medals (6585 Cpl. G. Harrison. Manch. R.) good very fine (3) £120-£160 --- George Harrison first attested for the Manchester Regiment in 1901 and served with the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 October 1914. He was then posted to the 11th (Service) Battalion and served in Gallipoli from 25 November 1915 to 9 January 1916. The British War and Victory Medal Roll states that Harrison then served in East Africa (British East Africa, German East Africa, Rhodesia Nyasaland and Uganda) from 10 January 1916 until 18 March 1916 and subsequently served in German South West Africa from 19 March 1916 until 9 July 1916. Harrison returned to France and, having been promoted Corporal, suffered gun-shot wounds to the face on 20 September 1916 and was treated in the field at No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station. On the date that Harrison was wounded, the 11th Battalion was present at the fighting near Mouquet Farm in the heart of the Somme battlefield. He was repatriated to England on 23 September 1916 and later transferred to the Royal Defence Corps.
Three: Private J. F. Sawyer, 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, who was killed in action at the Battle of St. Quentin on 21 March 1918 1914 Star (10544 Pte. J. Sawyer. 2/ Durh. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (10544 Pte. J. Sawyer. Durh. L.I.) nearly very fine (3) £120-£160 --- John Frederick Sawyer was born in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire in 1886 and attested for the Durham Light Infantry at Sunderland in October 1908. He served with “D” Company in the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 8 September 1914 and was reported missing in action on 21 March 1918, the first day of ‘Operation Michael’ the German Spring Offensive, and was later confirmed dead. On the latter date, at the Battle of St. Quentin, the battalion was positioned north of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road. Having lost its two forward companies, it withdrew in the evening with what remained of the 1st West Yorkshires and at dusk the following day could only count 2 officers and 58 other ranks unwounded from an original strength of 30 officers and 639 men. Sawyer has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Three: Private R. S. McGregor, 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, who was killed in action during the First Battle of Ypres on 22 October 1914 1914 Star (9426 Pte. R. McGregor. Cam’n: Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (9426 Pte. R. S. McGregor. Cam’n Highrs.) nearly extremely fine (3) £200-£240 --- Roy Stuart McGregor was born in Edinburgh and served with “B” Company, 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders during the Great War on the Western Front from 14 August 1914. He was killed in action at Ypres on 22 October 1914, aged 19 years; he has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Three: Private S. J. Tomblin, 1st/13th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Kensington), later 2nd/13th (County of London) Battalion, who served during the Great War on the Western Front, in Salonika, and in German South West Africa 1914 Star (1184 Pte. S. J. Tomblin. 1/13 Lond: R.); British War and Victory Medals (1184 Pte. S. J. Tomblin. 13- Lond. R.) slight edge nick to second, very fine (3) £100-£140 --- Sydney James Tomblin was born at Marylebone, London in 1890 and served with the 1st/13th Battalion, London Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 4 November 1914 until 15 March 1916. The Kensingtons fought at Neuve Chapelle with credit and later at Aubers Ridge where, as the first Territorial battalion to be employed as an assaulting unit in a major operation, they were the only battalion to penetrate the German lines and gain their objectives. With promised support failing to materialise, they were unable to hold on however and following a terrible withdrawal the battalion had lost 436 men, reducing the battalion strength to 30%. General Sir Henry Rawlinson commanding the IV Corps met the survivors and congratulated them on their excellent work: ‘By your splendid attack and dogged endurance you and your fallen comrades won imperishable glory for the 13th London battalion. It was a great feat of arms surpassed by no battalion in the Great War.’ (”The Kensingtons” 13th London Regiment by Bailey and Hollier). Tomblin was posted to the 2nd/13th Battalion in Salonika from December 1916 until June 1917 and then embarked for service in German South West Africa, where he remained until shortly after the end of the war.
Pair: Private A. P. Eglintine, 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916 - the tremendous casualties suffered by the four Tyneside Scottish battalions that day were among the worst ever recorded on the Somme: of the 80 officers that went into action only 10 returned, and of the the men some 80 per cent became casualties, with 940 other ranks killed and some 1,500 wounded British War and Victory Medals (22-134 Pte. A. P. Eglintine, North’d Fus); Memorial Plaque (Alfred Peacock Eglintine) in card envelope; together with a Durham Miners Association oak mounted copper presentation Memorial Plaque, inscribed ‘Durham Miners Association, Boldon Lodge, In honour of the memory of A. Eglintine who made the supreme sacrifice for his country in the Great War 1914-1919’, nearly extremely fine (4) £300-£400 --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, September 2000. Alfred Peacock Eglintine was born in South Shields and attested there for the Northumberland Fusiliers. He served with the 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1916, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, on which date the Battalion, alongside the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tyneside Scottish Battalion, as part of the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, was tasked with attacking the German positions at La Boisselle. They attacked south of the village at 7:30 a.m. and were met with heavy machine gun and shell fire. The tremendous casualties suffered by the four Tyneside Scottish battalions were among the worst ever recorded on the Somme, with losses including all 4 Commanding Officers killed and all second in commands and adjutants. Of the 80 officers that went into action only 10 returned, and of the the men some 80 per cent became casualties, with 940 other ranks killed and some 1,500 wounded. Eglintine was amongst those killed, aged just 19. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery, France. Sold with copied research.
Pair: Private A. W. Maddison, Lincolnshire Regiment, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, on which date his Battalion suffered over 450 casualties British War and Victory Medals (16723 Pte. A. W. Maddison. Linc. R.); Memorial Plaque (Arthur William Maddison) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure, BWM cleaned, very fine and better (3) £300-£400 --- Provenance: Acquired by the vendor directly from the recipient’s family. Arthur William Maddison was born in Revesby, Lincolnshire, and attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment at Lincoln. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1916, and was killed in action on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. On this date the 2nd Battalion was detailed to attack Ovillers: in position at 3:30 a.m. the wire along the whole of the front was reported cut, and the leading waves moved into No Man’s Land at 7:25 a.m., with the German front line reached under heavy fire. 200 yards had been taken by 7:50 a.m. after fierce fighting, with the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald Bastard, recording that after three hours’ fighting only he and one other officer were left, “and we had bullet holes in our clothing”. Counter attacks forced the withdrawal later that morning, the battalion having suffered total casualties of 471. Maddison was amongst those killed; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Sold with copied research.
The important and unique West Africa 1899 C.M.G. and Defence of Legations group of four awarded to Doctor Wordsworth Poole, Principal Medical Officer in Central Africa 1895-97 and West Africa, 1897-99, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his services as Physician to the British Legation during the Siege at Peking The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, gold and enamels, with integral gold ribbon buckle, some small chips to the enamel of both centres; Central Africa 1891-98, straight bar suspension, 1 clasp, Central Africa 1894-98 (Wordsworth Poole, P. M. O), officially engraved in upright serif capitals; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, 1897-98 (Dr. Wordsworth Poole, W.A.F.F.), officially impressed naming; China 1900, 1 clasp, Defence of Legations (Wordsworth Poole, M.B., C.M.G., Legation), officially engraved in sloping serif letters, the usual style for officers, the group mounted on a contemporary wearing bar, toned and unless otherwise described, nearly extremely fine (4) £20,000-£26,000 --- Provenance: A. A. Upfill-Brown Collection, Buckland Dix & Wood, December 1991; Dr. A. L. Lloyd Collection, Bonhams, March 2013. C.M.G. London Gazette 2 January 1900: ‘For services as Principal Medical Officer of the West African Frontier Force on the Niger.’ Wordsworth Poole, who was born into a medical family at St. Paul's Cray, Kent, on 7 December 1867, was the son of Samuel Wordsworth Poole, an M.D. of Aberdeen and, later, vicar of St. Mark’s, Cambridge, and the grandson of Richard Poole, an eminent physician, psychiatrist and phrenologist, who practised in Edinburgh. He was educated at St. Olave’s School, London, where he won several scholarships and then proceeded to St. Catherine's College, Cambridge where he entered the medical faculty. Completing his training at Guy's Hospital, and qualifying as an M.B. and B.C.H., he was unimpressed with the humdrum prospects of a provincial G.P., and Wordsworth Poole, after a short time as house surgeon, went forth to play his part in Empire, later jotting: ‘There was a young Cambridge M.B. Said I won't be a Cambridge G.P. But to Africa's shore I'll stick ever more And now he's a K.C.M.G.’ Fortunately for posterity’s sake, during his time in Central Africa, Poole kept a journal and wrote many letters to members of his family. Edited and published circa 1960 by Michael Gelfand under the title ‘Doctor on Lake Nyasa - Being the Journal and Letters of Dr. Wordsworth Poole (1895-1897)’ these writings, often quoted below, provide a rare insight into an important period of British rule in Central Africa, dealing as they do with the final overthrow of the armed forces of the African chiefs and Arab leaders who conducted a huge traffic in slaves around and beyond the shores of Lake Nyasa. They also contain much of interest from a medical perspective and many references to the life led by the early Europeans in the protectorate. British Central Africa On 5 January 1895, Poole was appointed to the Administration of the British Central Africa Protectorate as second Medical Officer. Bidding farewell to his brother, Francis, at Cairo on 19 February 1895 he embarked for Zomba, via Suez, Zanzibar and Mozambique, arriving on 17 April. Upon arrival, he observed in a letter to his Aunt Mary that there was a great mixture of nationalities in the tiny community of Zomba: ‘There are British, Yaos, Atongas, Arabs, Hindi, Goanese, Zanzibaris, Makua from Mozambique, Persians, a jJew, Zulus, Angoni - all speaking different languages’. As was to be expected, Poole at once commenced to treat the sick, one of his first calls was to make an African a wooden leg, his leg having been bitten off by a crocodile. Promotion was swift and, following the resignation of the incumbent, Dr. Rendall, by October he held the post of Principal Medical Officer, on the recommendation of the Commissioner, Sir Harry Johnston, who said of him, he had 'shown himself to be a most capable man and he can stand the climate and likes the country.' Wordsworth’s job was not an easy one, however, involving as it did, leaving his post at a moment’s notice to attend to members of the administration. Malaria and its complication, blackwater fever, were the most serious disadvantages of the country. The mortality rate amongst the officials and settlers must have been one of the highest in the world with an overall annual death rate of around 10 percent. The death rate among officials was particularly high. In 1897-98 there were 81 officials, of whom one-fifth were always on leave. Out of the total of 65 in the country there were 12 deaths (18 per cent), practically all in the prime of their life. Although conditions for the handful of Europeans in the capital were harsh, Poole discovered he could get by set apart from fair-skinned females; his military neighbours, on the other hand, he found rather trying. 'Take them all round,' he wrote, 'soldiers are about the most uninteresting men out - Their calling seems to wash anything original out of them and they become exasperating bores.' However, he enthusiastically entered the social life of the place, becoming secretary of the sports club and building a tennis court. Being of literary interests, he was also the prime mover in establishing a library. In September 1895, Wordsworth Poole took part in the first of several expeditions to suppress slavery on the southern shores of Lake Nyasa. As the expedition approached Chief Matipwiri's village, he was conscious of the ever present dangers ‘It was difficult to get rid of an uncomfortable feeling that some of the enemy lurking in the grass might loose off a gun at you, trusting for his chance of getting away in the long grass, in which they dodge about like hares. This did actually happen, for just as we were setting about to bivouac, three of the enemy fired from the bush, hitting no one but one of them got dropped by two bullets’. Contemplating the forthcoming battle 'I had been thinking all day what I should do when the action commenced,' he imagined himself treating the casualties, with his, 'boy carrying my Winchester to be handy’ in case he should be attacked when attending to the wounded. The reality, however, was somewhat different. The enemy evaporated and, ‘various parties went out burning villages and killing a few folk.’ The following month, enabled by an absence of sickness in Zomba, Poole was thrilled to join Major C. E. Edwards on his campaign against Zirafi, a powerful chief living on a steep and impregnable hill covered with boulders of rock, ‘with people potting at you from good cover.’ The skirmishing en-route was described by Poole in a letter to his mother ‘I and my hospital carriers were passing a clearing when about 70 yards away from us two guns blazed off from behind rocks. The porters threw down their loads and hooked. My boy ran up to me with my rifle, and I was trying to catch sight of someone to fire at (I’m fairly steady with the rifle now) when I saw a flash and some smoke, followed by another, and a bullet fell near my feet, knocking up dust into my face’. They pushed on, intent on punishing the naughty Zirafi, but, on finding the enemy's town abandoned, embarked upon the next stage of the campaign against the wicked Mponda, who in turn gave himself up in fear of the oncoming white men. Poole, meanwhile, was busy in his hospital and had been performing several operations, ‘Last Saturday I took off a man’s hand. He had been shot through the wrist by one of Zirafi’s men about six week’s ago. Since then he has had Tetanus, but recovered at Fort Johnston. He is...
