Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Captain R. Gache, Royal Irish Regiment, late Grenadier Guards

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (4703 Cpl. R. Gache, 1/Gren. Gds.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (4703 Serjt. R. Gache, Gren. Gds.); Coronation 1911 (4703 C.S.I.M. R. Gache, The King’s Coy. Grenr. Gds.), engraved naming; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (4703 C. Sjt. I.O.M. R. Gache, G. Gds.); Royal Victorian Medal, V.R., silver, with 1st type ‘E. May 1910 R.’ Bar (Sergt. R. Gache), engraved naming; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (Corpl. R. Gache, Gren. Gds.), impressed naming, mounted court-style with new ribands but original wearing pin, heavily polished and thus fair (6) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Raymond Gache was born in Marylebone, London and, following brief service in the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in January 1894, aged 21 years, his attestation papers noting that he stood at a little over six feet. Advanced to Lance Corporal in August 1894 and to Corporal in February 1897, he was present at the battle of Omdurman in September of the following year, gaining the Queen’s and Khedive’s Sudan Medals, the latter with “Khartoum” clasp. Having then been advanced to Lance-Sergeant in September 1899, he was serving in the Queen’s Company of the Grenadiers at the time of Victoria’s death at Osborne in January 1901, and was accordingly employed in the Bearer Party at her funeral, and awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in silver.

In January of the following year, after advancement to Sergeant, Gache was embarked for South Africa, where he served in Cape Colony until October, and was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal & 2 clasps. A Colour-Sergeant and Instructor of Musketry in the King’s Company of the Grenadiers by the time of Edward VII’s death in 1910, he again served in the Bearer Party at the state funeral, thereby winning an extremely rare 1st-type Bar to his Royal Victorian Medal - one of four previous Silver Medal holders so entitled. Adding the Coronation Medal to his accolades for further services in the King’s Company in 1911, and the Army L.S. & G.C. Medal in the following year (AO 286 of October 1912 refers), Gache was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment in October 1914, but remained employed in the 3rd Battalion on the home establishment for the duration of hostilities. Finally placed on the Retired List in the rank of Captain in February 1920, he died at Eastbourne in March 1955, aged 83 years; sold with related research.