Interesting medal groups....

[bigjarofwasps]

India General Service Medal 1895 bar Relief of Chitral 1895 named

3007 Cpl H Whiting, 19th Hussars

Queen's South Africa Medal Ghost dates reverse 4 bars

Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Laing's Nek, Belfast named

3007 Sergt H W Whiting, 19th Hrs

King's South Africa Medal 2 bars South Africa 1901 & 1902 named

3007 S Qr Mr Serjt H W Whiting, 19th Hussars

Long Service & Good Conduct Medal Army Edward VII named

3007 SS Mjr H W Whiting, 19/Hrs

With a photo of the recipient wearing his medals in the uniform of the Corps of Commissionaires. Copy service papers medal roll entries etc. Henry Walter Whiting was born at Hooe, Brighton, Sussex he attested for the Royal Berkshire Regiment at Reading 8 September 1886 aged 18yrs 2mths he was a serving member of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Middlesex Regiment occupation Horse Keeper. He had previously tried to join the Army but had been turned down under minimum chest measurement.

Whiting transferred to the 19th Hussars 7 September 1887 and received rapid promotion by June 1893 he was a Sergeant and by April 1904 Squadron Sergeant Major. He served in the relief of Chitral expedition 1895 attached to the Commissariat & Transport Department and was one of 6 men of this Regiment to receive the IGS medal bar Relief of Chitral 1895.

He served in the Boer War including the Defence of Ladysmith and was Mentioned in Deapatches by Lord Kitchener 'For gallantry on 16 August 1901 at Salgboom, he assisted in getting away the Colt Gun under heavy Boer fire'.

Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal in 1907 he was attached Permanent Staff Hertfordshire Yeomanry from 30 March 1903 had qualified in transport duties in 1893, instructor school of musketry in 1897. Discharged from the Army on 12 May 1909 having completed 22yrs 249 days service.

[peter monahan]

Nice group, lovely photo! I'll bet he terrified the Terriers he instructed! Did he serve as a Horse Keeper to build up that chest measurement, one wonders, or did he just grow. Really interesting detail - clearly he knew what he wanted to do in life, and did it.

Peter

[Guest Rick Research]

Great group! Was he recalled for any WW1 service?

[bigjarofwasps]

An outstanding Boer War ‘Sharpshooter’ Imperial Yeomanry Regimental Sergeant Majors Distinguished Conduct Medal, and Mention in Desptaches group of 6, a veteran of the 16th Lancers, who served with the Heavy Cavalry Regiment, as part of the Camel Corps in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85, and would also see service in WW1 as a Captain with the Royal Irish Regiment in France, being sent home after a shell explosion which incapacitated him. Distinguished Conduct Medal, EVII bust; (21699 S.MAJ: W.C. LOW. 16TH LANCERS: 21ST BN: I.Y.); Egypt Medal, undated reverse, 1 Clasp: The Nile 1884-85; (1818 PTE W. LOW. 16-LRS.); Queen’s South Africa Medal, 4 Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901; (21699 S. SERJT:MAJ: W.C. LOW. 81ST COY I.Y.); British War & Victory Medals, both named; (CAPT. W.C. LOW.); Khedives Star, dated 1884-6, unnamed as issued. The Egypt Medal has later naming. And this is confirmed in the medal roll, which states that he was issued another on 20th November 1924, presumably due to the condition of the original which, would have become knocked about through continuous service. Walter Charles Low was born in early 1861, at Bethnal Green, he was the son of George S. Low, of Alvin Villa, Leytonstone. A clerk prior to enlistment, Walter enlisted as a Private, No. 1818, into the 16th (The Queen’s) Lancers on 2nd April 1879. His start to his career was chequered, and he was imprisoned from 22nd September to 25th October 1881. He served at home throughout with the 16th Lancers, except for his service in Egypt, from 24th September 1884 to 16th July 1885 when he took part in the Nile Expedition in Egypt and the Sudan as a member of the Heavy Cavalry Regiment, part of the Camel Corps, which formed in August 1884, and consisted of 10 detachments from cavalry regiments, each detachment supposedly consisting of two officers, two sergeants, a trumpeter, a bugler, and thirty-eight men. Only 46 men from the 16th Lancers served in the Nile Expedition, and Low was one of only six who missed the action at Abu Klea, thus receiving a regimentally rare single clasp medal, in addition to the Khedive’s Star. He returned to Britain, and married Emma Reef in Dublin on 24th January 1886, before transferring to the 1st Class Army Reserve on 1st August 1886, being full discharged on 1st April 1891. In civilian life he became a Riding Instructor, living at 55 Union Street, Maidstone, Kent. With the war in South Africa, he enlisted again, for service with the Imperial Yeomanry (No.21699) on 28th January 1901, stating that he was 35 years old, but he was in fact 40. He was promoted Squadron Sergeant Major on 13th April 1901, he had arrived in South Africa on 14th March 1901, where he served with the 81st Company (Sharpshooters), 21st Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, and during the course of the war would be twice decorated, firstly with a Mention in Despatches, the recommendation by his commanding officer stating: “Served with the Camel Corps in 1885, 16th Lancers. 15 months with this regiment. A very good NCO knowing his duties thoroughly. Has acted as Regimental Sergeant Major from Feby 1902 to my complete satisfaction. Mention in Despatches.” The M.I.D. appeared in the London Gazette for 29th July 1902, and gave his details as “Squadron Serjeant-Major W. Low (16th Lancers) 21st Battalion I.Y.” Since Low was serving with a Yeomanry number, it is not clear how the 16th Lancers, his old unit, appears, but this would also occur with the notification of his Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette for 31st October 1902, to bear date from 22nd August 1902, as well as in the Army Order 10/1903, and will explain why his medal is named as such. His award was one of only two to his unit, and one of only 120 to the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa. A fine Regimental Sergent Major’s award. His Q.S.A. would be correctly named to him with the 21st I.Y., but would only bear 4 clasps, he being additionally entitled to the S.A. 1902 clasp, which he never wore, and his medal is additionally only confirmed as a 4 clasp medal in the Army List for 1919. Low was officially promoted R.S.M. on 18th June 1902, and left South Africa on 10th August 1902. He settled in Ireland, and by 1918/19 his address is shown as Cosy Hotel, 34 Gamble Street, Belfast. With the outbreak of WW1 he volunteered his services again, and was commissioned as Temporary Lieutenant in the General List. He assumed duty on 8th February 1916 “at a vulnerable point on the South East Coast of Ireland”, and on 6th May 1916 he was posted to the 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment which guarded various points near Dublin. The Battalion was sent to France on 15th May 1918, and the regimental history confirms that “Captain W.C. Low DCM” was among the officers who embarked. His third war did not last long, and in June 1918 “he was knocked over by a shell explosion, after which he felt peculiar but carried on for 6 days when he suddenly began to pass water and could not stop. His right side had become paralysed and he was very tremulous”. He left his unit on 12th June 1918, and returned to Dover on the 24th June. His health did not recover, and following a medical board in Belfast on 18th April 1919, Temporary Captain Walter Low was discharged unfit for any further service, with the right to retain the rank of Captain. By now aged 58, he is service had fully ended after a military career spread over 40 years! A truly outstanding record of service.

