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Another group that has been split up, a great shame.

Indeed, Frank. Complete it is a lovely group.

There is a chance for a re-unite here as DNW sold the CGHGSM and Cape LG&GC three times, most recently in 2012.


Picture courtesy of DNW

CGHGSM (1) Bechuanaland (1782 Pte., C.M. Rif.);
Cape LS&GC Ed VII (1782 Pte., Cape M.R.),

Ex Upfill-Brown Collection, B.D.W. December 1991.

Approximately 40 Edward VII Cape of Good Hope LS & GC awarded.

It is certainly pleasing to know the medals all remain extant, I do wonder how they ever got split up in the first place though, it does seem an act of reckless stupidity, from my point of view, at least.

This Wepener man must have quite a group of medals!

3077 Private Ivor Thord Gray, CMR (at Wepener at least)

Born 17 April 1878 in Sweden (Thord-Ivar Hallstrom). Name changed to Gray in 1899 and Thord-Gray in 1917.

Served in the merchant navy 1893 to 1895 and then settled in Cape Town. Prison Guard, Robben Island, in 1896. Enlisted in the CMR 24 May 1897. Discharged 5 July 1902. CMR ref DD7/64. Served in the SAC 1902-1903. Joined Royston's Horse and served in the Natal Rebellion as Lieutenant. Joined the Nairobi Mounted Police in 1907. Captain in the Philippine Constabulary 1908-1909. Participated in the Chinese Revolution in 1913. Joined the Mexican Revolution as Captain and Commander in Pancho Villa's artillery. Chief of Staff, 1st Mexican Army, 1914. Served in the Great War in the Northumberland and Royal Fusiliers. Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force and later transferred to the Russian White Army in 1919 as Colonel. He took American citizenship in 1934 and owned an investment bank in New York.

He died 18 August 1964.

I was reading about Gray in the CMR annals. His honours were:

1913 Sweden: Knight Commander of the Order of the Sword.
1918 Swedish-Finnish Brigade Medal.
1935 Finland: Knight Commander of the White Rose (1st Class).
1934 Distinguished Service Cross of Finland.
1920 Russia: Grand Commander of St. Anna with Swords.
1920 Russia: Knight Commander of St. Vladimir, with Swords.
1919 Russia: Knight Commander of St. Stanislas, with Swords.