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[DSO]
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (Capt & Adjt: W. C. C. Ash. Midd.x Rgt:)
[14-15 trio]

DSO London Gazette 14 January 1916.

William Claudius Casson Ash was born in Marylebone, in 1870, and was educated at Haberdashers and Westminster School. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Middlesex Regiment in September 1892, advanced to Lieutenant in July 1895, and to Captain in March 1900. Ash served as Adjutant with the 5th (Special Reserve) Battalion from 13 January 1902.

Ash played cricket whilst serving in the Army, and also played for Old Westminsters, Free Foresters, the Butterflies and Berkshire. He was a member of the MCC from 1896, and served on the Committee of Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Ash advanced to Major in April 1909, and served during the Great War with the 23rd (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (2nd Football) on the Western Front. He was wounded at Loos, 25 September 1915, and advanced to Temporary Lieutenant Colonel the following month.

Lieutenant Colonel Ash died of wounds which he had received in action at Flers, 29 September 1916. He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, and commemorated on the Mill Hill War Memorial.

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CB military, b/b;
SAGS (1) 1879 (Lieut. A. W. Hill. 57th. Foot.);
QSA (7) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901 (Colonel A. W. Hill. C.B. Middx. Rgt.)

Provenance: Cross Collection, J. B. Hayward, January 1973.

CB London Gazette 19 April 1901: ‘In recognition of his services in connection with the Campaign in South Africa 1899-1900.’

Augustus West Hill was born at Ryde, Isle of Wight, on 4 May 1853, and was commissioned Lieutenant in the 57th Regiment of Foot on 1 January 1873. He served with the Regiment in South Africa during the Zulu War from 20 February to 13 December 1879, including the action at Ginghilovo on 2 April 1879: ‘The crossing of the Tugela was completed on 29 March, and two days later the little army (comprising the 57th Foot; the 3rd Battalion, 60th Rifles; 200 bluejackets; and a small body of mounted natives) reached Ginghilovo, where Pearson signalled to them from Ekowe that a Zulu attack was imminent. The camp was at once formed, with the wagons in laager, with Gatling guns and some other small artillery at the angles, and with trenches in front. The position of the 57th was on the south-east side of the laager. About six o’clock on the morning of 2 April, the Zulus, decked out with crests of leopard skin and feathers, and the tails of wild oxen, to give them a terrifying aspect, attacked with alternate rushes ands yells. In spite of the deadly fire from the trenches they came on again and again; at first against the 60th on the north-east, and then on the other sides. But though they advanced with the greatest bravery right up to the trenches, they could never get to close quarters, and after an hour’s hard fight a charge of the mounted infantry completed their rout.’ (The story of the Middlesex Regiment, by C. L. Kingsford refers).

Hill was promoted Captain on 27 September 1880, and was appointed Adjutant of the 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, on 23 November 1882. Advanced Major on 8 May 1885, he transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 2 October 1886, and served with them in India from 14 February 1892 to 8 September 1895. Whilst stationed at Quetta in April 1893 the Battalion formed part of a small force under Colonel Wade-Dalton, which was sent to Kelat in consequence of the murder of ministers there, although the expedition was considered too minor to qualify for a clasp to the India General Service Medal.

Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 27 May 1896, Hill commanded the 2nd Battalion during the Boer War, landing at Cape Town on Christmas Day 1899, and were at once sent round to Natal where Buller’s army, after the failure to force the Boer position at Colenso, was in urgent need of reinforcement. After crossing the Tugela at Trickhardt’s Drift on 17 January 1900, it was finally decided to assault the Boer position on Spion Kop on 24 January. The 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, along with the 2nd Battalion Dorset Regiment, and the Imperial Light Infantry, were to be held in readiness to support the attack:

