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Picture courtesy of DNW

DSO GV;
MVO 5th Class, Nr 44
IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897 (2d. Lieut. T. C. Fitzhugh 2d. Bn. Ryl. Ir: Regt.);
QSA (2) CC Witt (Lieut: T. C. Fitz-Hugh. Rl: Irish Regt.);
1914-15 Star (Capt. T. C. Fitz Hugh. M.V.O. R. Ir. Regt.);
British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. T. C. Fitz Hugh.);
Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Third Class breast badge, with Swords, 44mm, gold (56 zolotniki) and enamel, gold mark and 1865-96 assay office mark to suspension loop; swords possibly added at a later date, the obverse central medallion re-painted;
Russia, Empire, Order of St. Vladimir, Fourth Class breast badge, with Swords, 40mm, gold (56 zolotniki) and enamel, gold mark and 1896-1908 kokoshnik mark to suspension loop, with additional gold marks and 1918-17 kokoshnik marks to hilts of swords, reverse central medallion missing and replaced with a painted plate, mounted as worn,

DSO London Gazette 1 January 1918.

MVO 5th Class London Gazette 11 August 1903

Russia, Order of St. Anne, Third Class with Swords, London Gazette 16 July 1921.

Russia, Order of St. Vladimir, Fourth Class with Swords, London Gazette 16 July 1921.

Terrick Charles FitzHugh was born in London on 16 November 1876, the son of William FitzHugh Esq., and was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment on 5 September 1896, and proceeded overseas with the 2nd Battalion to India on 26 January 1897. He saw action with them during the operations on the Samana Ridge and in the Kurram Valley, August to September 1897, and then at the Relief of Gulistan, 12-13 September 1897. Promoted Lieutenant on 15 March 1899, he transferred to the 1st Battalion, and served with them in South Africa during the Boer War, where he was present during operations in the Cape Colony, south of the Orange River, including the actions at Colesberg, 24 January to 12 February 1900; operations in the Orange Free State, March to May 1900; and operations in the Orange River Colony, May to July 1900, including the action at Bethlehem, 6-7 July 1900.

Proceeding to India on 28 June 1902, FitzHugh returned home on 18 March 1903, and was stationed in Ireland with the 2nd Battalion at the time of H.M. King Edward VII’s visit to Ireland, 1 July to 1 August 1903. During the visit the Battalion received new Colours from the King, with FitzHugh being one of the Officers in the Colour Party, and as a consequence he was appointed to the Fifth Class of the Royal Victorian Order. He was promoted Captain on 14 October 1903, and, having qualified as an Interpreter in both German and Russian, proceeded to the Staff College in 1905, passing its final examinations in 1907, by which time he had also qualified as an Interpreter in French.

FitzHugh transferred to the Reserve of Officers on 28 May 1907, and subsequently obtained employment with the British Engineers’ Association as its Commissioner in China, where he added Mandarin to his repertoire of languages. On the outbreak of the Great War he returned to England and re-joined his old Regiment, proceeding to France with the Second Battalion in December 1914. He remained with the Regiment until 5 May 1915, taking part in the early stages of the First Battle of Ypres, before transferring to the Quartermaster-General’s Department as a Staff Officer, first at Calais until October 1915, and subsequently at Dunkirk. His final appointment during the War was at the Headquarters of the Chinese Labour Corps, where his knowledge of Mandarin was put to good use. For his services during the Great War, he was twice mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 4 January 1917 and 11 December 1917), and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.

FitzHugh returned to England in December 1918, and subsequently served in the Russian Intervention, as part of he British force operating out of Murmansk. He also served with a British Mission in Estonia, and assisted in the repatriation of British Prisoners of War from Finland. For his services he was again Mentioned in Despatches ‘for valuable services in connection with military operations in Finland and the Baltic States’ (London Gazette 3 February 1920), and was awarded the Russian Orders of St. Vladimir, Fourth Class with Swords, and St. Anne, Third Class with Swords. Demobilized on 11 June 1920, he continued to act in the Baltic area on behalf of the British Committee of the Russian Red Cross in Great Britain, by going to Finland to report on the situation regarding the large number of Russian refugees in that country, before returning once more to China. He died in the German Hospital, Peking, on 12 August 1939.

