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From the next Spink auction.


Picture courtesy of Spink

Afghan (0) (6291 Gunr. L. McLerie, C Batt. 4th Bde. R.A.);
QSA (3) CC Paaed Drie (8127 Gnr. L. McLerie, 15th Coy. S.D. R.G.A.);
China (0) (8127 Gr. L. McLerie, No. 91 Co. R.G.A.)

Lawrence McLerie enlisted in the Royal Artillery in October 1878 and was quickly embarked for India. He subsequently served in ‘C’ Battery, 4th Brigade, R.A. in Afghanistan in August-October 1880 (Medal), in addition to participation in operations in the Boer War as a Gunner in 15th Company, Southern Division, R.G.A., including the action at Paardeberg (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps). His unit having been re-titled No. 91 Company, R.G.A., he witnessed further active service in China (Medal). Discharged at Woolwich in January 1902, McLerie died at Midurst, Sussex in 1911, aged 51; sold with copied research, including medal roll verification.

Sold for £850.

Picture courtesy of Noble Numismatics

CM (m) n/b HM 1897;
CVO, C305;
Afghan (0) (Lieut: F.H.Hall. I/C. R.H.A.)
QSA (5) Belmont, Modder River, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901 (Colonel: F.H.Hall, C.B., R.F.A.)

Ex Spink Sale 12002 (lot 3) and previously ex C.S.Butcher Collection, Christie's Sale 4517, 30 April 1991.

CB: nominated 29/11/1900.

CVO: LG 23/4/1907 for services during the visit of King Edward VII to Malta in 1907.

MID: (1) LG 26/1/1900; (2) LG 16/3/1900 from Lord Methuen dated 15 Feb 1900 re Magersfontein - 'I again recognise the business-like manner in which Lieut.Col. Hall, commanding R.A., carries out his duties in the field.'; (3) LG 29/7/1902.

Francis Henry Hall was born in Ireland on 21 Mar 1852, the son of Rev Francis Henry Hall, Incumbent of Drumcullin, County Down and Mary Letitia, daughter of Rev James McCreight of Keady, County Armargh; Gentleman Cadet at Royal Military Academy at Woolwich 03 Aug 1869; to Lieutenant 15 Dec 1871; to 18 Bde Field Arty at Woolwich & Sheerness 1872-1876; 2 Bde Field Arty at Sheffield 1876-1877; C Bty, A Bde Horse Arty at East Indies 1878-1881; to Captain 13 Jul 1881; adjutant R Arty at Cochester 17 Sep 1883-25 Jun 1888; to Major 26 Jun 1888; CO of U Bty, 1 Bde Horse Arty at St Thomas Mount, Madras, India 1888-1889; CO 59 Bty, Field Arty at Neemuch & Nowgong, India 1890-1893; CO 1 Bty, 1 Div at Depot 1894-1895; CO 85 Bty, Field Arty at Woolwich 1896-early 1897; Instructor at School of Gunnery at Woolwich 06 Feb - 20 Jul 1897; to Lt-Colonel 13 Jul 1897; on Staff at Woolwich Jul 1897-late 1899; CO III Bde, R Arty (18, 62 & 75 btys) & on Staff in South Africa Nov1899-late 1901; Member of Pretoria Committee on Artillery & Chairman of Field Artillery Sub-Committee; to Brevet Colonel 21 Jul 1901; CO 3 Bde, No.2 Depot (on passage to India, late 1901); Foreign Service Leave 21 Jun 1902; to Colonel 06 Feb 1903; on Staff, II Army Corps, Salisbury Plain 06 Feb 1903 - 20 Jul 1906 (CO R Arty, 6 Inf Bde, Portsmouth 1905); to Temp Brig General Jul 1906; In Command of Administration at Malta 21 Jul 1906-mid 1908; In Command of Administration at Scottish Command Jul 1908-Mar 1909; Retired 21 Mar 1909; to Hon Brig General 10 Feb 1912; Died 19 Nov 1919.

