Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War C.M.G. group of nine awarded to Colonel J. R. Dyas, Hampshire Regiment, later Royal Warwickshire Regiment

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband, in Garrard, London, case of issue; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (Lieut: J. R. Dyas. 2/Hamps: Regt.); India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89 (Lieutt. J. R. Dyas. 2d. Bn. Hamps: R.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (Capt. J. R. Dyas. 1/R. War: R.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (Major. J. R. Dyas, Rl: Warwick Rgt.) engraved naming; British War Medal 1914-20 (Col. J. R. Dyas.) rank officially corrected; Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed as issued; Khedive’s Star, dated 1884-6, unnamed as issued; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (Captain J. R. Dyas, 1st. Bn. The Royal Warwickshire Regt.) contemporarily engraved naming, mounted court-style for display, edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (9) £1,200-£1,600

C.M.G. London Gazette 8 March 1918:
‘In recognition of valuable services in connection with the War.’

James Ridgeway Dyas was born on 11 March 1862, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Dyas, Royal Engineers, and was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 67th Regiment of Foot on 22 January 1881, and served with the Regiment (later the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment) in India from 10 March 1881. He was promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1881, and served in the Sudan campaign in 1885, and then with the Burmese Expedition in 1885-86 (Mentioned in Despatches) and again in 1887-89. Promoted Captain on 4 September 1889, he transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and served in the campaign in the Sudan under Sir Herbert Kitchener with the 1st Battalion, and was present at the Battle of Khartoum. He was promoted Major on 1 April 1899, and saw further service in South Africa during the Boer War from February to June 1900. He was appointed Second in Command of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, on 6 April 1902, and was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 22 December 1905. Promoted Brevet Colonel on 22 December 1908, he was placed on half pay on completion of his tenure of command of the battalion the following year.

Dyas rejoined for the Great War on 21 September 1913, and was appointed to the command of the 11th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. He transferred to the command of the 9th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 6 August 1915, and then to the command of the 36th Training Reserve Battalion on 1 September 1916. He reverted to retired pay on 24 July 1919, and subsequently served as Librarian at the Staff College, Camberley. For his services during the Great War he was created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and received the British War Medal only. He died on 23 January 1933.

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