The group to T C FitzHugh has appeared for sale at the London Medal Company. Price now £8,000. Sold a year ago at a hammer price of £4,400 (£5,544 inc commission).

BSACM reverse Rhodesia 1896 (4803 Pte. D. Culleton, 1/R. Irish Regt.);
QSA (3) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein (4803 Pte. D. Culleton, 1st Rl: Irish Regt:)

Only 30 medals for Rhodesia 1896 to the Royal Irish Regiment.

Picture courtesy of DNW

IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897 (3393 Pte. P. Howard 2d Bn. Ryl. Ir: Regt.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 (3393 Pte. P. Howard, 1st Rl. Irish Regt.)

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Bethlehem, 7 July 1900

“On the 3rd July Paget drove the Boers from a strong position they were holding across his line of march and bivouacked 15 miles north-west of Bethlehem. On approaching the town on the evening of the 5th July, Clements, who, as senior Officer, was in command of the three columns, found C de Wet occupying the hills to the south. The next morning Bethlehem was summoned to surrender, and, on this demand being refused, Paget moved to the north-west with the object of turning the enemy’s left, while Clements’s troops operated on their right flank. On the morning of the 7th a general assault was made, and by noon the place was in our hands and the Boers were in full retreat to the north-east. On this occasion the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment specially distinguished itself, capturing a gun of the 77th Battery, Royal Field Artillery R.F.A. which had been lost at Stormberg.”
Roberts’ Despatch of 10.10.1900 (LG, 8 Feb 1901).

QSA (2) CC, Witt (289 Pte. E. Brophy, 1st. Rl. Rl Irish Regt.)

The Royal Irish Regiment lost 2 killed in action and 49 wounded (5 died of wounds later).

He was severely wounded during the assault of the 7th July, but only died of his wounds on 30 August 1900. He is buried in Bethlehem.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

Slaapkranz, 28 July 1900

“As the advance guard of the 8th division was the first to reach the goal, Clements’ and Paget’s brigades were halted a few miles from Fouriesburg, and did not move again until the 27th, when they entered the place after a feeble opposition from a few snipers dropped by the main body of the enemy who, still ignorant that British troops awaited them at the eastern passes, were retreating at speed towards Naauwpoort Nek and the Golden Gate. But though most of the burghers were hurrying eastward, it was necessary to ensure that no detachments should break out through Slabbert’s, Retief’s, or Commando Neks, and so heavy was the call upon the infantry to garrison these defiles that Hunter could only muster five battalions to drive the Boers into the net spread by MacDonald and Bruce Hamilton. One of these was the 1st battalion, Royal Irish regiment, which with part of the Wiltshire formed the advance-guard under Clements on the 28th, when the burghers fought a rear -guard action near Slaap Kranz ridge with great tenacity and cunning.

The position proved to be a very strong one, and Clements was unable to oust the enemy from it, though his artillery and infantry were engaged throughout the day. Colonel Guinness was anxious to be allowed to seize a commanding knoll in front of the left of the Boer line, which seemed to offer a good base for an assault upon the pass itself, but General Clements considered that the Royal Irish had done enough for the day, and ordered a battalion of the Scots Guards, recently arrived on the field, to occupy it. At midnight they advanced on the main position and found it undefended, for the Boers, after checking the whole column for many hours, had silently disappeared when they saw that the odds had become too heavy for them to face. The casualties of the day amounted to thirty-four killed and wounded, the Royal Irish losing one man killed and five wounded. With the encounter at Slaap Kranz the campaign in the Brandwater Basin came to an end.”
The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment from 1684 to 1902, p340-1.

QSA (2) CC, Witt (489 Pte. D. Devereux, 1st. Rl. Irish Regt.)

Pte Devereux was severely wounded at Slaapkranz and died of his wounds the same day.