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Picture courtesy of the London Medal Company

DSO VR;
QSA (1) Cape Colony (LT. COL. A.C. BENNETT. WT: YORK: REGT.);
KSA (2) (LT. COL. A.C. BENNETT. D.S.O. W. YORK RGT.)

Alfred Charles Bennett was born circa 1856 in Colewood Park, Hove, Sussex, the son of Saint John Bennett, a barrister-at-law, and Sophia Bennett, of Colewood Park, and also 31 Cambridge Square, Hyde Park, London. Educated privately, he was then commissioned into the British Army Militia on 19th July 1876 as a Sub Lieutenant and Supernumerary into the 4th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. On 13th December 1877 his father died, leaving his estate to Alfred Charles Bennett and his brother, Saint John Colwood Bennett. Bennett was promoted to Lieutenant on 19th July 1876, and then transferred from the 4th West Yorkshire Militia into the Reserve of Officers as a Lieutenant on 11th September 1880.

Bennett was then promoted to Captain in the Militia with the 4th Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) on 25th November 1882, and then married Emma Charlotte on 17th June 1886, she being the eldest daughter of the late Francis Vere Hopegood, 70th Regiment, of Hadley Hurst, Hadley, and widow of the late J. Wilmot Lambert, Rifle Brigade, of Woodmansterne and Banstead. The marriage occurred at the Church of St. John the Evangelist at Dumfries, and was reported in both The Morning Post, and The Army and Navy Gazette. It is noted that his wife was then living in St Lochmaben in Scotland, and that he was living in St Martins in the Fields, London.

By the outbreak of the Boer War, Bennett was a Major with the 4th Battalion, and found himself being mobilised on 16th February 1900, and granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 20th June 1900, and then granted the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army whilst commanding the 4th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment on active service in South Africa from 18th July 1900 through to 25th March 1902, when present on operations in the Cape Colony.

For his gallant and distinguished service in command of his battalion and other duties, Bennett was awarded a Mention in Despatches in the London Gazette of 29th July 1902, one of 7 men from his battalion to be so honoured, and was then appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in the London Gazette for 31st October 1902, this being the only such award made to his battalion, and gazetted together with the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to another battalion member, Corporal A. Lumley. During the war, Bennett served as the Commandant of Boer Prisoners of War at Simon’s Town, and was also at the same time, the Officer Commanding troops at Worcester, Cape Colony.

Bennett retired shortly after returning from South Africa, and having joined the Reserve of Officers, then settled in Ardleigh, Essex, as well as maintaining a home at 20 Brunswick Place, Hove. With the Great War he returned to uniform, and saw home service as a Lieutenant Colonel on the General List and employed as a recruiting officer at Southend-in-Sea. It seems that by this time he lived apart from his wife, who had set up home in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. His main place of residence was by then given as Ardleigh Park, in Ardleigh, Essex, he being noted as a well known local resident, who had taken considerable interest in local and church affairs. Bennett died whilst in service on 16th January 1915, and he is buried in Ardleigh Cemetery.

£2,500.

Picture courtesy of Spink

The DSO to Captain Newbigging, Manchester Regiment

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...agte?start=438#87247

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

CMG b/b s/g;
DSO VR;
East and West Africa 1887 (2) 1892, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Asst. Inspr. A. F. Tarbet, Lagos Hausa Force) officially engraved naming;
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 (Major A. F. Tarbet, C.M.G., D.S.O. S. Lanc. Regt.) officially engraved naming

A second group of medals is known to this recipient, identical in all respects except lacking buckle to CMG, top ribbon bar to D.S.O., and date clasp to QSA; previously sold at Spink 1971; Glendining’s 1990; Dix Noonan Webb, December 2004; Dixon, November 2005; and Bonhams, March 2014.

CMG London Gazette 9 January 1900: ‘In recognition of services in connection with the Military operations in 1898-9 in the Sierra Leone Protectorate: Major Alexander Francis Tarbet, 3rd Battalion the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), late Inspector-General of the Sierra Leone Frontier Police.’ Only 5 awards of the C.M.G. for Sierra Leone: two Naval officers and three Army officers.

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

Alexander Francis Tarbet was born on 29 December 1860, son of William Tarbet, of Bedford. He was educated at Wellington College, and joined the 4th Royal Lancashire Militia in 1881. He served in Methuen’s Horse, with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1885, and with the Lagos Hausa Force, 1887-94. He held the appointment as Private Secretary to the Governor of Lagos, Sir Gilbert Carter, K.C.M.G., from 1892-94, during which time he commanded the Lagos Hausas in the Jebu Expedition of 1892 (despatches London Gazette 1 July 1892; Medal with clasp).

In 1894, Tarbett was appointed Inspector-General to the Sierra Leone Frontier Force, and helped to quell the disturbances in Sierra Leone during 1897-99, when he commanded the Frontier Police on the Karene Expedition (despatches London Gazette 29 December 1899; Clasp; created C.M.G.).

He served during the South Africa War 1900-01, as a Railway Staff Officer (graded as a D.A.A.G.), Lines of Communications, and afterwards as Commandant, Jagersfontein Road. He took part in operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 November 1900; in Cape Colony, south of Orange River, February to April 1900; and operations in Orange River Colony, November 1900 to July 1901 (despatches London Gazette 10 September 1901; Queen’s Medal with 3 clasps; created D.S.O.)