‘The attack began successfully. A portion of the crest of Spion Kop was seized at 4 o’clock on the morning of 24 January by a force under General Woodgate. But a dense fog made it impossible to trace the entrenchments correctly, and when the fog rolled away the British position was found to be seriously exposed. In the face of the Boer attack, which began at 8 o’clock, it was maintained with great difficult, and an urgent request was sent for reinforcements. As it happened the 2nd Middlesex and the Imperial Light Infantry had already started. The extreme steepness of the hill made the climb difficult, and, in most places, it was necessary to ascend in single file. About midday four companies of the Middlesex had reached the summit, thrusting themselves into the firing line as they arrived, wherever their help seemed to be most needed. Without the aid of the Middlesex the hill must have been lost in disaster. That this was averted was due to the self-sacrificing valour of officers and men. It was round Aloe Knoll, at the eastern end of the crest, that the main fighting of the afternoon centred. Here Colonel Hill of the Middlesex was in charge. When the retirement came at dusk the regiment had suffered heavily, with 4 officers and 38 men killed, and 4 officers and 49 men wounded.’ (ibid).

Promoted Brevet Colonel on 27 May 1900, for his services in South Africa Hill was Mentioned in General Buller’s Despatch of 9 November 1900 (London Gazette 8 February 1901), and was appointed a CB. He was confirmed in this rank on 26 January 1904, and retired on 4 May 1910. He died on 4 February 1922.

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QSA (2) Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (7373 L.Corpl: R. H. Furman. Midd’x. Regt.);
BWM and VM (L-7373 T.W.O. Cl.I. R. I. Furman. Midd’x. R.);
India General Service 1908-35, (1) Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (A.W.O. Cl.1. R. I. Furman, Middx. R.);
Defence Medal;
Jubilee 1935;
Coronation 1937;
Army LS&GC GV 1st issue (L-7373 C.S. Mjr: R. I. Furman. Midd’x R.);
MSM GVI 1st issue (6188345 W.O. Cl.2. R. I. Furman. Midd’x. R)

Robert Isaac Furman was born in 1883 and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in 1901. He served with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa during the latter stages of the Boer War, and with the 1st/9th Battalion during the Great War in Egypt, France, and India. He saw further service during the Third Afghan War on attachment to the 25th Battalion, London Regiment- although no Middlesex Battalion was engaged at strength in the Third Afghan War, Furman was part of a detachment of men from the 9th and 10th Battalions that served during the campaign on the strength of units. He was discharged in 1922, after 21 years’ service.

Furman spent the next three years working at the General Post Office. He was appointed a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London on 26 July 1926, and served there until his retirement on 30 January 1953 (and so just missed out by a few months on being awarded a 1953 Coronation Medal), after over 47 years’ service. He was awarded his Meritorious Service Medal per Army Order 68 of 1946, and died in Folkestone, Kent, on 13 December 1959.

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DCM GV (6003 Pte. J. W. Otton. 4/Middx: Regt.);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6003 Pte. J. W. Otton. Middlesex Regt.);
AGS 1902 (1) Somaliland 1902-04 (6003 Pte. J. Otton. Middlesex Regt.);
1914 Star, with later slide clasp (L-6003 Pte. J. Otton 4/Midd’x R.);
BWM and VM (L-6003 Pte. J. Otton. Midd’x R.) number and name unofficially re-impressed on both Star and VM

Provenance: J. B. Hayward, April 1968.

DCM LG 18 February 1915, citation published 1 April 1915: ‘For conspicuous gallantry on 5 November 1914 near Neuve Chapelle, in attempting to rescue an NCO from in front of the enemy’s trenches. He was killed in the attempt.’

John W. Otton attested for the Middlesex Regiment, and served with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War. He was taken Prisoner of War whilst serving in a Mounted Infantry Company near Utrecht on 1 February 1902, when his patrol under Lieutenant J. Whiteman was ambushed about five miles from Knight’s Farm, and was subsequently one of just 33 other ranks of the Battalion who served in Somaliland with No. 3 Company, Mounted Infantry.