Pair: Private H. A. Brooke, East Lancashire Regiment, who was killed in action on the Western Front on the first day of the German Spring Offensive, 21 March 1918 British War and Victory Medals (235561 Pte. H. A. Brooke. E. Lan. R.) in named card box of issue; Memorial Plaque (Harold Andrew Brooke) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure; Memorial Scroll ‘Pte. Harold Andrew Brooke, E. Lancashire Regt.’, in OHMS transmission tube, addressed to ‘Mrs. Brooke, 5 Sea View, Easington Village, Co, Durham’; together with the recipient’s card identity disc, ‘Brooke HA 235531 CE East Lancs’; and an Easington Colliery Tribute Medal, gold (9ct, 7.70g), the obverse engraved ‘HB’, the reverse engraved ‘Presented by the Inhabitants of Easington Colliery for Services Rendered during the Great War 1914-1919’, extremely fine (5) £300-£400 --- Provenance: Acquired by the vendor directly from the recipient’s family. Harold Andrew Brooke was born in Hanley Staffordshire, and resided at Easington Village, co. Durham. He attested for the Yorkshire Regiment, before transferring to the East Lancashire Regiment, and served with the 2nd/5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front. He was killed in action at Hargicourt on 21 March 1918, the first day of the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, France. Sold with named Record Office enclosure; official notification of death; and two Red Cross letters regarding the recipient’s burial, that state that he was originally buried near Hargicourt.
Family Group: Pair: Private W. Brock, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 23 October 1916 British War and Victory Medals (27328 Pte. W. Brock. Essex R.); Memorial Plaque (William Brock) in card envelope, extremely fine Pair: Private J. Brock, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November 1917 British War and Victory Medals (31572 Pte. J. Brock. Essex R.); Memorial Plaque (John Brock) in card envelope, extremely fine (6) £240-£280 --- William Brock was born in Faristead, Essex, and attested for the Essex Regiment at Braintree, Essex He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1916, and was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme on 23 October 1916, on which date the Battalion was involved in an attack east of Lesbœufs and Gueudecoiurt, suffering 255 casualties. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. John Brock, the brother of William Brock, was born in Faristead, Essex, and attested for the Essex Regiment at Braintree, Essex He served with the 9th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Cambrai, 20 November 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, France. Sold with copied research.
Three: Second Lieutenant H. G. B. Taylor, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), late London Regiment, who was killed in action leading his platoon in an attack at Bouleaux Wood during the Battle of the Somme, 16 September 1916, on which dated the 1st/7th Battalion suffered over 300 casualties 1914-15 Star (2655 Pte. H. G. B. Taylor. 16. Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. H. G. B. Taylor) last two in named card box of issue, extremely fine (3) £70-£90 --- Herbert George Brooks Taylor attested for the London Regiment, and served with the 16th Battalion (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) during the Great War on the Western Front from 24 January 1915. Wounded by a piece of shell on 3 May 1915, he was subsequently commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Duke of Cambridge’s Own Middlesex Regiment on 4 August 1915, and was killed in action on 15 September 1916, whilst leading his platoon in action Bouleaux Wood during the Battle of the Somme. The first two Companies, “A” and “C” Companies, moved forward at 8:20 a.m., and Battalion historian Colonel E. J. King records that these were in a moment practically annihilated, leaving just 25 men. There was no hesitation when “B” and “D” Companies advanced, but these also came under heavy fire, and the Battalion as a whole suffered 300 casualties out of an attacking strength of 500, of whom 125 were killed. In a letter to his widow,Taylor’s Colonel wrote: ‘He had not been with us very long, but he had gained the respect and liking of all of us. A very good officer, he will be difficult to replace, and his services can be ill-spared by his country. I beg that you will accept in your great sorrow the deepest sympathy of myself and my officers.’ Taylor is buried in Combles Communal Cemetery Extension, France, with his headstone incorrectly recording the date of his death as 16 September 1916 (although the Battalion War Diary confirms that he died on 15 September). Sold with named Record Office enclosure for the three medals, and copied research.
Pair: Private W. Walker, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 17 August 1916 British War and Victory Medals (S-18276 Pte. W. Walker. Camerons.); Memorial Plaque (2) (William Walker; William Walker) both in card envelopes, nearly extremely fine (4) £120-£160 --- Provenance: Acquired by the vendor directly from the recipient’s family. William Walker was born in New Monkland, Lanarkshire, and attested for the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders at Airdrie, Lanarkshire, on 25 May 1915. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 22 February 1916, and was killed in action on 17 August 1916, on which date the Battalion was in the trenches at Bazentin-le-Petit Wood, Somme. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Sold with copied record of service and other research. Note: Included with one of the recipient’s two Memorial Plaques in the lot is the plaque acknowledgement receipt, which should have been returned to the Royal Arsenal, London. Doubtless it was due to (presumably) the first plaque going unacknowledged that resulted in a second plaque being issued.
Pair: Private W. J. Sandford, Tank Corps, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 25 August 1918, during an act of heroic self-sacrifice as he succeeded, at the cost of his own life, in rescuing four of his comrades from a burning tank, for which act of gallantry he was strongly commended British War and Victory Medals (109780 Pte W. J. Sandford. Tank Corps); Memorial Plaque (William Joseph Sandford) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure, extremely fine (3) £240-£280 --- William Joseph Sandford was born in Worcester and attested there initially for the Royal Army Service Corps, before transferring to the Tank Corps. He served with the 11th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 25 August 1918, whilst performing an heroic act of self-sacrifice in an attempt to rescue wounded comrades. An Appendix to the Battalion War Diary for 25 August 1918 states: ‘From:- Lieutenant F. A. Burton, No. 5 Section, “B” Company, 11th Tank Battalion. To:- Officer Commanding, 11th Tank Battalion. Sir, I have the honour to submit the following report in connection with the action at Boyelles on 23 August, 1918, in which I was wounded and taken prisoner. Orders were received from Battalion Headquarters for “B” Company to leave Blairville Wood about 10:30 p.m. on 22 August, and proceed to the front line, distant about 6 kilometres. I was in command of Tank No. 9659. The first driver and the first gunner were taken to the line by car in order that they might rest before going into action. On arrival within 2km of the line the Company had to pass under enemy shrapnel fire and all ranks were ordered to remain in their tanks until the shelled area was passed. The Company arrived in the vicinity of the “Jumping off” place about 6:15 a.m. when an enemy aeroplane was sighted and orders were received to shut down engines and camouflage tanks at once. The action was to commence at 7:00 a.m. Owing to the time taken in camouflaging, greasing, filling up, etc., the reconnaissance of the battle area had to be limited to a rather hurried discussion over a map. There was no time for Tank commanders to examine the ground over which they had to travel. The first driver and first gunner arrived just as our barrage was opened. All tanks were immediately uncovered and started into action. The Orders received by me were as follows:- Tank (9659) was to be the right hand tank of the section. On the crest of the hill about 1,000 yards distant was our front line, and on top of the next crest was the enemy front line (about 700 yards from ours). The tanks were to start after the infantry, overtake them, then cross the enemy front line and patrol it until the arrival of the infantry, after which all tanks would proceed as quickly as possible to the rallying point. The crew of the tank with the exception of the first driver and the first gunner, having been on the move all night, were more or less fatigued, and the tank was very hot. As the action proceeded the heat inside the tank became intense. On crossing the enemy front line my first driver (Corporal Hammond) and first gunner (Lance-Corporal Watkins) were killed by A.P. bullets, and whilst they were being replaced the tank received a direct hit through the front which stopped the engine and set the tank on fire. I remember nothing more until I found myself lying in a shell hole alongside the tank, and discovered that I was wounded in the right leg. The tank was burning furiously and continuous explosions of the 6 pdr. and S.A. ammunition occurring With me in the shell hole were three other survivors, Gunners Hurd, Goozee and Clark, all wounded. Gunner Clark informed me that he had been carried from the burning tank by Gunner W. Sandford, who, up to that time, was unwounded. This gallant action was performed under the heavy machine-gun fire which was being concentrated on the tank. On entering the tank again to see if he could effect further rescue Gunner Sandford was killed, presumably by the explosion of the ammunition in the tank. This statement is corroborated by the other survivors. I strongly commend to your notice the gallant conduct of Gunner W. Sandford.’ There were many cases of gallantry that, for whatever reason, went un-rewarded during the Great War, and Sandford ultimately received no medallic recognition for this gallant act. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France. Sold with copied research
Three: Acting Corporal W. Terry, 5th (London Rifle Brigade) Battalion, London Regiment, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, on which date the Battalion suffered almost 600 casualties 1914-15 Star (1339. Pte. W. Terry. 5-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1339 A.Cpl. W. Terry. 5-Lond. R.); Memorial Plaque (Walter Terry) in card envelope, remnants of solder and small central indentation to reverse of plaque, otherwise extremely fine (4) £400-£500 --- Walter Terry was born in Stratford, Essex, and attested for the 5th (London Rifle Brigade) Battalion, London Regiment in London. He served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 2 September 1915, and was killed in action on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. On this date the Battalion was involved in the 56th (1st London) Division’s attack at Gommecourt, where they were driven out of the enemy trenches with great loss. In his report of the battle, Lieutenant-Colonel A. S. Bates gives the strength of his battalion at the time of assembly for action as 23 officers and 803 other ranks. At 5:00 p.m. in the British line he would count just 89 unwounded men. Total casualties were given in the Regimental history as 588. Terry was amongst those killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Three: Lance-Corporal H. Algar, 13th (Princess Louie’s Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 7 September 1916 1914-15 Star (2656. Pte. H. Algar. 13-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2656 Pte. H. Algar. 13-Lond. R.); Memorial Plaque (Herbert Algar) in card envelope; together with two prize medals, the first silver and inscribed ‘Prize Medal, Swimming 1912’; the second bronze and inscribed ‘Prize Medal, Crystal Palace Fête 1913’, extremely fine (6) £140-£180 --- Herbert Algar was born in Kensington, London, and attested there for the 13th (Princess Louise’s Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment. He served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 11 February 1915, and was killed in action on 7 September 1916. A letter written to the recipient’s father from Captain Geoffrey Leigh, “B” company, 13th London Regiment, states: ‘Your son was killed instantaneously by a shell whilst in the Reserve Trenches. He did not suffer at all. He was one of the most promising N.C.O.s in the Company and he is a great loss to us all.’ Algar is buried in Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, France. Sold with Record Office enclosures for the three medals; official notification of his death, and hand-written letter from his Captain; a hand-written essay by the recipient, entitled ‘Time’; and other ephemera and copied research.