Francis Hall served in Afghanistan 1878-1880 with C Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery and was mentioned in despatches. He also served in the Anglo-Boer War. He arrived in South Africa in November 1899 and joined Methuen's Force on the Orange River. He commanded the Brigade Division of Artillery (18, 62 and 75 Btys) with General French's Force. He was in the advance on Kimberley and present at actions at Belmont on 23 November 1899 and at Graspan on 25 November 1899 where he advanced close to the enemy with his guns. He commanded the Royal Artillery at the Battle of Modder River on 28 November 1899 and at Magersfontein in support of the Highland Brigade on 10-11 December 1899. At Paardeburg he commanded the 18th, 62nd and 75th Batteries where they bombarded the Boer laager 17 - 26 February 1900. He was also at the surrender of General Cronje with 4,068 Transvaaler & Free Staters.

Lt-Colonel Hall was appointed Commandant of Pietersburg and while in this position he received a letter written by Trooper Robert Mitchell Cochrane of the Bushveldt Carbineers, a former Justice of the Peace in Western Australia, sent on 4 October 1901 and signed by 15 members of the Bushveldt Carbineers. The letter referred to six 'disgraceful incidents' involving death and theft from captured enemy Boers and civilians and also the unlawful killing of one of their own men. As a result of the letter Lt-Colonel Hall summoned all Fort Edward officers and NCOs to Pietersburg on 21 October 1901. They were met by a party of mounted infantrymen and escorted into town like criminals. The Australian, Lieutenant Harry 'Breaker' Morant who had been on leave in Pretoria was arrested when he returned. Hall was posted to India before the various courts martial and subsequent execution of some men.

In his book, 'The Bushveldt Carbineers and the Pietersburg Light Horse, the late William (Bill) Woolmore on page 111 writes, 'Colonel Hall, who could have been a crucial witness for the defence, was transferred to India with indecent haste before the courts martial began. Additionally, Colonel Hall's presence at the court martial may have been an embarrassment to the prosecution's case as ex-Captain Robertson, who had turned King's evidence, had left the army in disgrace only a few months earlier following a demand by Colonel Hall for his resignation.' The incidents were the subject of an Australian film made in 1980 titled, 'Breaker Morant'. The film won many awards and focused on the court martial of Lieutenants Harry 'Breaker' Morant (English actor, Edward Woodward), Peter Handcock (Australian actor, Bryan Brown), and George Witton (Australian actor, Lewis Fitz-Gerald) with the defence lawyer, Major James F.Thomas played by the Australian actor, Jack Thompson. Lieutenants Morant and Handcock were sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad and Lieutenant Witton was sentenced to death but commuted to life in penal servitude.

Picture courtesy of DNW

DSO GV;
China (0) (Captain E. C. Pottinger. R.F.A.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1902 (Capt: E. C. Pottinger, R.F.A.);
1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. E. C. Pottinger. R.F.A.);
British War and Victory Medals with MID (Lt. Col. E. C. Pottinger.);
Delhi Durbar 1903, silver, unnamed;
United States of America, Military Order of the Dragon (Major Eldred C. Pottinger R.F.A. No. 780.) complete with original ribbon and Pagoda top suspension brooch

DSO London Gazette 1 January 1918. MID London Gazette 15 June 1916 and 11 December 1917.

Eldred Charles Pottinger was born on 28 May 1868, and was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery as Second Lieutenant on 23 July 1887; Lieutenant, 23 July 1890; Captain, 3 December 1897; Major, 10 December 1902.

Was a Special Service Officer in China 1900 (Medal). Served in the South African War in 1902, including operations in Orange River Colony, May 1902 (Queen’s medal with 3 Clasps).

Served in the Great War in France from 1 September 1915, Lieutenant-Colonel, R.F.A., Reserve of Officers (despatches twice; DSO). Lieutenant-Colonel Pottinger retried on 4 March 1917.

From the next Noble Numismatics sale:

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Capt. H.J.Brock. R.H.A)

With a group of nine miniature medals, includes The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion (CB) (Military); The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, Companion (CMG); Distinguished Service Order (GVR) (DSO); Queen's South Africa Medal 1899, - three clasps - Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal; King's South Africa Medal 1902, - two clasps - South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19, with MID; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1915 with Bronze Palm.