Otton served with the 4th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from October 1914, and along with Privates H. G. F. Mead and A. S. S. Spencer of the 4th Battalion was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his heroism near Neuve Chapelle on 5 November 1914, an act of gallantry recorded in Deeds that Thrill the Empire:

‘At about 6 o’clock in the evening, Private Mead heard a man crying for help and water. The cry came from the direction of a German trench which earlier in the day had been taken by the 1st Connaught Rangers who, however, had subsequently had to abandon it. Private Mead immediately left his trench and ran across the open to the spot whence the cry had come, and found Lance-Corporal Ely lying badly wounded in the German trench. He raised the wounded man’s head and poured some water down his throat, and then finding that he could not lift him over the parapet alone, he went back and fetched two of his comrades, Privates Otton and Spencer. They succeeded in carrying Ely to within a few yards of the British trench when they were seen by the Germans. Both Mead and Otton were killed instantly, but Spencer succeeded in dragging the wounded man into safety, though not before his clothes and equipment had been almost riddled with bullets. This gallant deed was recognised by the award of the DCM to each of the three men.’

Otton has no known grave and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, France.

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KCB (Civil), hallmarks for London 1939;
CMG, breast badge, converted for neck wear;
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Bailiff Grand Cross set of insignia, comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles;
Star, silver-gilt and enamel, no heraldic beasts in angles;
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Capt. E. J. King. 1st. Vol: Bn: Midd’x: Rgt:);
1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. E. J. King. Midd’x R.);
BWM and VM with MID oak leaves (Col. E. J. King.);
Defence Medal (Col. Sir Edwin King Middx. H.G.) contemporarily impressed naming;
Coronation 1911 (Lt. Col. E. J. King, 7th. Bn. Middlesex Regt.) contemporarily engraved naming;
Jubilee 1935 (Col. E. J. King) contemporarily engraved naming;
Coronation 1937 (Col. E. J. King) contemporarily engraved naming;
Territorial Decoration, GV silver and silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1917, with integral top riband bar;
Efficiency Decoration, GVI 2nd issue, Territorial, reverse officially dated 1951, with three additional award bars and integral top riband bar;
Service Medal of the Order of St John (Colonel E. J. King. CMG ADC for long and conspicuous service, 1935.);
Order of the League of Mercy, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, mounted court-style as worn.

Together with a corresponding set of miniature awards, the CMG badge with gold riband buckle, these also mounted court-style as worn.

Together with the recipient’s 7th Battalion Middlesex Regiment ‘Battalion Twenty’ Medal, bronze (Lt. Col. E. J. King), with bronze date bars for 1910 and 1911, and silver date bar for 1912, generally good very fine and better and a most important group to the 7th

The ‘Battalion Twenty’ medal was instituted by Captain Leonard King in 1910 and was awarded to the members of the 7th Battalion who fired for the Middlesex Shield. The dated bars were awarded in bronze for each year in which the recipient took part, and in silver for those years in which the 7th Battalion were victorious.

KCB (Civil) LG 1 January 1944.

CB (Civil) LG 8 June 1939.

CMG LG 3 June 1916.

Order of St. John, Bailiff Grand Cross LG 1 January 1946.

Sir Edwin James King was born in 1877 and was educated at Cheltenham College and Christ Church, Oxford. A member of Lincoln’s Inn, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Middlesex Rifle Volunteers on 4 November 1896, and was promoted Lieutenant the following year. In 1898 the 3rd Middlesex Rifle Volunteers became the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. King served with the Colonial Forces in South Africa during the Boer War- ‘still an undergraduate when the Boer War started, he left for South Africa on board the Pembroke Castle on 27 January 1900, and on arrival in Cape Town was posted to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles. He served on the Lines of communication in Cape Colony until 14 May, when his regiment joined Sir Charles Warren’s Griqualand Field Force at Belmont. After taking part in the suppression of the rebellions in Griqualand and Bechuanaland, he was, on 20 July 1900, transferred to the Imperial Yeomanry Scouts, a Colonial Corps composed of men speaking Dutch and Kaffir, and with a body of Basutos and Zulus attached for intelligence duties. His troop was attached to the 2nd Mounted Brigade under Major-General the Earl of Erroll, forming part of Sir Frederick Carrington’s Rhodesia Field Force. After taking part in the operations in the Western Transvaal, he was attached to Lord Erroll’s staff on 5 September, a position which he held until 30 October, when he was given permission to return to England, it being thought that the war was over. He embarked on the Moor at Cape Town on 14 November 1900. (The History of the 7th Middlesex, by the recipient refers).

