An exceptional Great War D.S.O. and East Africa campaign group of eight awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel C. L. Barlow, West Yorkshire Regiment, who was killed in action whilst commanding 1st/5th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901 (Lieut., W. York. Rgt.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, East Africa 1902, East Africa 1905 (Captain, 2/W. Yorks. Regt.) the first clasp extremely rare, one of only two to Army officers; 1914-15 Star (Capt., W. York. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col.); Order of the Nile, 4th class breast badge, silver, gilt and enamels; French Croix de Guerre 1914-17, with bronze palm, together with Bronze Memorial Plaque (Charles Leslie Barlow) and companion set of eight miniature medals, all mounted in an old glazed display case, the two earlier campaign medals good very fine, otherwise extremely fine (17) £2500-3000

D.S.O. London Gazette 8 November 1915: ‘Charles Leslie Barlow, Major, The Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regt.), attached Essex Regt. For distinguished service in the field during the operations at the Dardanelles.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 5 November 1915 and 1 December 1916.

Charles Leslie Barlow was born on 8 June 1877, and entered the Army as Second Lieutenant, West Yorkshire Regiment, on 18 October 1899. He served in South Africa during the Boer War 1899-1901, and was present at the relief of Ladysmith, including action at Colenso, operations of 17 to 24 January 1900 (wounded 21 January), and action at Spion Kop; operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including action at Laing’s Nek (6 to 9 June); operations in the Transvaal, east and west of Pretoria, July to November 1900; operations in the Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to April 1901.

After serving for nearly a year in India, Barlow was seconded for service with the King’s African Rifles from 15 April 1902. He took part in the operations in East Africa 1902, under the command of Lieutenant F. W. O. Maycock, Suffolk Regiment, for which he received the medal with clasp. This clasp would appear to be the rarest of the entire series, being awarded to only two Army officers (Maycock and Barlow), 6 political officers, one civilian surgeon, and 68 members of 3 K.A.R. and the East African Police, a total of just 78. Barlow subsequently took part in the operations of May to July 1905 in the Sotik country of East Africa, earning a second clasp to his medal.

Barlow was attached to the Egyptian Army from 21 May 1909, and was promoted to Captain the following February. He served during the Great War in Egypt from August 1914, and subsequently in the Dardanelles (despatches and D.S.O.). Promoted to Major in September 1915, Barlow was appointed second-in-command of the 1st/5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 15 September 1917, the battalion then serving in Egypt, and took command of the battalion on 4 October 1917. Accompanying the battalion to France, Barlow was killed in action in the fighting at Hill 158, near Beugneux, on 1 August 1918. He is buried in Oulchy-le-Chateau Churchyard Extension, Aisne, France. He was previously buried in Beugneux British Cemetery which contained 36 British soldiers, mainly of the 1st/5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who were killed on the 1st August, 1918.