Tarbet resigned his commission in 1907 but rejoined the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1914 and served with that regiment at Home until the end of the war.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

CMG n/b;
DSO VR copy;
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Major J. F. Humby, Imp: Yeo:);
KSA (2) (Major J. F. Humby, Imp. Yeo.);
[ Trio? ]

CMG London Gazette 3 June 1916.

DSO London Gazette 31 October 1902: ‘James Frederick Humby, Captain, 8th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry; Major, 3rd Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

MID London Gazette 15 June 1916.

James Frederick Humby was born on 21 July 1860, son of Fred Peter Humby, of Southbroom, Devizes, Wiltshire. He was educated in Paris. He joined the 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, as Second Lieutenant, in 1891, and became Captain in 1896. He served in the South African War, 1900-2; commanded the 54th (Ulster) Imperial Yeomanry from February 1900. He took part in the operations in Orange Free State, February to May 1900; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 November 1900; operations in Orange River Colony and Cape Colony 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902. He was taken prisoner at Lindley with the 13th Battalion, but escaped 30 August 1900. He became Major in 1901, and commanded the 74th (Dublin) Imperial Yeomanry from June 1901; 8th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry from May 1902. He was twice mentioned in despatches; received the Queen's Medal with four clasps; the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.

Lieutenant Colonel J. F. Humby served in the European War in command of the 12th Battalion, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment in France from 30 August 1915, and was created a CMG in 1916 for his services.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

DSO VR;
QSA (4) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (Lieut. E. V. Jenkins, D.S.O. W. Rid: Rgt:);
KSA (2) (Lt. E. V. Jenkins, D.S.O. W. Rid. Rgt.);
AGS 1902 (2) East Africa 1905, Nandi 1905-06 (Captain E. V. Jenkins. D.S.O. W. Riding Regt.);
1914 Star, with clasp (Capt. E. V. Jenkins. D.S.O. W. Rid: R.);
British War and Victory Medals (Capt. E. V. Jemkins.)

DSO London Gazette 27 September 1901: ‘Edward Vaughan Jenkins, Lieutenant, West Riding Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

Edward Vaughan Jenkins was born at Lucknow on 14 October 1879, son of Lieutenant Colonel Vaughan Jenkins. He was educated at Clifton College and entered the West Riding Regiment on 20 May 1899. He served in the South African War, 1899-1902, being present at the Relief of Kimberley; in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including operations at Paardeberg (17 to 26 February); actions at Poplar Grove and Driefontein; in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, August to 29 November 1900, including action at Rhenoster Kop; again in the Transvaal 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902; was Railway Staff Officer (Despatches London Gazette 10 September 1901; Queen's Medal with four clasps, and King’s Medal with two clasps; Companion of the Distinguished Service Order). He was promoted to Lieutenant on 19 February 1900, and was employed with the King’s African Rifles from 22 April 1902 to 21 April 1912. He was promoted to Captain on 15 April 1904, and served in East Africa, 1905, in command of a punitive expedition which successfully dealt with a revolt of the Kisii in the Kisumu (later Nyanza) Province (Despatches London Gazette 13 March, 1908:

‘For some time the Kisii tribe had been at loggerheads with the Kavirondo, the large tribe which lies between the Victoria Nyanza and the hill country of the Lumbwa and Nandi. The Kavirondo are under regular Government control and looked to the local administration to protect them from the Kisii, who had committed many murders on the border.

As the Kisii refused to pay compensation to the Kavirondo for the murders they had committed or to acknowledge our authority His Majesty’s Commissioner decided to send a patrol into their country.

The patrol under Captain E. V. Jenkins, D.S.O., 3rd King’s African Rifles, consisted of 4 Officer; 100 rifles, 3rd Battalion, King’s African Rifles; 50 rifles, East Africa Protectorate Police; 150 Masai Levies, with one Maxim gun.

The Kisii country was entered on the 1st September, 1905, and thoroughly patrolled in all directions until the 9th October. On three occasions the Kisii attacked the patrol in force and with determination, but were beaten off with loss. The patrol accomplished its work satisfactorily with a cost of six men wounded.’

He afterwards served at Nandi, 1905-06 (Medal with two Clasps). He served in the European War as Captain and later Major in the 2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment from 15 August 1914. He was promoted to Major on 1 September 1915, and was Assistant Embarkation Staff Officer, Southampton, from 5 February 1919. Major Jenkins married, in 1904, Evelyn Marie, eldest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Germon, J.P., Norfolk Regiment.

Noonan's sold the thee Boer War DSOs yesterday.

Major Tarbet sold for a hammer price of £2,800. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £3,472. R68,900. Au$5,950. Can$5,410. US$4,070

Lieutenant Colonel Humby sold for a hammer price of £1,800. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £2,232. R44,300. Au$3,820. Can$3,480. US$2,610

Major Jenkins sold for a hammer price of £3,600. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £4,464. R88,600. Au$7,650. Can$6,960. US$5,230