Promoted Captain in 1901, King was appointed Commanding Officer of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Middlesex Regiment on 1 November 1907, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His first duty was to carry through the transfer of the battalion to the Territorial Force, and on 1 April 1908 the Battalion was re-titled the 7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. The transfer was a great personal success for the new Commanding Officer, with over 63% of the old Volunteers opting to transfer into the Territorial Force (with the new conditions of service), the highest percentage of any London-based battalion.

King commanded the 7th Battalion for the majority of the Great War, landing with the Battalion at Le Harve on 12 March 1915, and entered the trenches for the first time on 25 March. For the next two and a half years he commanded the Battalion, but by late 1917 ‘it became apparent that he no longer possessed the physical strength necessary for service in the field. On 23 October 1917 he finally relinquished command of the battalion, and proceeded to the base at Étaples to be allotted other duties. But before leaving he issued the following Farewell Order:

“It is with feelings of great regret that the Commanding Officer has to bid farewell to the battalion, which he has now commanded for ten years, in order to take up another appointment. He desires to express to all ranks his deep appreciation of the gallant conduct and devotion to duty which they have repeatedly shown under his command in numerous engagements in Flanders, before Gommecourt, on the Somme, and at Arras. In wishing the battalion good-bye and good fortune, he feels confident that it will ever show the same gallantry and devotion to duty that has brought it such honour and credit during the present War”.’ (ibid).

On 25 February 1918 King was promoted Colonel and posted to the staff of XV Corps as Commandant of Labour. For his services during the Great War he was three times Mentioned in Despatches (LGs 1 January 1916, 15 June 1916, and 5 January 1917), and was appointed a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. Following the cessation of hostilities he was employed with the Clearing-up Force, and in March 1919 he was appointed Commander of the Lille Sub-Area, and then subsequently Commander of the Ypres Sub-Area. Having been awarded the Territorial Decoration in 1918, he returned to England and was demobilised in April 1920. He was later appointed Honorary Colonel of the 7th Battalion on 13 August 1925, a position he held until 1949, an almost continuous 50 year association with the Battalion.

King was appointed Aide-de-Camp to H.M. the King in 1931, and served as Chairman of the Territorial Army and Air Force Association of the County of Middlesex in the inter-War years, and during the Second World War. For his services in this role he was created a Companion of the Civil Division of the Order of the Bath in 1939, being advanced to Knight Commander of the same Order in 1944. Following the outbreak of the Second World War he was re-commissioned Colonel, and was appointed a Zone Commander of the Middlesex Home Guard in 1940. A Deputy Lieutenant of Middlesex, and sometime High Sheriff of the County, King was also an influential figure of the Order of St. John, serving as Chancellor of the Order from 1945 to 1951, and was appointed Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in 1946. Awarded the Efficiency Decoration with three clasps (all LG 16 February 1951), he died on 11 July 1952.

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East and West Africa 1887 (1) 1900 (Lieut: G. Lewis-Lloyd, Middx: Rgt:);
Ashanti 1900 (0), low relief bust (Capt: G. Lewis-Lloyd. Midd’x: Rgt:);
QSA (0) (Capt. G. Lewis-Lloyd, Midd’x Rgt:)

Provenance: Baldwin’s, July 1964.

George Lewis-Lloyd was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Middlesex Regiment on 9 December 1896, and was promoted Lieutenant on 25 January 1900. He served in Northern Nigeria attached to the 2nd Battalion, North Nigeria Regiment, during the Munshu and Kaduna Expeditions, 4 January to 9 May 1900, and saw further service in the Ashanti campaign. Proceeding to St. Helena, he arrived on the island on 25 May 1901, and served there with the 3rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment, guarding Boer prisoners of War.

The clasp ‘1900’ on the East and West Africa Medal was awarded to 29 British officers and 26 other ranks from a wide variety of regiments attached to the 1st and 2nd Northern Nigeria Regiment who served in the Munshi Expedition (January to March 1900) and the Kaduna Expedition (February to May 1900).