Orders, Decorations and Medals

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 3 clasps, 1892, 1893-94, 1887-8 (Lieut. S. Cotterill, 1/W.I. Rgt.), clasps mounted in the order stated, note single initial ‘S.’, extremely fine, multiple clasp awards to officers rare £1000-1200

Richard Stanley Cotterell was born in Surbiton, Surrey in October 1864 and was educated at Harrow. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st West India Regiment in February 1887, he quickly saw active service in the expedition against the Yonnies in Sierra Leone (Medal & clasp).

Advanced to Lieutenant in March 1889, he was again actively employed in the operations in Sierra Leone in March-May 1892, most likely against the Tambi and Toniataba (clasp), followed by further active service against the Sofas in 1893-4, when he gained a mention in despatches for ‘great coolness and gallantry at the passage of the Kore mountain at Waima, and at Bagbwema’, and for his cheerful example which encouraged his men ‘during many privations and hardships’ (London Gazette 28 February 1894, refers); Cotterell gained a second “mention” for his subsequent part in the expedition against Chief Fodey Silah in the Gambia in 1894 (London Gazette 4 May 1894).

He died of enteric fever at his home in Devonshire Place, Eastbourne in December 1894; sold with copied research, including medal and clasp roll verification.