A Great War O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Major H. ‘Bogey’ Boag, Queen’s Bays, late 5th Dragoon Guards and South African Constabulary

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type, breast badge, hallmarks for London 1919 Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Cape Colony (Capt: H. Boag, S.A.C.) clasps mounted in order listed with unofficial rivets between the top two; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt: H. Boag. S.A.C.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Hon: Capt: & Q.M. H. Boag. 2/D. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Q.M. & Major H. Boag) the Victory Medal unnamed; Coronation 1911 (Capt. H. Boag, Queen’s Bays) note Victory Medal unnamed, generally good very fine (7) £400-£500

O.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 June 1916 and 5 July 1919.

Henry ‘Bogey’ Boag was born on 2 August 1863 and originally enlisted into the ranks of the 5th Dragoon Guards. He subsequently fought with the regiment at Lombard’s Kop and during the Defence of Ladysmith, where he held the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major. In 1901 he transferred into the South African Constabulary and saw service as a Captain in the Transvaal and Orange Free State, and afterwards remained with the S.A.C. until joining the Queen’s Bays in 1906.

With the rank of Honorary Captain and Quarter-Master, he was present with the Queen’s Bays from the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, landing in France on 14th August. He gained notoriety in the regiment for consuming, during the Somme offensive, the last of the brandy removed from the cellars of Hooge Château at the time of the 1st Battle of Ypres. As a regimental Quarter-Master it has to be asked whether ‘Bogey’ was possibly the brains behind the initial removal of this liquor, a daring operation which was apparently carried out with the assistance of a machine-gun limber team.

In May 1917, he was appointed an Assistant Military Landing Officer and he held this position right up until the armistice. An O.B.E. followed in June 1919. He retired on 21 January 1920, and died, after a long and honourable career, on 2 January 1937. Sold with full details.