[deptfordboy]

That is a JAW-DROPPING group - thanks for sharing. He certainly got about a bit - fantastic research project!

Gilbert

[bigjarofwasps]

A Superb British Double Gallantry Military Cross & Bar Group to Capt Willaim Henry Blackburn Royal Engineers. Twice decorated with the Miliatry Cross for his Gallantry in World War 1.

Group Consists of Military Cross (GV) & 2nd Bar, Reverse Engraved: Capt William Henry Blackburn R.E. 1918, 1914-15 Star Impressed LIEUT W.H. BLACKBURN R.E. British War Medal & Victory Medal Both Impressed: CAPT W.H. BLACKBURN R.E. & General Service Medal with Clasp IRAQ Impressed: CAPT W.H. BLACKBURN R.E.

MC is privately Engraved, all other are Offically Impressed as Issued. The group is GVF / NEF condition Capt Blackburn serving in France from 11th November 1915 & later serving in Iraq between Dec 1919 & December 1920. All medals are confirmed on his MIC a copy will be included with Sale. Interstingly his Bar to his MC was Gazetted before his Origianl MC, this is not that unusual due to the back log in the Gazette in the last part of the War.

His MC was Gazetted on 26th July 1918 page 8777: " T/Capt William Henry Blackburn, RE For Conspicuoues Gallantry and Devotion to Duty when in command of his company, he for eighty hours continuously directed the operations in a rearguard action, inflicting losses and checking the Enemys advance"

Bar to MC Gazetted: 3rd June 1918, no citation listed but details may be found in reserach of War Diary of Royal Engineers.

[notned]

Excellent stuff!

Thanks for showing!

Regards

Paul

[Stogieman]

BJOW! Nice group, especially with the repeat bar. Glad you're settling in after the tour. Cheers!

[cvma]

Hi, I just came across this information that you have about Walter Charles Low. I was wondering if you happen to have any other information on him. I have just gone through the records that I have and I believe that he is my Great Grandfather and I have been looking for as much of his military history as possible. If you could contact me at cvma@netscape.ca it would be great Thanks

[leigh kitchen]

Lovely groups - SS Mjr Whtng, he was a bit short in chest measurement, how about in heght> Was it the 19th Hussars whpo were nicknamed "The Dumpies" because of their lack of height? (I thnk it was the 19th, if not t was the 15th).