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Picture courtesy of Spink

CM mil n/b, cased;
CMG b/b with swivel-suspension and riband buckle;
DSO VR;
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing's Nek, Belfast (Capt. R. J. Bridgford, D.S.O., Manch. R.), two of the clasps are tailor's copies;
KSA (2) (Capt. R. J. Bridgford, Manch. Rgt.);
1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. R. J. Bridgford, D.S.O., Shrops. L.I.);
British War and Victory Medals (Maj. Gen. R. J. Bridgford)

Provenance: Sotheby's, June 1997.

CB London Gazette 1 January 1918.

CMG London Gazette 23 June 1915.

DSO London Gazette 19 April 1901:

'In recognition of services in operations in South Africa.'

Robert James Bridgford was born on 10 March 1869, the son of Sir Robert Bridgford KCB, DL, JP of Herefordshire, and was educated at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey. Following a spell in the Militia, he joined the Manchester Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1889 and was advanced to Lieutenant in December 1891 and to Captain in January 1898.

Subsequently posted to South Africa, he quickly saw action at Lombard's Kop and was present at the defence of Ladysmith, including the action fought on 6 January 1900. Following the relief of the town, he served in the operations in Natal in March-June 1900, including the action at Laing's Nek (6-9 June), as well as engagements in the Transvaal, among them Belfast (26-27 August) and Lydenberg (5-8 September). He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 8 February 1901, refers) and awarded the DSO.

Having then been attached to the 1st Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, he was given command of a company of Mounted Infantry in April 1901. And it was in this capacity that he was lucky to survive a close encounter with 200 Boers at Holland Farm on the Kaffir Spruit on 18 December 1901. On that occasion, the enemy disguised themselves in khaki and formed up in regular order with officers out front, exactly in the manner of British troops. And since a British force was expected in the area, Bridgford and his men were none the wiser. But that all changed when the Boers closed to within 40 yards of his unit, for, without the slightest notice, they leaped from their horses and opened a murderous fire, the first volleys practically accounting for the entire company - fifteen men lay dead and a further 38 wounded. Those who survived were taken prisoner.

Advanced to Major in February 1904, Bridford transferred to the Shropshire Light Infantry in September 1905, following which he served as Commandant, Mounted Infantry in Egypt. But by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving as a Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the 2nd Shropshires, and it was in that capacity that he was embarked for France in December 1914.Great War - wounded - senior command

The battalion first came under heavy fire in the Battle of St. Eloi in March 1915, the regimental history noting that on one occasion Bridgford's H.Q. - located by a derelict motor bus - was so severely shelled that it had to be abandoned: 'the whole headquarters, including the C.O. and R.S.M., were forced to retire. They did this in perfect order, a splendid example of how to retire under fire!'

In April, the battalion suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of St. Julien, where its losses amounted to 11 officers and 153 other ranks killed, wounded and missing. Next up was the Battle of Frezenburg Ridge, yet another costly affair, where the battalion suffered losses of seven officers and 282 other ranks. Bridgford, who was among the wounded, was evacuated to a casualty clearing station, but rejoined the battalion a few days later at Busseboom.

On 28 May 1915, the German launched 'a great cloud gas attack' on Bellewarde Ridge, followed by a major infantry assault. Once again, the 2nd Shropshires were on the receiving end, suffering nearly 200 casualties. The battalion was now moved to quieter climes at Armentieres, where Bridgford was likely informed of his pending award of the CMG.

In mid-July 1915, he was appointed Temporary Brigadier-General with command of 18th Infantry Brigade, in which role he remained actively employed until taking a period of leave in May 1916. On returning to France, he served as Commanding Officer of the 141st Brigade in July-August 1916, prior to returning to his old command, 18th Infantry Brigade, in the period August 1916 to August 1917.

Awarded the CB, he was rested back in the UK before once more returning to France in March 1918 as a Temporary Major-General in command of 31st Division, just in time for the Somme and Lys battles of March-April 1918. Here, then, as cited above, the moment of his downfall, for although he transferred to the command of the 32nd Division in May 1918, he was ordered home soon afterwards.

In addition to his awards of the CMG and CB, Bridgford was five times mentioned in despatches in the Great War (London Gazettes 22 June 1915; 15 June 1916; 4 January, 15 May and 11 December 1917, refer).

On being placed on the Retired List in 1922, he returned to the family home in Herefordshire where, in common with his father, he became a DL and JP.

The General - who retained a strong interest in the fortunes of the Shropshires - died in April 1954; Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient's C.B. and C.M.G. warrants, the latter with related forwarding letter; his MID certificates (4), dated 31 May 1915, 30 April and 13 November 1916, and 7 November 1917; approximately 80 career and / or family photographs, and an exercise book with his handwritten account of his time in India in 1920, 17pp.

Also sold with his silver vesta box, with hallmarks for Birmingham 1897, the lid with engraved initials and the date 'March 23rd 1898'; a KSLI badge and his Boer War presentation chocolate tin, and a Knight Templar's breast star, silver and enamel, with hallmarks for London, 1883, this last contained in a leather case.

