The unique Edward VII ‘Kissi’ D.S.O. group awarded to Brigadier-General C. E. Palmer, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Artillery, Commanding Kissi Field Force 1905

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels; The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge in silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, E.VII.R., some chips to enamel wreaths; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kissi 1905 (Major C. E. Palmer, S.L. Bn. W.A.F.F.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. (Brig. Gen.); Sudan 1910-21, second issue with cypher of Sultan Hussein Kamil, no clasp, unnamed as issued; Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze palm; Egypt, Order of the Nile, 2nd class set of insignia, comprising neck badge and breast star in silver, gilt and enamels, generally good very fine or better (10)

D.S.O. London Gazette 23 February 1906. ‘Cyril Eustace Palmer, Capt., Royal Artillery. In recognition of his servces in command of the Kissi Field Force, Liberia, March to June, 1905.’ The only award for this expedition.

C.M.G. 1918; C.B. 1919; M.I.D. London Gazette 23 February 1906, 25 October 1916 (Darfur), 14 December 1917, 20 May 1918 and 5 July 1919.

Cyril Eustace Palmer was born on 5 September 1870, at Amritsar, India, son of Colonel R. H. Palmer, Bengal Staff Corps. He was educated at Charterhouse and Westward Ho! and entered the Royal Artillery, as Second Lieutenant, 25 July 1893, and Captain 9 February 1900. Captain Palmer was employed with the West African Frontier Force from 23 November 1901 to 19 April 1907. He served in Liberia, West Africa, during 1905, and commanded the Kissi Field Force, with the local rank of Major, in the expedition against Chief Kafura in the south and Chief Fassalokoh in the north of the country. These chiefs had been leading raiding parties from French territory in liberia into British territory to capture slaves. Chief Kafura had even attacked the Sierra Leone Battalion’s outpost at Korumba. Major Palmer’s punitive expedition consisted of 15 officers and 359 other ranks of the Sierra Leone Battalion W.A.F.F., and 600 carriers. The expedition lasted for three months from 27 March, 1905, and was completely successful, resulting in the award of the Distinguished Service Order to Major Palmer.

Palmer became Major in 1908 and was GSO2 in Sierra Leone from June 1908 until June 1911. He was employed with the Egyptian Army from May 1912 until July 1916, during which time he participated in the Darfur operations in the Sudan, under General Wingate, as Commandant of Artillery and Director of Ordnance with the Permanent Committee of Defence. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1915, and became Temporary Brigadier-General in December 1917, serving with the 40th Division in France. He was created a C.M.G. in 1918 and a C.B. in 1919, and for his services with the Egyptian Army was awarded the 2nd class Order of the Nile. He was placed on retired pay in 1927 and became Assistant Inspector General of the Egyptian Army, a position he held until 1933. Brigadier-General Palmer died on 27 September 1939.