The Memorial Plaque bestowed upon Private B. L. Lomax, Durham Light Infantry, who was posted missing, presumed killed in action, on the Western Front on the first day of the German Spring Offensive, 21 March 1918 Memorial Plaque (Benjamin Lockhart Lomax) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure, light file marks to reverse, good very fine £60-£80 --- Provenance: Acquired by the vendor directly from the recipient’s family. Benjamin Lockhart Lomax was born in Hull and attested there for the East Yorkshire Regiment on 24 November 1915. Transferring to the Durham Light Infantry on mobilisation on 11 May 1917, he served with the 15th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 20 August 1917, and was posted missing, presumed killed in action, on 21 March 1918, the first day of the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, France. Contemporary newspaper cuttings included with the lot give details of how the recipient’s Memorial Plaque, along with his Great War medals, were stolen from an unoccupied house in Hull in August 1939, and subsequently found in the possession of a person arrested in the city for a number of cases of housebreaking. Additional copied research with the lot shows the efforts that the local police and the War Office went to in order to reunite the medals and plaque with their rightful owner. Note: The date of the recipient’s death as recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Roll of Honour is 31 March 1918, with his death adjudged to have occurred between 21 and 31 March; his service records, and the War Office records, give the date of his death as 21 March 1918.
The Waterloo Medal awarded to Cornet John Picard, Royal Horse Guards Waterloo 1815 (Cornet T. K. Picard, Royal Horse Guards.) fitted with original steel clip and ring suspension, note error in first initial, edge bruising and some heavy contact marks, especially to the obverse, otherwise toned, very fine and rare £6,000-£8,000 --- Provenance: Whitaker Collection 1908. One of only three or four Royal Horse Guards medals to officers available to collectors. John Kirkby Picard was born in 1797, son of John Kirkby Picard senior, a Deputy Recorder of Hull and a prosperous lead importer who issued lead trading tokens in Hull. The young Picard joined the Royal Horse Guards as a Cornet on 2 September 1813, and fought in Captain Thoyt’s Troop at the battle of Waterloo, the senior of the two Cornets present. He was afterwards promoted to Lieutenant, 20 July 1815, but retired from the service by the sale of his commission on 20 December 1821, receiving the value of a Cornetcy only. He later became a partner in his father's business and died at Christchurch, Hampshire, on 1 October 1836. There is believed to be a portrait of John Kirkby Picard junior in the Hull Museums Collections.
The Waterloo Medal awarded to Private John Bingley, Royal Horse Guards, who suffered 14 lance and sabre wounds in different parts of his body at Waterloo Waterloo 1815 (John Bingley, Royal Horse Guards.) fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension inscribed on either side ‘Honour to the Brave’ and ‘14 Lance and Sabre wounds’, nearly very fine £5,000-£7,000 --- Provenance: An Important Collection of Waterloo Medals, Buckland Dix & Wood, December 1994. John Bingley was born in Corby, Leicestershire (sic), and joined “H” Troop, Royal Horse Guards on 1 October 1811, aged 26, a frame work knitter by trade. He was discharged on 5 February 1817, and admitted to Chelsea Hospital on 18 February following, aged 31, as a result of having been ‘wounded at Waterloo by 14 Sabre wounds in different parts of his body, and fistula in ano from which he suffers much at times.’ His period of service is recorded as being 7 years 4 months, including two years for Waterloo, which means he must have been born circa 1785. Two letters exist written by John Bingley to his parents from Belgium, now held in the Household Cavalry Archives, Windsor; the first from a ‘village near Brussels’ on 17 May 1815, describing to his father his arrival with the regiment in Belgium from Ramsgate. The second is considerably more interesting and was written to his parents from the ‘Cavalry Depot near Brussels’ on 13 August 1815, describing his wounds and subsequent recovery: ‘My dear father and mother, This comes with my sincere love to you and all my friends, hoping that you are in good health as I am at this time, I thank God for it. I have the pleasure to inform you that my wounds are all healed, but my left arm still continues very weak and my right knee is rather stiff, but in a little time I have no doubt but I shall have the perfect use of it, as it gets better every day and I get stronger and by the blessing of God am in perfect good health. Dear father, I received your kind and loving letter this morning, am very glad to find that you and all your friends are well and relieved from that undoubted anxiety which you would naturally feel respecting me being killed. It certainly was reported in the field that Bingley of the H Troop was killed, for on Sunday the 17th June (as we were deluding the enemy to advance by making the most regular retreat in order to draw them out of a wood and at the same time to plant ourselves in a stronger position) there was a man 2 or 3 files on my right who lost his head by a cannon shot and someone in the rear of the division through a mistake, said it was me. But praised be the Lord, I am still alive, though positively on Sunday evening the 18th I expected every minute to breath my last, being so excessively faint through the great loss of blood I sustained from the great number of wounds I received and for 2 or 3 preceding days had but little provision to subsist upon. Consequently I became very weak and feeble, but miraculous as it may appear, after all this fatigue and distress, I was enabled to exist from Sunday until Wednesday with straw for my bed and water for my nourishment; but (thanks be to God which gave us the victory) I am still alive and hope through his great and boundless mercy, in his good time, to be enabled to come to Old England again, that I may come and see you and give you comfort in your old age, before you depart this mortal life... Please to write when convenient, directing as before and believe me to be your truly affectionate and loving son, John Bingley
The Waterloo Medal awarded to Regimental Sergeant-Major Thomas Barlow, 1st Dragoon Guards, who engaged a French officer of the Cuirassiers in hand to hand combat and succeeded in bringing his opponent to the point of surrender; it later transpired that he was renowned as one of the finest swordsmen in the French Army, and Barlow was rewarded with a commission as Cornet & Adjutant in recognition of his bravery Waterloo 1815 (Reg. Serj. Maj. T. Barlow, 1st Reg. Dragoon Guards.) fitted with original steel clip and bar suspension, contained in an old leather glazed display frame, about very fine and rare £6,000-£8,000 --- Provenance: Glendining’s, January 1902; Sotheby, June 1906, to Needes Collection; An Important Collection of Waterloo Medals, Buckland Dix & Wood, December 1994. Thomas Barlow was born circa 1785, and enlisted into the King’s Dragoon Guards on 18 April 1801, and spent the next fourteen years of his service in England and Ireland progressively working his way up through the non-commissioned ranks. A man of strong religious beliefs, Barlow was a Methodist Lay Preacher, and at the time of the King’s Dragoon Guards embarkation for the Low Countries in April 1815, a married man but with no children. Barlow was present as Regimental Sergeant Major with the K.D.G. at Waterloo and took part in that first great charge of the Household Brigade (1st and 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards and K.D.G., 1220 sabres in all) against the 1st and 4th Cuirassiers of Dubois’s Brigade which resulted in putting the four infantry divisions of D’Erlon's Corps into full flight. As the R.S.M. Barlow apparently advanced in front of the Regiment into the open ground between the two sides in order to indicate the position the K.D.G. should follow. In so doing he came into hand to hand combat with a French officer of the Cuirassiers, who it later transpired was renowned as one of the finest swordsmen in the French Army. Notwithstanding his disadvantage in being armed with the standard British Heavy Cavalry sword, which was six inches shorter than its French equivalent, Barlow succeeded in disabling his opponent bringing him to the point of surrender. As a token of his submission, the French officer yielded his sword which Barlow immediately presented to his Commanding Officer, who, in praising him for his bravery, expressed the wish that he had many more such Methodist parsons in his regiment. During the course of the battle, the K.D.G. were involved in some eleven charges and by the time victory was secured the regiment had sustained casualties of eleven officers and 275 other ranks killed, wounded and missing. Barlow's obituary maintains that at the close of the day only fifteen King's Dragoon Guards remained mounted, of whom the senior officer was a Lieutenant and the senior N.C.O. was Thomas Barlow, the Regimental Sergeant Major. In recognition of his general bravery and in particular his combat with the Cuirassier officer, Barlow was rewarded with a commission as Cornet and Adjutant on 10 August 1815. He continued in the K.D.G. until transferring to the 23rd Light Dragoons as a Captain, on half pay, on 16 April 1818. In 1819, he became adjutant of the Prince Regent’s 2nd Regiment of Cheshire Yeomanry, an appointment which he held until 1833, when he retired having received a commuted allowance for his commission. Described by a contemporary as ‘a bold soldierly looking man, who spoke in a very pompous style’, whose ‘remarks from first to last were generally of the cutting and slashing character’, Barlow became a local Methodist preacher and for some years lived at Pickmere, Cheshire, finally dying in about 1857, at the age of 72 at his home in East Collingwood The above information is largely taken from an article on Captain Thomas Barlow published in the regimental journal of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, written by a descendant of Thomas Barlow in October 1987.
Maharajpoor Star 1843 (Lieutt. C. A. Jackson 31st Regt. N.I.) original brass hook suspension, extremely fine £400-£500 --- Charles Alexander Jackson was born at Calcutta on 6 January 1819, son of Major James Nesbitt Jackson, C.B., 45th Native Infantry. A Cadet of 1834, he was appointed Ensign on 13 June 1835, and arrived in India on 28 July 1835; Ensign doing duty, 12th N.I., 19 August 1835. Posted to 31st N.I. 28 June 1836. Operations against the Kols 1837-38. First Afghan War 1838-42; Ghuznee 1839; Khelat; Lieutenant, 31st N.I. (Medal). Appointed to the charge of Commissariat duties with the 2nd Brigade, Bengal column, Army of the Indus, May 1839. Posted to Shah Shuja’s army, April 1840. Assistant to Political Agent at Kandahar, 3 June 1840. Officiating Sub Assistant Commissary General with Army of Exercise, 15 December 1843. Gwalior campaign; Maharajpoor; Lieutenant, 31st N.I., S.A.C.G. (Bronze star). Placed on furlough with sick certificate on 15 November 1844, and died in London on 12 March 1846.