Picture courtesy of Spink

CBE n/b 1st type;
DSO VR;
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lt: Col: G. Wright, D.S.O, R.G.A.);
KSA (2) (Maj. G. Wright. D.S.O. R.G.A.)

Provenance: Sothebys, 1986.

CBE London Gazette 3 June 1919.

DSO London Gazette 27 September 1901: 'In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa'.

MID London Gazette 10 September 1901.

George Wright was born on 18 July 1860 and was commissioned Lieutenant with the Royal Artillery on 6 April 1879. He was further advanced Captain on 15 August 1887 and Major on 15 February 1897, the rank in which he was serving on the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War.

Serving on the Staff, Wright was the Assistant Adjutant General for operations in Cape Colony in January 1901, later serving in the Transvaal from December-March 1901 and Orange River Colony in April 1901. He returned to Transvaal in May 1901 and remained there until March 1902. Appointed a Special Service Officer, Wright was given command of the Rhodesian Field Force Artillery on 14 April 1902 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

The DSO insignia awarded to Wright was sent to Lord Roberts on 18 January 1902 and presented by Major General Maxwell at Vryburg on 1 April. Confirmed in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 13 July 1904 he was appointed Brevet Colonel on 13 July 1907. Finally promoted to the substantive rank in 1909 he retired in 1910 but returned to the Colours for service in the Great War. Appointed General Staff Officer, 2nd Grade on 3 August 1914 he was to serve on the Staff for the duration of the war.

Spink say his MIC confirms that he is not entitled to either British War or Victory Medals

Picture courtesy of Spink

DSO VR;
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg (Lieut. H. G. Bryant. 2/Shrop. L.I.);
KSA (2) (Cpt. H. G. Bryant. D.S.O., Shrop. L.I.);
1914-15 Star (Capt. H. G. Bryant. D.S.O., Shrops. L.I.);
British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. G. Bryant.).

Together with together with a K.S.L.I. badge and two uniform buttons, the second and third with contact marks, very fine and better (9)

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, 29 June 2006.

DSO London Gazette 10 September 1901.

Henry Grenville Bryant was born in London on 5 June 1872, the eldest son of Henry Strickland Bryant of Torquay and a grandson of Major-General Sir Jeremiah Bryant, C.B. Educated at Eton, he was originally gazetted from the Militia into the Bedfordshire Regiment in June 1894, but he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry a month or two later. Having then been advanced to Lieutenant, he accompanied his battalion to South Africa in November 1899, where he remained on active service until July 1902, including a stint as a Brigade Signalling Officer from March 1900 to July 1901.

He saw plenty of action in the Orange Free State in February-May 1900, when he was present at the Battle of Paardeberg and in the engagements at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Houtnek, Vet River River and Zand River. But it was specific act of gallantry at Paardeberg in February 1900 for which Bryant received his mention in despatches. In those protracted operations, the battalion carried out a daring advance at night, seizing 200 yards of new ground. It also suffered casualties of eight killed and 41 wounded.

Afterwards appointed a Brigade Signalling Officer, Bryant served in the Transvaal in May-June 1900, when he was present at the actions near Johannesburg and Pretoria, in addition to Elands River during operations west of Pretoria in July-November 1900. And subsequently, in the Orange Free State in May-November 1900, when he was present in the engagement at Rhenostar River, in addition to the action at Bothwell in the Transvaal on 6 February 1901, in which he was slightly wounded. He was advanced to Captain and awarded the DSO.

Two tours of duty having ensued in the 2nd Battalion in India, Bryant was embarked for France in December 1914, where he was credited with doing 'good work' over the winter and Spring of 1915.

On 26 April 1915 - to use the words of his Commanding Officer - he 'gallantly' led a night attack of his company against a Saxon trench near Ypres. He was seen by his men, at whose head he charged, to reach the parapet and to be wounded by a grenade, as was later ascertained. Bryant was reported missing, but had in fact been taken prisoner by the Germans and was admitted to the Kriegs Lazarette at Roulers. There it was deemed necessary to amputate his right arm and following the operation he dictated a letter home, in which he explained how well he had been treated by the medical staff. Sadly, that good treatment was to no avail, for he died of heart failure on 1 May 1915.

Posthumously mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 31 May 1915, refers), Bryant left a widow, Phyllis, of Thirsk, Yorkshire. He was buried in the Roeselare Communal Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Three DSOs were sold by Spink yesterday.

Brigade Commander R J Bridgford, Shropshire LI, sold for a hammer price of GBP 4,200. Totals: GBP 5,208. R 113,940. AUD 10,010. NZD 10,880. CAD 8,890. USD 6,700. EUR 5,700.

Colonel G Wright, RGA, sold for a hammer price of GBP 1,900. Totals: GBP 2,356. R 51,540. AUD 4,530. NZD 4,920. CAD 4,020. USD 3,030. EUR 2,580.

Captain H G Bryant, Shropshire LI, sold for a hammer price of GBP 2,800. Totals: GBP 3,472. R 75,960. AUD 6,670. NZD 7,260. CAD 5,930. USD 4,470. EUR 3,800.