Brigadier General Henry Jenkins Brock CB, CMG, DSO, brother of Admiral Sir Osmond de Beauvoir Brock GCB, KCMG, KCVO and son of Commander Osmond de Beauvoir Brock RN. He was born 17 April 1870 and educated at Halebury College and the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, England. He entered the Royal Artillery in 1889. In the Anglo-Boer War he commanded the Colonial Horse and later a Column. He was severely wounded in action at Tabaksburg on 29 January 1901. QSA (3) and KSA (2). In WWI he was Mentioned in Despatches five times; DSO LG 1 January 1917, CMG in 1918 and CB in 1919. He retired in 1922 and died on 8 September 1933.

Picture courtesy of DNW

OBE (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarked London 1919;
Afghanistan (1) Ahmed Khel (3771, Sergt. W. Bass, 11/11th Bde. R.A.);
Egypt (1) Tel-El-Kebir (17861 By. Qr. Mr. Sergt. W. Bass, 7/1st Bde. R.A.);
IGS 1854 (1) Burma 1885-7 (... By. Qr. Mr. Sergt. W. Bass No. 7 By. 1st B.. N. Dn. R.A.) regimental number and part of unit illegible from contact with Khedive's Star;
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut: & Qr: Mr: W. Bass, R.F.A.);
KSA (2) (Lt. & Qr. Mr. W. Bass. R.F.A.);
1914-15 Star (Q.M. & Capt. W. Bass. 10/Lond. R.);
BWM and VM (Q. M. & Capt. W. Bass.);
Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed

Hon Major & Quarter-Master William Bass, Royal Artillery, served ion the Afghan War 1878-80; accompanied the Mahsud Waziri Expedition, 1881; took part in the Egyptian Expedition, 1882; served with the Burmese Expedition, 1885-87; served in the South African War, 1900-02. Took part in the operations in the Orange River Colony, February to May 1900. Served during the operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29 November, 190o. Again in the Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1902. Despatches LG 29 July 1902.

Served in the War of 1914-19, with the 1/10th London Regiment in France from 6 August 1915 (OBE).
Also entitled to Silver War Badge.

From the next Spink auction.

CMG;
DSO GV;
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (Capt & Adjt: W. P. L. Davies. R.F.A.);
KSA (2) (Cpt. W. P. L. Davies. I.Y.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (Major W. P. L. Davies. R.A.);
British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Brig. Gen. W. P. L. Davies.);
GSM (2) Kurdistan, Iraq (Brig. Gen. W. P. L. Davies);
Special Constabulary Long Service GV (Walter P. L. Davies);
France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, with Palme, reverse dated '1914-1916'

DSO London Gazette 14 January 1916.

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 31 August 1917.

Walter Percy Lionel Davies was born on 14 January 1871, the second son of the Reverend W. P. Davies of Kirton, Ipswich. Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1893 and served during the Boer War and was Staff Officer to Officer Commanding, Troops at Harrismith. He thence served as Adjutant of the 6th Brigade from December 1900-September 1901 and also with the Imperial Yeomanry, being mentioned for his service (London Gazette 10 September 1901, refers).

Entering the Staff College in 1905 he did two tours of staff duty in India (1907-10 and 1912-14) having been advanced Major in early 1910. Davies served during the Great War on the Staff, 7th Meerut Division in France from October 1914. He latterly served in Mesopotamia from 1 January 1916-31 October 1918 and was Temporary Brigadier-General from Deceber 1916 and 'mentioned' no less than on four occasions (London Gazette 1 January & 19 October 1916, 15 August 1917 and 27 August 1918, refers). Advanced Colonel in August 1920 and Temporary Colonel Commandant, October 1921, he earned a final mention for his service in Mesopotamia (London Gazette 9 September 1921, refers). Davies retired in 1924 and in later life resided at Brownheath, Droitwich, Worcestershire. He died in November 1952