A scarce ‘Birkenhead Survivor’s’ South Africa Medal awarded to Colour Sergeant J. O’Neil, 91st Foot, who had the misfortune of twice being shipwrecked, and was wounded in action during the Third Kaffir War South Africa 1834-53 (J. O’Neil. 91st. Regt.) traces of brooch mounting, edge bruising, otherwise nearly very fine £1,800-£2,200 --- Provenance: Glendining’s, September 1990 John O’Neil, ‘the son of a farrier-major in the 7th Dragoon Guards, was born on board ship near Malta in 1827. Enlisting in the 91st Foot, he set sail for South Africa in 1842. His ship, the Abercrombie Robinson, was wrecked in Table Bay in a cyclone, and the impedimenta of the regiment was lost. After a delay of six months he went to the frontier until 1844, when war broke out with the Kaffirs, and two years later he was engaged in the war with the Boers. His first adventure in this was when his regiment made a forced march from Grahamstown to Boomplats, where they encountered General Joubert, President Pretorious, and Paul Kruger, commanding a large number of burghers. The British were commanded by Sir Harry Smith. In 1850 he was again engaged with the Kaffirs, and in 1852 he went on escort duty to Robbin Island with prisoners, and afterwards went on board the ill-fated Birkenhead at Simonstown. Between that harbour and Port Elizabeth, in the locality of Danger Point, the Birkenhead went down through the recklessness of the skipper, seven hours after the embarkation, and Sergeant O’Neil was shipwrecked for the second time in his life. There were over 600 persons on board, and of this number 450 were drowned or fell victims to the sharks. Sergeant O’Neil swam ashore, and had to walk 16 miles under a scorching sun before assistance could be obtained. In 1853 he was again battling with the Kaffirs, and before the conclusion of the campaign was wounded in the leg by a bullet. He returned home in 1855, and two years later was ordered to India, where he served for two years.’ (Recipient's obituary refers). The Birkenhead Disaster O’Neil’s own account of the Birkenhead disaster is as follows: ‘I and my escort had only been on board seven hours when the vessel struck on a rock between Simon's Bay and Port Elizabeth, somewhere near Danger Point. She struck a mile and a quarter from shore. It is fair to suppose the disaster was caused by reckless navigation, because outside the breakers the seas was as smooth, almost, as a floor; there was scarcely a ripple on the surface of the water. It was a strange scene when she struck. The Captain of the ship rushed down below and told the sailors to man the boats. "Lower your boats, men", said he, "We are all lost!". I never saw him again. Captain Wright [the only officer of the 91st Foot on board] gave the order: "All hands fall in on deck", and we fell in, every man. He told off so many soldiers and so many sailors to each boat, to get them out and save the women and children. I forget how many boats there were, but every boat available was got over the side. No man was allowed to leave the ranks till the boats were pushed off. Any rush would have swamped the boats for certain, but no one thought of doing it. Discipline was maintained till the last. The ship went down twenty minutes after striking. It was a terrible time, but we stood on. We all expected to die, but the women and children were got safely off. Not one of them was drowned, thank God. They and their escort comprised the greater part of those who were saved. The water rose as the ship was sinking. Before we left her we were up to our necks in water on the top deck. Just before the end came Captain Wright addressed us. "You men who cannot swim", said he, "stick to some wreckage- whatever you can lay hands on. As for you who can swim, I can give you no advice. As you see, there are sharks about, and I cannot advise you how to avoid them." There was many a quiet hand-shake and silent good-bye. Few of us hoped to live through it. The breakers between us and the shore were awful. At last the ship sank. There was a lurch and a plunge, and all was over. I found myself in the water and struck out for shore. I had next to nothing on in the way of clothing. It was a fight for life. We were not above a mile and a quarter from land, as far as my eye served me; but that is plenty far enough when there are breakers and sharks! The breakers were so big. Luckily I knew how to swim breakers, or I should not be here now. Any one not knowing how to would have been drowned, as sure as fate! They would smother him. With proper management a breaker will sometimes sweep you in for hundreds of yards. The backwash was the worst. I stuck to it, and got ashore at last, escaping the sharks. I saw nothing of the rest, or of the ship’s boats. All the trouble was not over when I got ashore. I had to walk sixteen miles stark naked under a blazing sun before I met anyone or obtained any assistance. I shall never forget Captain Wright. If it had not been for him all hands would have been lost, women and children and all.’ Promoted Corporal in June 1856, Sergeant in October 1859, and Colour Sergeant in June 1861, O’Neil was discharged in November 1864, after 21 years and 75 days’ service. The following January he was appointed Sergeant Instructor of the Lincolnshire Rifle Volunteers, and served with them for over twenty years, finally retiring in March 1885, after a total of 41 years and 131 days’ service. A public testimonial was organised as a mark of appreciation to his services, to which Field Marshal Lord Roberts contributed. O’Neil died in Boston, Lincolnshire, December 1904, and was buried with full Military Honours; at the time of his death he was said to be the last military survivor of the Birkenhead disaster. Sold with copied research, including a copy of the book ‘Drums of the Birkenhead, by David Bevan.
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Private A. Fraser, Gordon Highlanders, later Seaforth Highlanders Military Medal, G.V.R. (S-41090 Pte. A. Fraser. 1/5 Gord: Highrs:); British War and Victory Medals (S-16958 Pte .A. Fraser. Seaforth.) suspension claw possibly re-pinned on first, minor edge bruising, nearly very fine (3) £240-£280 --- M.M. London Gazette 13 November 1918.
A fine Second War ‘North-West Europe operations’ M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant A. Thomson, Royal Engineers, who received an immediate award for his services with the Irish Guards Armoured ‘Battle Group’, a unit of Horrocks’ famous XXX Corps, a few days before the War’s end Military Medal, G.VI.R. (1886162 Sjt. A. Thomson, R.E.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, good very fine and better (5) £1,200-£1,600 --- M.M. London Gazette 23 August 1945. The original recommendation for an immediate award - approved by Montgomery in the Field on 14 May 1945 - states: ‘On 29 April 1945, Sergeant Thomson was commanding a Royal Engineers Reconnaissance Party with the Irish Guards Battle Group in the Hesedorf area. During the evening a patrol consisting of a troop of tanks, a platoon of infantry on foot and Sergeant Thomson with two Sappers, was sent into Bremervorde to capture the bridges, which were thought to be intact. On reaching the outskirts of the town, the patrol came under fire, which prevented further movement in daylight. At dusk, they advanced to the first bridge. This was blown, the gap being covered by enemy infantry dug-in on the far bank. Sergeant Thomson and the Infantry Platoon then went forward together to reconnoitre the remaining two bridges. When within a few yards of the second bridge they came under heavy fire from the enemy on the bridges, both of which were intact. They were forced to withdraw and made their way back across the gap under continuous fire, firing their own weapons as they came. During the withdrawal, Sergeant Thomson stopped to inspect the blown bridge and make an estimate of the gap. On his return, he wirelessed back to his unit a concise report of his reconnaissance, which was afterwards found to be most accurate. In this action, Sergeant Thomson showed great determination to complete his task, even in the face of heavy fire. His complete disregard of personal danger was worthy of the highest praise.’ Archibald Thomson, a native of Richmond, Yorkshire, was serving in No. 14 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, on attachment to the Irish Guards Armoured ‘Battle Group’, XXX Corps, at the time of the above related deeds. It is therefore worth speculating as to whether he had been similarly employed at the time of the relief of Arnhem operations in September 1944, when the same ‘Battle Group’ had been commanded by the colourful Vandeleur cousins, one of whom, Lieutenant-Colonel J. O. E. ‘Joe’ Vandeleur, D.S.O., was portrayed by Michael Caine in the film ‘A Bridge Too Far’.
An interesting King’s South Africa Medal awarded to Corporal W. Cragg, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who was captured alongside Winston Churchill during the armoured train incident at Chieveley, 15 November 1899 King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6283 Corpl: W. Cragg. Rl: Dublin Fus:) polished and worn, therefore fine £200-£300 --- W. Cragg served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in South Africa during the Boer War, and was taken Prisoner of War at Chieveley on 15 November 1899, when the armoured train that they were in was ambushed and several carriages derailed. Approximately 43 men from the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and 12 men from the Durban Light Infantry were taken Prisoner that day, but the incident is chiefly remembered by the fact that Winston Churchill, who was present whilst serving as a newspaper correspondent for The Morning Post, was also taken Prisoner of War that day- his gallant conduct in action and daring escape from captivity captured the public’s imagination, propelled him into Parliament, and set him on the road to becoming Prime Minister. A full account of the incident is recorded in his Autobiography, My Early Life: ‘Nothing looks more formidable and impressive than an armoured train; but nothing is in fact more vulnerable and helpless. It was only necessary to blow up a bridge or culvert to leave the monster stranded, far from home and help, at the mercy of the enemy. This situation did not seem to have occurred to our commander. He decided to put a company of the Dublin Fusiliers and a company of the Durban Light Infantry into an armoured train of six trucks, and add a small six-pounder naval gun with some sailors landed from H.M.S. Terrible, together with a breakdown gang, and to send this considerable portion of his force out to reconnoitre towards Colenso. Captain Haldane was the officer he selected for the duty of commanding this operation. Haldane told me on the night of November 14 of the task which had been set him for the next day and on which he was to start at dawn. He did not conceal his misgivings on the imprudence of the enterprise, but he was of course, like everyone else at the beginning of a war, very keen upon adventure and a brush with the enemy. 'Would I come with him?' He would like it if I did! Out of comradeship, and because I thought it was my duty to gather as much information as I could for the Morning Post, also because I was eager for trouble, I accepted the invitation without demur. The military events which followed are well known and have often been discussed. The armoured train proceeded about fourteen miles towards the enemy and got as far as Chieveley station without a sign of opposition or indeed of life or movement on the broad undulations of the Natal landscape. We stopped for a few moments at Chieveley to report our arrival at this point by telegraph to the General. No sooner had we done this than we saw, on a hill between us and home which overlooked the line at about 600 yards distance, a number of small figures moving about and hurrying forward. Certainly they were Boers. Certainly they were behind us. What would they be doing with the railway line? There was not an instant to lose. We started immediately on our return journey. As we approached the hill, I was standing on a box with my head and shoulders above the steel plating of the rear armoured truck. I saw a cluster of Boers on the crest. Suddenly three wheeled things appeared among them, and instantly bright flashes of light opened and shut ten or twelve times. A huge white ball of smoke sprang into being and tore out into a cone, only as it seemed a few feet above my head. It was shrapnel - the first I had ever seen in war, and very nearly the last! The steel sides of the truck tanged with a patter of bullets. There was a crash from the front of the train, and a series of sharp explosions. The railway line curved round the base of the hill on a steep down gradient, and under the stimulus of the enemy's fire, as well as of the slope, our pace increased enormously. The Boer artillery (two guns and a pom-pom) had only time for one discharge before we were round the corner out of their sight. It had flashed across my mind that there must be some trap farther on. I was just turning to Haldane to suggest that someone should scramble along the train and make the engine-driver reduce speed, when suddenly there was a tremendous shock, and he and I and all the soldiers in the truck were pitched head over heels on to its floor. The armoured train travelling at not less than forty miles an hour had been thrown off the metals by some obstruction, or by some injury to the line. In our truck no one was seriously hurt, and it took but a few seconds for me to scramble to my feet and look over the top of the armour. The train lay in a valley about 1,200 yards on the homeward side of the enemy's hill. On the top of this hill were scores of figures running forward and throwing themselves down in the grass, from which there came almost immediately an accurate and heavy rifle fire. The bullets whistled overhead and rang and splattered on the steel plates like a hailstorm. I got down from my perch, and Haldane and I debated what to do. It was agreed that he with the little naval gun and his Dublin Fusiliers in the rear truck should endeavour to keep down the enemy's firing, and that I should go and see what had happened to the train, what was the damage to the line, and whether there was any chance of repairing it or clearing the wreckage out of the way. I nipped out of the truck accordingly and ran along the line to the head of the train. The engine was still on the rails. The first truck, an ordinary bogey, had turned completely head over heels, killing and terribly injuring some of the plate-layers who were upon it; but it lay quite clear of the track. The next two armoured trucks, which contained the Durban Light Infantry, were both derailed, one still upright and the other on its side. They lay jammed against each other in disorder, blocking the homeward path of the rest. Behind the overturned trucks the Durban Light Infantry men, bruised, shaken and some severely injured, had found a temporary shelter. The enemy's fire was continuous, and soon there mingled with the rifles the bang of the field guns and the near explosion of their shells. We were in the toils of the enemy. As I passed the engine another shrapnel burst immediately as it seemed overhead, hurling its contents with a rasping rush through the air. The driver at once sprang out of the cab and ran to the shelter of the overturned trucks. His face cut open by a splinter streamed with blood, and he complained in bitter, futile indignation. 'He was a civilian. What did they think he was paid for? To be killed by a bombshell-not he! He would not stay another minute.' It looked as if his excitement and misery-he was dazed by the blow on his head-would prevent him from working the engine further, and as only he understood the machinery, the hope of escape would thus be cut off. So I told him that no man was hit twice on the same day: that a wounded man who continued to do his duty was always rewarded for distinguished gallantry, and that he might never have this chance again. On this he pulled himself together, wiped the blood off his face, climbed back into the cab of his engine, and thereafter obeyed every order which I gave him. I formed the opinion that it would be possible, using the engine as a ram, to pull and push the two wrecked trucks clear of the line, and consequently that escape for the whole force was possible. The line appeared to be uninjured, no rail had been removed. I returned along the line to Captain Haldane’s truck and told him through a loophole what was the position and what I propo...
Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (23008541 Rfn. G. Clench. R.B.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (23324515 Fus. B. Price. R.W.F.) official correction to name, the first with re-fixed suspension, edge bruising and contact marks, therefore good fine, the second very fine (2) £80-£100
India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (299 Sowar Bostan Khan, 42/Cavy.) officially re-impressed naming as is common to this regiment and to casualty recipients for this campaign; Indian Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (10170 L-Daf. Amir Ullah, Khan, 15 Lrs.) partially officially corrected, edge bruising to first, this good fine and a scarce casualty; the LS&GC very fine (2) £70-£90 --- Bostan Khan served with the 42nd Cavalry during the Third Afghan War, and was killed in action/ died in Persia on 5 January 1920. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Roll of Honour lists only 12 casualties to this Regiment, of whom 7 were killed in action or died in the period 1-9 January 1920. Bostan Khan is commemorated on the Tehran Memorial, Iran.
A 1918 Royal Silver Wedding C.V.O. (1910 opening of Parliament of Union of South Africa M.V.O.) group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel G. J. Fitzgerald, Royal Horse Guards, latterly commanding the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment 1914-19 The Royal Victorian Order, C.V.O., Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘C724’; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Captn. G. J. Fitzgerald Ryl. Horse Gds:); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (Capt. G. J. Fitz-Gerald, R.H. Gds:); Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Union of South Africa Medal 1910, unnamed as issued, the last five mounted court-style as worn, toned, light contact marks to the first two, otherwise generally good very fine (6) £2,000-£2,600 --- Provenance: Major Flatow Collection, Spink, November 1998. C.V.O. London Gazette 6 July 1918: ‘Commanded Royal Horse Guards on the Occasion of Their Majesty’s Silver Wedding.’ M.V.O., 4th Class London Gazette 28 November 1910: ‘Assistant Military Secretary, South Africa. On the occasion of the visit of Field Marshal His Royal Highness The Duke of Connaught to represent His Majesty at the opening of the first Parliament of the Union of South Africa.’ Gerald James Fitzgerald was born on 26 March 1869, educated at Wellington, and entered the Royal Horse Guards in 1889, being promoted to Lieutenant on 24 September 1890, and to Lieutenant and Adjutant on 9 September 1891. He was promoted to Captain on 6 February 1895, and served on the North West Frontier of India between 1897-98 as Extra Orderly Officer to Major-General Sir Bindon Blood, G.O.C. of the Malakand Field Force. He commanded the Royal Horse Guards Squadron in South Africa in 1900, on the Orange River and in the Transvaal, including the action at Elands River. Promoted to Major on 16 June 1906, he was appointed Assistant Military Secretary to Lord Methuen, G.O.C.-in-Chief, South Africa, from 4 April 1908, a post he held until 1911, thus qualifying for the Union Medal. In addition, he was appointed an M.V.O. on the occasion of the Duke of Connaught opening the first Parliament of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Soon promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded not only the Royal Horse Guards, from 1915-19, but also the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment at Home from November 1914 until May 1919 prior to his retirement. He died on 15 June 1944. Sold with research including copied photographs and Central Chancery correspondence.
British War Medal 1914-20 (2) (1135 A Cpl. C. P. Robinson 3-Co. of. Lond. Y; 5496 Pte. S. Johnson Lan. Fus.) very fine (2) £70-£90 --- Charles Poulton Robinson was born in Amsterdam, Holland in 1889 but by the time of the 1891 census he was living with his parents Robert and Edith in Battersea. Ten years later the family had moved to Bexley in Kent. He attested for the Corps of Hussars at Hounslow and joined the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (The Sharpshooters) sailing with them for Egypt, arriving on 28 April 1915. He was killed in action, aged 26, when the 2nd Mounted Division took part in the Battle Scimitar Hill on 21 August 1915. He is buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Suvla, Turkey. Stephen Johnson, of Driffield, Yorkshire, landed at Gallipoli with the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers on June 6 1915 strengthening the numbers of the battalion that had suffered so badly during the “Lancashire Landings” just two months before. He was killed in action on August 21 during an attack on “Hill 112” during the Battle of Scimitar Hill. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. The Battle of Scimitar Hill The Battle of Scimitar Hill was the largest single day attack mounted by the allies at Gallipoli, involving three divisions in an attempt to stop the Turks threatening the Suvla Bay landing areas and link up with the ANZAC forces that had landed further south. It followed the Battle of Sari Bair which had seen two Divisions of Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stopford’s IX Corps land at Suvla on 6 August in an attempt to break the deadlock that had been in place since the Dardanelles campaign had begun. Scimitar Hill, so named because of its curved summit, was actually a first day objective for 7 August but it, and the neighbouring Chocolate Hill, Green Hill and W Hills which formed part of the Anafarta Spur, had proved too difficult an obstacle. It was at one stage captured by the 6/East Yorkshire Regiment on 6 August but was subsequently abandoned; it was to change hands a number of times over the next week. After repeated failures Stopford was relieved of command and Major-General Beauvoir De Lisle, commander of the 29th Division (including Private Johnson’s 1/Lancashire Fusiliers) took temporary command of the IX corps. With his own Division, the 11th Division and the yeomanry of the 2nd Mounted Division De Lisle’s plan was to attack Scimitar Hill with the 29th, nearby W Hills with the 11th and leave the 2nd Mounted in reserve. In the meantime the ANZAC forces were to attack Hill 60 further south in attempt to link up the two armies. It was not a success. The 11th Division failed to achieve their objective and whilst the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers of the 87th Infantry Brigade of the 29th Division did manage to capture the summit of Scimitar Hill they were soon driven back by fire from further up the Anafarta Spur and from the other hills to the south. The 2nd Mounted Division were soon called forward and, marching across the dry bed of a salt lake in extended formation, they came under constant fire. It is known that the 3rd County of London Yeomanry managed to advance to Chocolate Hill and took part in the attack on Hill 112, at some point during these attack Acting Corporal Poulton was to lose his life. Scimitar Hill itself was briefly recaptured by the yeomanry of the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade under Brigadier-General Lord Longford but after he was killed they were pushed back once again: the fighting on 21 August marked the last attempt by the British Forces to advance at Gallipoli. The front line was to remain static until the evacuation in December 1915.
A R.V.M. group of four awarded to Private T. H. Griffiths, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, for services with the King’s Company at the funeral of King Edward VII Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., bronze (No. 12067 Pte T. Griffiths 1st Gren. Gds) suspension re-affixed; 1914 Star (12067 Pte T. H. Griffiths. 1/G. Gds:); British War and Victory Medals (12067 Pte. T. H. Griffiths. G. Gds.) first worn, remainder good very fine £300-£400 --- T. H. Griffiths attested for the Grenadier Guards, and was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in bronze for services when a Private in the King’s Company, 1st Battalion, at the funeral of King Edward VII. He subsequently served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 19 October 1914.
The G.C.V.O. insignia awarded to Lord James of Hereford, P.C., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Royal Victorian Order, G.C.V.O., Knight Grand Cross, set of insignia comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamels, both pieces officially numbered ‘19’, the reverse of the badge additionally engraved ‘Lord James of Hereford, P.C., Chancellor Duchy of Lancaster, 22 August 1902, complete with full dress sash, this stained in parts, otherwise extremely fine (2) £1,400-£1,800 --- Provenance: Buckland Dix & Wood, June 1991. Henry James, first Lord James of Hereford 1828-1911, lawyer and statesman, was born at Hereford on 30 October 1828, third and youngest son of Philip Turner James, surgeon, of Hereford. He was educated at Cheltenham College, which was opened in 1841, and was the first boy on the roll. In after years he was president of the council of governors of the school, and founded the James of Hereford entrance scholarships, primarily for Herefordshire boys. At school he played in the cricket elevens of 1844 and 1845, and never lost his interest in the game, playing occasionally for the old boys, and becoming president of the M.C.C. in 1889. He gained no special distinction in school studies, and on leaving began training as an engineer, but soon joined the Middle Temple as a student in January 1849. He was lecturer's prizeman in 1850 and 1851, and was one of the earliest and foremost members of the Hardwicke Debating Society, where he developed a power of lucid speaking. Called to the bar in 1852, he joined the Oxford circuit. His rise at the bar was not rapid; he practised at first mainly in the mayor's court, of which he became leader. Comparatively early in his career he became known to Sir John Hollams and through him obtained much commercial work at the Guildhall. In 1867, after fifteen years at the bar, he was appointed postman of the Court of Exchequer, an office now extinct, and became a Q.C. in 1869. The following year he was elected bencher of his Inn, and in 1888 served as treasurer. In 1869 James entered the House of Commons as liberal member for Taunton. There he came to the front more quickly than at the bar and was soon a prominent figure on the ministerial side below the gangway, occasionally criticising his leaders with effect. As a parliamentary speaker he was rarely brief, but he held the ear of the house. In 1870 he joined Sir Henry Drummond Wolff in an expedition to the seat of the Franco-Prussian war, and came under the fire of French artillery at Strassbourg. In Sept. 1873 he became solicitor-general in Gladstone's government and was knighted. Two months later, when the attorney-general became lord chief justice, James succeeded him. Parliament was dissolved immediately afterwards, and James was re-elected for Taunton, but the defeat of his party deprived him of office. While in opposition, he was active in debate, and when Gladstone returned to office after the general election of 1880, James, who retained his seat for Taunton, again became attorney-general and held the post until the liberal government went out in 1885. James performed both his political and professional work with unsparing energy. In parliament his chief exploit was the drafting and carrying through its various stages the corrupt practices bill of 1883. He had already championed the cause of electoral purity, and his skill and temper in the conduct of his bill evoked Gladstone''s admiration. On 24 June 1885, he was made a privy councillor. At the general election of 1885, after the new reform bill had become law, he was returned as member for Bury in Lancashire, and he represented that constituency for the rest of his time in the House of Commons. When Gladstone declared for home rule early in 1886, James declared unhesitatingly against the change of Irish policy. Gladstone offered him first the lord chancellorship and then the home secretaryship in his new ministry, but James, with rare self-denial, declined both. He was already a warm intimate friend of Lord Hartington (afterwards duke of Devonshire), and with him he thenceforward acted in close personal sympathy, becoming a leader of the newly formed liberal-unionist party. Returned for Bury at the elections of 1886 and 1892, James, now a private member of parliament, continued his private practice at the bar. From 1892 to 1895 he acted as attorney-general of the Duchy of Cornwall to King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, with whom he had formed a close intimacy. In 1892 he was made hon. LL.D. of Cambridge. On 22 April 1893, James spoke at great length against Gladstone's home rule bill, and in February 1895 he, on behalf of the Lancashire cotton spinners, led the opposition to the liberal government's proposal to reimpose duties on cotton imported into India. On the return of the unionists to power in August 1895, James was raised to the peerage as Lord James of Hereford, and for the first time became a cabinet minister holding the office of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the unionist administration. In 1896 he joined the judicial committee of the privy council, and took part in the judicial work of that body as well as of the House of Lords. He resigned his position on the judicial committee before his death. As arbitrator in industrial disputes, and notably as chairman of the coal conciliation board from 1898 to 1909, he gave a series of important decisions, which were accepted by all parties without demur. Between 1895 and 1902 he sat, too, on a committee of the privy council appointed to deal with university education in the north of England. James resigned office in July 1902, when Mr. Balfour succeeded Lord Salisbury as prime minister. In the same year he was made G.C.V.O. The following year, when Mr. Chamberlain formulated his policy of tariff reform, James declared his resolute adherence to the principle of free trade. As in the home rule crisis, he acted with the duke of Devonshire, and stiffened the latter in his opposition to the new policy. In November 1909 he opposed, as unconstitutional, the rejection of the budget by the House of Lords. During his later years he took much interest in the Imperial Institute, and was for a long time chairman of the advisory committee. A good sportsman, especially with the gun, he maintained through life a large circle of friends. King Edward VII was constantly a guest at his shooting parties. He was an intimate friend of Millais; he knew Dickens, Charles Reade, Tom Taylor, and other men eminent in literature or art, although he had few intellectual interests outside his profession. He was munificent in private charity. He died on 18 August 1911, at Kingswood Warren, near Epsom. Previously he had made his country home at Breamore, near Salisbury, and there he was buried in the parish churchyard. He was unmarried, and the peerage became extinct at his death. A portrait by Mr. J. St. H. Lander is in the Benchers'' Rooms at the Middle Temple, and there are other portraits at the Devonshire Club and at Cheltenham College, where a fund in his memory for the endowment of Cheltenham College was inaugurated in July 1912.
The Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Sergeant S. Bowins, 54th Regiment of Foot, who survived the Sarah Sands disaster, 11 November 1857 Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (1087 Corpl. S. Bowins HM’s. 54th. Regt.) a slightly later issue (see footnote), nearly extremely fine £500-£700 --- Samuel Bowins was born in Ashford, Kent, in 1824 and attested for the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot at Rochester, Kent, on 30 December 1838, aged 14. Appointed a Drummer on 1 June 1845, he was promoted Corporal on 1 April 1851, and embarked aboard the ill-fated Sarah Sands, bound for India, in August 1857, thus becoming embroiled in one of the epic shipwrecks of Victorian times. Bowins served with the 54th Foot in India during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, and was promoted Sergeant on 21 March 1862. He was invalided from the Regiment on 24 February 1863, and discharged on 21 July of that year, ‘worn out the result of long service.’ He was subsequently admitted as an in-pensioner of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on 1 October 1896, and died on 5 January 1898. Note: The Indian Mutiny Medal Roll for the 54th Regiment of Foot was submitted in two parts- the first part (L/MIL/5/77) lists 51 Officers and men present at Camp Ballah and is dated 2 October 1858, with the medals distributed on 4 April 1860. The second part (L/MIL/5/92), listing those Officers and men who were not present at Camp Ballah, but who were entitled to the medal (together with the addition of several letters substantiating claims), was forwarded for consideration on 9 November 1870, and the medals were ordered on 21 June 1871. Bowins’ name appears on the second list, and these medals, unlike those issued in 1860, are additionally impressed with the recipient’s service number. Sold with copied research.
The Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Private T. Williamson, 78th Highlanders, who served as part of General Havelock’s Allahabad Flying Column, and died of wounds on 27 August 1857 Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (T. Williamson, 78th. Highlanders) scratch to both obverse and reverse fields, nearly extremely fine £400-£500 --- Thomas Williamson attested for the 78th Highlanders and served with them in India during the Great Sepoy Mutiny as part of General Havelock’s Allahabad Flying Column at the relief of Cawnpore. General Havelock’s Allahabad Flying Column General Havelock marched from Allahabad on 7 June 1857 leading the pitifully small movable column that was attempting to relieve Cawnpore and then Lucknow. In total the force at his disposal was approximately 1,000 British Infantry, 150 Sikh soldiers, and 30 Irregular Cavalry. The force contained small parts of 1st Battalion Bengal Artillery; 64th Foot, 78th Highlanders; 5th Fusiliers; 84th Foot; seven companies of the 90th Light Infantry, and the Madras European Fusiliers, and had a total of 8 guns. Havelock’s force advanced down the Grand Trunk Road leaving behind the evidence of the retaliatory power of the British in the number of villages burnt out and the numerous corpses left hanging from trees. Shortly after this news came to the Advanced Guard under Major Renaud of the Madras Fusiliers that at Cawnpore, General Wheeler had been forced to capitulate. On 12 July General Havelock’s force met the mutineers’ force of 3,000 men and 12 guns at Fathepore. Havelock’s force routed the mutineers and continued their relentless march toward Cawnpore. Two days later Havelock’s force stormed the Pandu Nadi river where the bridge was defended by over 2,000 mutineers. It is believed that this action caused Nana Sahib to order the execution of the remaining women and children still imprisoned in the Bibighar at Cawnpore. On 16 July at Maharajpore, still some seven miles from Cawnpore, Havelock’s force fought another action with the Nana’s rebel army. The mutineer’s gun batteries raked the advancing columns of the 64th Foot and 78th Highlanders. The awful work of charging the heavy guns (well served by the rebels) now began and the 78th Highlanders led by Colonel Hamilton took the post of honour and were first to charge. “The shrill sound of the pibroch from the bagpipes in the rear seeming to send them forward as with the force of a catapult”. The following day Havelock said, “He had never seen steadier or more devoted troops. Between 7 and 16 July you have under the Indian sun of July marched a hundred and twenty six miles and fought four actions”. Upon entry to Cawnpore Havelock’s men found the first awful evidence of the massacre that had taken place there. Advancing again on 4 August, through yet another rebel force, Hvelock was forced to rest his men after an outbreak of cholera. Even in this state his force met with a rebel force on 12 August and completed their destruction of the enemy block force in the third battle of Bashratganji when the 78th Highland and the Madras Fusiliers storm the rebel earthworks with the bayonet. Finally arriving at Lucknow the following month, his force, despite being severely weakened, fought their way into the city but did not have the strength to raise the siege and thus they became ‘Second Defenders’, having to await the arrival of Sir Colin Campbell’s relief force to finally raise the siege. Williamson was wounded at some point during these fierce actions, and died of his wounds on 27 August 1857, prior to the first Relief of Lucknow.
Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Gunr. Alexr. Kerr, 1st. Bn. Bengal Art.) nearly extremely fine £500-£700 --- Alexander Kerr was born in Barony, Glasgow, in 1834 and enlisted in the Honourable East India Company’s forces on 26 January 1855. Assigned to the 4th Company, 1st Battalion, Bengal Artillery, he served with them in India throughout the Great Sepoy Mutiny, firstly in General Havelock’s Allahabad Flying Column at the relief of Cawnpore, and at the capture and subsequent defence of Lucknow, September to November 1857. General Havelock’s Allahabad Flying Column General Havelock marched from Allahabad on 7 June 1857 leading the pitifully small movable column that was attempting to relieve Cawnpore and then Lucknow. In total the force at his disposal was approximately 1,000 British Infantry, 150 Sikh soldiers, and 30 Irregular Cavalry. The force contained small parts of 1st Battalion Bengal Artillery; 64th Foot, 78th Highlanders; 5th Fusiliers; 84th Foot; seven companies of the 90th Light Infantry, and the Madras European Fusiliers, and had a total of 8 guns. Havelock’s force advanced down the Grand Trunk Road leaving behind the evidence of the retaliatory power of the British in the number of villages burnt out and the numerous corpses left hanging from trees. Shortly after this news came to the Advanced Guard under Major Renaud of the Madras Fusiliers that at Cawnpore, General Wheeler had been forced to capitulate. On 12 July General Havelock’s force met the mutineers’ force of 3,000 men and 12 guns at Fathepore. Havelock’s force routed the mutineers and continued their relentless march toward Cawnpore. Two days later at the village of Aong he came up against another rebel force of 3,000 entrenched mutineers. He defeated them and marched on but at the cost of the death of Major Renaud who had died of his wounds. On that same evening Havelock’s force stormed the Pandu Nadi river where the bridge was defended by over 2,000 mutineers. It is believed that this action caused Nana Sahib to order the execution of the remaining women and children still imprisoned in the Bibighar at Cawnpore. On 16 July at Maharajpore, still some even miles from Cawnpore, Havelock’s force fought another action with the Nana’s rebel army. The mutineer’s gun batteries raked the advancing columns of the 64th Foot and 78th Highlanders. The awful work of charging the heavy guns (well served by the rebels) now began and the 78th Highlanders led by Colonel Hamilton took the post of honour and were first to charge. “The shrill sound of the pibroch from the bagpipes in the rear seeming to send them forward as with the force of a catapult”. The following day Havelock said, “He had never seen steadier or more devoted troops. Between 7 and 16 July you have under the Indian sun of July marched a hundred and twenty six miles and fought four actions”. Upon entry to Cawnpore Havelock’s men found the first awful evidence of the massacre that had taken place there. On 29 July, leaving a force of 300 men to garrison Cawnpore, Havelock began the march on Lucknow. After eight or so miles he encountered a road block of 6,000 rebels and 20 guns. Once again the British Infantry make a full frontal attack, burst through and continued their march. This was still not the end as later that same day, seven miles on from Bashratganji another road block of 2,000 rebels was encountered. Havelock outflanked and routed this force. By this time casualties and disease had reduced his force to under 900 men and so he regretfully returned to Cawnpore. Advancing again on 4 August, through yet another rebel force, he was forced to rest his men after an outbreak of cholera. Even in this state his force met with a rebel force on 12 August and completed their destruction of the enemy block force in the third battle of Bashratganji when the 78th Highland and the Madras Fusiliers storm the rebel earthworks with the bayonet. Four days after this he was again forced to return to Cawnpore and did not finally arrive at Lucknow until the following month. His force, despite being severely weakened, fought their way into the city but did not have the strength to raise the siege and thus they became ‘Second Defenders’, having to await the arrival of Sir Colin Campbell’s relief force to finally raise the siege. Kerr subsequently served as part of General Outram’s force in the capture and defence of the Alum Bagh. After the capture of Lucknow in March 1858 he went on to serve with General Warpole’s force in Rohilkand, and was present at the capture of Barreilly in May 188. Promoted Bombardier for his services during the Defence of Lucknow on 31 October 1858, Kerr was subsequently convicted by Court Martial on 21 April 1859, was reduced to Gunner, and was imprisoned for 120 days. Rather than transfer to the Royal Artillery after the suppression of the Mutiny he was discharged at Delhi at his own request on 5 August 1859, after 5 years and 168 days’ service. Sold with copied research.
The Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Captain, later Major-General, L. Russell, Bengal Engineers, who served under General Havelock during the first Relief and second Defence of Lucknow, and was wounded on the day the Residency was finally relieved by Sir Colin Campbell; for his services he was twice Mentioned in Despatches and achieved fame as one of the personalities of the Defence of Lucknow Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (2nd. Capt. L, Russell, Exec. Engr.) extremely fine £1,800-£2,200 --- Provenance: George McIlroy Collection. Lindsay Russell entered the Bengal Engineers in December 1847 and served as Brigade Major of Engineers during the Great Sepoy Mutiny. He is listed on the Roll of Officers and Staff of the Shahjehanpore Brigade as having been present at ‘all the actions leading to the reoccupation of Cawnpore and in the advance to Lucknow with General Havelock. Present at the Defence of Lucknow. Disabled by wound.’ The Siege of Lucknow, by Rutz Rees, gives the following account: ‘The Chief Engineer, Crommelin, meanwhile superintended the defensive works of the new palaces. With the miners placed at his disposal, he soon foiled most of the enemy’s mining operations, and sank shafts and began galleries in every direction. In carrying out these labours he owed much to the energy and courage of Lieutenant RusseII, his Major of Brigade. The enemy however could not be driven out of a portion of the palaces, which they had maintained possession of, after having exploded a mine. Colonel Napier, accompanied by Colonel Purnell and Moorsome, however reconnoitred the enemy’s position one dark night with perfect success, and Lieutenant Russell of the Engineers, was then directed to attempt to blow up the Mosque which the enemy had maintained. He was perfectly successful; a great number of the insurgents were blown into the air and we maintained a capital point from which to command the Khaz Bazaar.’ Wounded in action, Kaye and Malleson, in their History of the Indian Mutiny, state: ‘An open space, nearly half a mile in width, still intervened between the assailants and the advanced positions of Outram and Havelock. This space was exposed to a heavy musketry fire from the Kaisarbagh and could not be crossed without imminent risk. But the risk did not prevent the two gallant generals and their staff from crossing the space to meet the Commander-in-Chief. They started eight officers and one civilian. They were Outram, Havelock, Napier (now Lord Napier of Magdala), Vincent Eyre, young Havelock (now Sir Henry Havelock), Dodgson, the deputy Adjutant General, the aide-de-camp Sitwell, the engineer Russell, and the gallant Kavanagh. They had not gone many paces before they were seen by the enemy, and the musketry fire from the Kaiserbagh redoubled. Napier was struck down, young Havelock was struck down, Sitwell and Russell were struck down. Outram, Havelock, Eyre, Dodgson and Kavanagh alone reached the Moti Mahal uninjured. Then to borrow the appropriate language of Sir Colin Campbell, “The Relief of the Lucknow Garrison has been accomplished”.’ For his gallantry, Russell was twice Mentioned in Despatches by Sir Henry Havelock, firstly for his actions at the Battle of Futtehpore: ‘My orders were conveyed in the field boldly, actively and intelligently by my aide-de camp, Lieutenant Havelock, 10th Foot, and the following officers: Lieutenant Moreland, 1st Fusiliers; Lieutenant Moorsome, H.M.’s 52nd Light Infantry; Captain Sheehy, H.M.’s 81st Regiment; Captain Russell, Engineers; and Captain McBean’; and secondly for his gallantry during the Relief of Lucknow, in the last despatch written by Havelock prior to his death: ‘I must commend all the officers in charge of detachments, but most prominently Colonel Purnell, 90th Light Infantry, whose conduct throughout the affair evinced the most distinguished gallantry, united to imperturbable coolness and the soundest of judgement; as well as Lieutenants Russell, Hutchinson and Limond of the Engineers, and Captain Oakes (attached), who showed the way to several points of attack.’ Russell became, in time, one of the personalities of the second Defence of Lucknow, and wounded on the day that the Residency was finally relieved by Sir Colin Campbell he features in the famous painting The Relief of Lucknow by Thomas Barker. Advanced Colonel in March 1878, he retired on 11 May 1881, and was granted the honorary rank of Major-General. He died at his home in Folkestone, Kent, on 9 May 1904, aged 74. Sold with a photographic image of the recipient, and copied research.
The Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Drum Major E. Hughes, 71st Native Infantry, an Original Defender at Lucknow, who received a monetary award for his gallant conduct from Sir James Outram Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (Drum Major E. Hughes, 71st. Regt. N.I.) minor edge nicks, nearly extremely fine £500-£700 --- Provenance: Sold as part of the antiquarian collection of Mr A. C. Lamb, of Edinburgh, February 1898; George McIlroy Collection. Edward Hughes transferred to the 71st Native Infantry from the 49th Native Infantry as a Drummer on 24 July 1839, and was promoted Drum Major on 1 May 1840. At the outbreak of the Great Sepoy Mutiny was serving with the 71st N.I. stationed at Lucknow. The Outbreak of the Mutiny at Lucknow ‘The first to rise and the most conspicuous among the mutineers at Lucknow on the night of 30 May 1857 were the sepoys of the 71st. Parties of them had previously been told off to murder the officers and fire the bungalows. A portion of the 71st were got together by Captain Strangways and after some delay a small number were marched up and took post on the right of the Europeans. They bought, however, neither their colours or their treasure of which the mutineers had possessed themselves. Of the native officers and men of the 13th, 48th and 71st Regiments of Native Infantry who have been amongst the defenders of the Residency, it is difficult to speak too highly. Their courage and constancy under the severest of trials is worthy of all honour. Every native commissioned and non-commissioned officer and soldier who has performed as part of the garrison shall receive the Order of Merit, with the increase of pay attached thereto, and shall be permitted to count three years of additional service.’ For his services at Lucknow Hughes was granted a reward of 68 Rupees by Sir James Outram, G.C.B. The grant of a monetary reward is an interesting one. Clearly Hughes must have served with some distinction during the Defence of Lucknow, and he was in all probability a Eurasian Christian, and because of this would not have been entitled to either the (Indian) Order of Merit or the Distinguished Conduct Medal, because at the time he would have been regarded as neither a native nor a European. Presumably Sir James Outram thought that a monetary award was the only option to recognise his service at the time. Hughes subsequently transferred to the Oude Military Police. Sold with copied research.
The Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Corporal A. Consani, 2nd Battalion, Military Train, who was killed in action during the ‘Victoria Cross’ engagement at Azimghur on 15 April 1858 Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow (Corpl. A. Consani. 2nd. Bn. Mily. Train) nearly extremely fine £800-£1,200 --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, December 2012. Anthony Consani was born in Bristol in 1836, the son of an immigrant Italian model-maker from Tuscany, and attested for the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot in 1853, serving with the regiment throughout the Crimean War. He was slightly wounded at the first assault on the Redan on 18 June 1855, an action in which the 34th suffered particularly heavy losses; two weeks earlier, men of the 34th had played a crucial role in the capture of The Quarries, a key Russian earthwork guarding Sebastopol. This had involved charging over ground strewn with Russian fougasses, before holding the earthwork against four determined Russian counter-attacks. For his services Consani was entitled to a Crimea Medal with the clasps for Alma, Inkermann, and Sebastopol). Consani transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Military Train in July 1856, with the rank of Corporal. Though intended as a supply and transport corps, this unit saw much service as light cavalry during the Great Sepoy Mutiny. The 2nd Battalion was en route to China as the transport corps for that expedition, when it was diverted to Calcutta on news of the outbreak of the Mutiny. The men were mounted on the horses of the disbanded 8th Madras Light Cavalry. During the operations around Lucknow in January-March 1858 they comprised over half of Sir James Outram’s cavalry. On 14 April, they joined the pursuit of Kunwar Singh’s 13,000-strong rebel force to Azimghur on the Tons River. Two bridges over the Tons had to be crossed in full view of the enemy. This developed into a British pincer movement which forced the enemy to withdraw. A flying column was immediately sent over to try to capture Kunwar Singh. In a tense twelve-mile chase, Singh’s rear guard was badly cut up by”E” Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, led by Major J. E. Michell, supported by the 2nd Battalion, Military Train. Three rebel guns were captured. During the pursuit the Military Train suffered eleven casualties, including four men killed in action, including Consani, who was killed in action on 15 April 1858. Two men of the Military Train, Private Morley and Farrier Murphy, received the Victoria Cross for this action. The Calcutta Gazette of 23 April 1859 carried the following notice: ‘The Second Battalion, Military Train, is under orders for immediate embarkation for England. The career in India of this Corps has been short but brilliant and eminently serviceable to its country. Upon arrival at the Presidency, it was at once converted into a cavalry force and set into the field under the late Sir Henry Havelock. Throughout the glorious and most trying Summer campaign of which the relief of Lucknow was the fruit, the Military Train bore a part which would have reflected credit upon the most oldest and most experienced cavalry soldiers. It has since served with distinction in various affairs under Lieutenant General James Outram at the siege of Lucknow, in the operations about Azimghur, and lastly the harassing campaign in Shahabad.’ Sold with copied research.
The interesting Indian Mutiny Medal awarded to Assistant-Surgeon P. O’Brien, Bengal Medical Establishment, who served a total of 45 years in India, rising from Hospital Apprentice to full Surgeon; he was present in the First Burma war of 1824-25 with the Subordinate Medical Department, with whom he served for 32 years, and served a further 13 years in the Indian Medical Service. He was the oldest Assistant Surgeon in the Indian Mutiny and saved the lives of the Europeans at Lullutpore, where he was not only in medical charge of the District but was also the Joint Magistrate. Subsequently captured by the Mutineers he was imprisoned by the Rajah of Shahghur from 2 July to 12 September 1857 Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Asst. Surgn. P. O’Brien, Benl. Medical. Dept.) small edge bruise, otherwise good very fine £800-£1,200 --- Peter Joseph O’Brien was born in Galway, Ireland, on 19 September 1806, and would have arrived in India as the young son of a serving H.M. Regimental N.C.O. or soldier. His first mention in the record can be found in the Delhi archives which hold the documents of the Subordinate Medical Department (S.M.D.) covering the period from 1818 until 1858. It shows that Peter O’Brien was placed to do duty with the newly arrived H.M. 38th Regiment as an Assistant Apothecary, 24 May 1822, being promoted from Apprentice, and on 25 January 1825, O’Brien was posted to do duty with the 38th Regiment at the Military Field Hospital at Rangoon during the First Burmese War. It was here that he came into direct contact with Surgeon James Ranald Martin, who was later to become the Senior Medical Officer of the East India Company. Martin took him under his wing and they became lifelong friends. For his services in Rangoon, O’Brien was awarded the Army of India medal with clasp Ava. In 1826 he returned to Calcutta on the ship Hero of Malown with returning troops and on arrival worked in the General Calcutta Hospital. In 1831 O’Brien was appointed Assistant Dispenser in Simla. He worked in other stations, including Meerut, before returning to Calcutta where he was first, Apothecary at the General Hospital and second, Head Apothecary of the Calcutta Native Hospital. While in Calcutta O’Brien studied at the Calcutta Medical College and became a Doctor. In 1842 he was allowed to retire after 21 year service on a pension of 60 pounds per annum. Taking advice from his friend and mentor James R. Martin, he sailed for England to study at St George’s Medical School, and qualified as a Surgeon in late 1842, receiving his M.R.C.S. diploma in 1843. He returned to Calcutta on the ship Bangalore where he was the Surgeon in medical charge of the troops aboard. Appointed him to do duty with the newly formed Gwalior Contingent, as an Uncovenanted Sub-Assistant-Surgeon, in March 1844, he served for 9 years being in many minor affairs with both the infantry and cavalry units of the Contingent, before being commissioned Assistant-Surgeon on 20 November 1853. At the outbreak of the Great Sepoy Mutiny, O’Brien, now aged 51, was serving with the 6th Regiment Gwalior Contingent at Lullutpore. On top of his military and civil medical duties he was also Acting Joint-Magistrate of the District, a unique roll for a medical officer. Writing in 1860, O’Brien requested that his 9 years spent with the Gwalior Contingent as an Uncovenanted Surgeon should be allowed to count towards his pension. Among the papers are letters that cover the events at Lullitpore, extracts from which are listed below: ‘... you thus served uninterruptedly without being one day absent from regimental duties and that you discharged the duties of Surgeon to the Brigade Staff whilst with the regiment stationed at the Head Quarters, Gwalior. That in 1856 you were exchanged from the 4th to the 6th Regiment G.C stationed at Lullutpore where the Rebellion broke out and the latter Regiment mutinied in June 1857. Through your influence with the Rajah of Baupore you enabled to effect the rescue of all the Europeans at the station but subsequently you and the rest of the party were imprisoned from the 2 July to 12 September by the Rajah of Shahghur in a Fort where you suffered many privations and your health gave way. Eventually the whole party was sent to Saugor where you did garrison duties until February 1858 … I am convinced that the preservation not only of your own life but of all the Europeans who accompanied you from Lullutpore was mainly owing to the love and respect the natives had for you and which gave you the influence you had over the Baupore Rajah and his followers during these perilous times. Colonel W. Maule Ramsey late Brigadier Commanding Gwalior Contingent … The only information I obtained was from Dr. O’Brien who had resided for some years at Lullutpore where he acted as Joint-Magistrate and consequently was well acquainted with the District and people ... Captain Sale and Dr. O’Brien had gone on a little ahead of the remainder of us as we proceeded towards the Saugor Road. At the end of the Bazaar we were surrounded and taken prisoners by a party of the Rajah's men who took us towards Mussoorah near which place we were met by Doolaree Lal with a paper guaranteeing us protection which had been procured by Doctor O’Brien’ O’Brien’s services in Ubique are given thus: ‘Arrived Saugor, 14 September 1857. Engaged with the rebels at Tendkhera, 12 January 1858. In medical charge of detachment under the command of Captain Sale 9th Native Infantry. Served with the Central India Field Force commanded by Sir Huge Rose from 18 February to 29 May 1858 with the 3rd Bombay Europeans. Present at the battle of Muddenpore and the battle of Betwa, the siege, storming and capture of Jhansi. In medical charge of the left wing at the battle of Koonch, the storm and capture of Loharee and the various actions before Calpee and the capture of that place. Disabled by sunstroke at Calpee. Thanked in the despatch of Colonel Gall H.M.’s 14th Light Dragoons, commanding at the storm of Loharee. Medal and Clasp.’ O’Brien was appointed F.R.C.S. in 1859 and was advanced to Surgeon on 15 November 1864. He retired from the service on 6 July 1866, and died at St. Helier, Jersey, on 24 March 1882. Sold with two very comprehensive files of research.
The Peninsula and Waterloo pair awarded to Lieutenant Andrew Heartley, Royal Horse Guards, Corporal Major of the regiment at Waterloo and later a Military Knight of Windsor Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Vittoria, Toulouse (Andw. Heartley, Corpl. R.H. Gds.); Waterloo 1815 (Corp. Andr.. Hartley, Royal Horse Guards) fitted with contemporary silver bar suspension, note spelling of surname, the first with heavy edge bruise, otherwise nearly very fine, the second with considerable contact wear and edge bruising with partial loss to first name, fine (2) £5,000-£7,000 --- Provenance: An Important Collection of Waterloo Medals, Buckland Dix & Wood, December 1994. The pair is sold with an original watercolour portrait of the recipient as a Military Knight of Windsor wearing medals before Windsor Castle, 250 x 210 mm, this with a small tear at lower left corner. Andrew Heartley was born on 22 October 1790, at Lofthouse, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, and enlisted into the Royal Horse Guards on 10 March 1810. He was present in the Peninsula at the battles of Vittoria and Toulouse, and also in the campaign of 1815 at the battle of Waterloo where, as the senior N.C.O., he was effectively Corporal-Major in which rank he was confirmed on 13 July 1815. He was commissioned Quarter Master, without purchase, on 12 December 1822, and was placed on half-pay on 1 January 1831. He was, for some 25 years, Captain and Adjutant of the East Kent Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. He lost his left hand in an accident whilst firing a canon at a review at Eastwell Park in Kent. His sad case was represented by Lord Winchelsea to William IV, who thereupon nominated him as a Military Knight of Windsor, being admitted on 20 July 1837. Andrew Heartley died at Windsor on 13 February 1861.
The important Victoria Faithful Service Medal awarded to Mr William Ross, late Pipe-Major, The Black Watch, personal Piper to Her Majesty Queen Victoria during thirty-seven years 1854-91; his death was “deplored by the Queen” who sent a wreath of yellow immortelles, bearing the inscription, “A mark of regard from Victoria RI.” Victoria Faithful Service Medal, with additional ‘10’ year bar, reverse officially engraved ‘To Mr. William Ross Piper, For Faithful Services to the Queen during 22 Years 1876’, edge embossed as usual ‘Presented by Queen Victoria 1872’, complete with original tartan ribbon; together with Germany, Hesse, Medal of Merit, Grand Duchess Alice, bronze, unnamed as issued, the first with contact wear, nearly very fine, the second good very fine (2) £4,000-£5,000 --- Provenance: Sotheby, July 1975. The Hessian Medal of Merit is representative of that awarded to Ross in 1890 and has been added for display purposes. Faithful Service Medal presented at Balmoral, 24 May 1876. William Ross was born in the Parish of Knockbain, Ross-shire, on 27 March 1821. He enlisted into the 42nd Royal Highlanders at Inverness on 1 March 1839, aged 17, was promoted to Corporal in March 1851, and to Sergeant (Pipe-Major) in January 1853. He was appointed to the rank of Pipe-Major on 1 April 1854. He served at Corfu, Malta and Bermuda until selected to be Queen Victoria’s personal Piper, when he was ‘Discharged free to fill situation of H.M. Piper,’ on 11 May 1854. The Queen was “so pleased with the Highlanders, that when she decided to have a Piper, she chose Pipe-Major Ross.” He was a “good all-round performer on the pipes and well versed in pipe music.” He won the Stirling and Bannockburn Medal for Best Pibroch in 1852; 1st Place in Marches and Strathspeys and Prize Pipe at the Northern Meeting in 1853 and 1st Place in Marches by the Glasgow Celtic Society in 1858. He established a bagpipe-making business in London and compiled a book of 40 pibrochs and 437 marches, strathspeys and reels. He was appointed Groom of the Great Chamber in 1869 and accompanied the Queen to Windsor, where he resided at Crathie Villas. He received the Faithful Service Medal of the Royal Household for twenty-two years service in May 1876, and received his clasp to mark thirty-two years in Royal service a decade later. He also received the Duchess of Alice Medal for the Queen’s visit to Darmstadt in 1890. Piper William Ross died at Windsor on 10 June 1891, following a short illness of asthma. His death was “deplored by the Queen” who sent a wreath of yellow immortelles, bearing the inscription, “A mark of regard from Victoria RI.”
The Peninsula and Waterloo pair awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. Johnstone, Grenadier Guards Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Nivelle, Nive (W. Johnstone, Ensn. 1st Ft. Gds.); Waterloo 1815 ([Ca]pt. W. Fred. Johnstone, 2nd Batt. Grenad. Guard.) first two letters of rank and last of unit obscured by suspension, fitted with contemporary silver loop and bar suspension, the first very fine, the second with edge bruising and contact wear, fine or better (2) £4,000-£6,000 --- Provenance: Gaskell Collection 1908; Mackenzie Collection 1934; Sotheby, December 1991. William Frederick Johnstone was commissioned as an Ensign in the First Foot Guards on 12 December 1811; Lieutenant & Captain, 16 March 1814; Captain & Lieutenant-Colonel, 10 January 1837. He served with the 1st Battalion in the Peninsula from April 1813 to April 1814, and was present at Bidassoa, Nivelle, Nive, Adour and Bayonne. He was afterwards present at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and also at the capture of Peronne, 26 June 1815. Johnstone [Johnston in later Army Lists] went on half-pay with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 10 January 1837, retired on 30 October 1840, and died in 1877. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London, where the inscription on the monumental cross raised in his memory is now illegible.
Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, engraved naming (Wm. Emmett Qr Mr H.M.S. Audacious.) very fine £140-£180 --- William Emmett was born in Liverpool on 22 March 1837. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in January 1861 as a Leading Seaman and was first posted to H.M.S. Trafalgar. He later served with numerous other ships and establishments including H.M.S. Excellent, Mutine, Monarch, Royal Oak and Topaze. Emmett joined H.M.S. Audacious in May 1873 and whilst serving with this ship was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He was discharged to pension in January 1881.
Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, engraved naming (Hy. Harding. Chf Bos Mte. H.M.S. Northumberland.) good very fine £140-£180 --- Henry Harding was born in Sidmouth, Devon, on 8 November 1837. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in January 1856 and was first posted to H.M.S. Majestic. He later served in numerous ships including H.M.S. Cambridge, Liverpool, Topaze and Jason. In April 1870 he transferred to H.M.S. Northumberland and was serving with her when he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in June 1875. The following month he was sent to H.M.S. Royal Adelaide and remained with her until he was discharged to pension in March 1876.
Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, engraved naming (J. J. Polkinghorne. A.B. H.M.Yt. Victoria & Albert.) minor edge bruise, good very fine £140-£180 --- James Joseph Polkinghorne was born on 31 August 1843 in Portsmouth, Hampshire. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in September 1857 as a 14 year old Boy 2nd Class and first served with H.M.S. St Vincent. He was posted to H.M.S. Centurion in July 1858 and following this he served in H.M.S. Trafalgar, Royal Sovereign and Irresistible. He joined the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert in June 1871, remaining with her until February 1880, and it was whilst serving with this vessel that he was awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. After a short spell in H.M.S. Asia, Polkinghorne returned to Victoria and Albert in February 1881, remaining with her until September 1893, at which time he was discharged to pension.
Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, impressed naming (T. Chiverton, M.A.A., H.M.S. Jupiter.) edge bruise, very fine £100-£140 --- Thomas Chiverton was born in Portsea, Hampshire, on 13 April 1861. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in July 1877 as a Boy Second Class and was first posted to H.M.S. St. Vincent. He went on to serve with numerous ships, including H.M.S. Duke of Wellington, Terror, Druid, Duncan and Monarch. In August 1897 he joined H.M.S. Jupiter and it was whilst serving with this ship that he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He later transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in August 1904 and was discharged in April 1911, having reached the age limit.
Pair: Captain W. W. Hartopp, Royal Horse Guards, late 1st Royal Dragoons, with whom he rode in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at the battle of Balaklava when he was severely wounded by a gunshot through the leg; he received his Crimea medal from the hand of the Queen at Horse Guards in May 1855 Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Balaklava, Sebastopol (Cornet W. Hartopp Royal Drags.) contemporary engraved naming in the style of Hunt & Roskell, rubbed in parts; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed, fitted with replacement scroll suspension, the first with repaired suspension, contact wear and polished, therefore fine (2) £1,400-£1,800 --- Provenance: Spink, April 1993. William Wrey Hartopp was born on 22 April 1836, son of the politician Edward Bourchier Hartopp and his wife, Honoria Gent, daughter of General William Gent. He was educated at Eton from where he purchased a Cornetcy in the 1st Royal Dragoons on 11 March 1853. He sailed for the Crimea with Lieutenant-Colonel Yorke’s Regimental H.Q. party aboard the Rip van Winkle. He charged with the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava and was shot through the leg immediately afterwards, when the Royals moved on in support of the Light Brigade but became exposed to a heavy crossfire from enemy guns and infantry in captured redoubts on both flanks of the valley. Lieutenant-Colonel Yorke and Captains Elmsall and Campbell were also severely wounded at this time. Invalided back home to England, Hartopp received his Crimea medal from the hand of the Queen at Hyde Park on 18 May 1855. Having recovered from his wound he returned to the Crimea in July and witnessed the action at Tchernaya and the final stages of the siege of Sebastopol. Hartopp exchanged into the Royal Horse Guards on 1 February 1856, returning home from the Crimea about two weeks later. He was promoted to Captain in the Royal Horse Guards, by purchase, on 1 April 1859, and continued in that rank until his retirement from the Army on 19 August 1871. He afterwards moved to Penerley Lodge at Beaulieu in Hampshire with his wife. While out fishing on 20 July 1874, he was killed in an accident, with his body found wrapped around a tree having apparently fallen over a style. Sold with further research including copied reports of Balaklava from The Times, and copied transcripts of several letters written home from the Crimea, including his own account of Balaklava.
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