Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare ‘Sierra Leone’ C.M.G. and ‘Boer War’ D.S.O. group of four awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel A. F. Tarbet, South Lancashire Regiment, late Inspector-General of the Sierra Leone Frontier Police

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, complete with ribbon buckle; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top ribbon bar; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, 1892, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Asst. Inspr. A. F. Tarbet, Lagos Hausa Force) officially engraved naming; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 (Major A. F. Tarbet, C.M.G., D.S.O. S. Lanc. Regt.) officially engraved naming, mounted court-style as worn, somewhat tarnished, otherwise very fine and better (4) £2,800-£3,400

A second group of medals is known to this recipient, identical in all respects except lacking buckle to C.M.G., top ribbon bar to D.S.O., and date clasp to Q.S.A.; previously sold at Spink 1971; Glendining’s 1990; Dix Noonan Webb, December 2004; Dixon, November 2005; and Bonhams, March 2014.

C.M.G. London Gazette 9 January 1900: ‘In recognition of services in connection with the Military operations in 1898-9 in the Sierra Leone Protectorate: Major Alexander Francis Tarbet, 3rd Battalion the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), late Inspector-General of the Sierra Leone Frontier Police.’ Only 5 awards of the C.M.G. for Sierra Leone: two Naval officers and three Army officers.

D.S.O. London Gazette 27 September 1901: ‘In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

Alexander Francis Tarbet was born on 29 December 1860, son of William Tarbet, of Bedford. He was educated at Wellington College, and joined the 4th Royal Lancashire Militia in 1881. He served in Methuen’s Horse, with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1885, and with the Lagos Hausa Force, 1887-94. He held the appointment as Private Secretary to the Governor of Lagos, Sir Gilbert Carter, K.C.M.G., from 1892-94, during which time he commanded the Lagos Hausas in the Jebu Expedition of 1892 (despatches London Gazette 1 July 1892; Medal with clasp).

In 1894, Tarbett was appointed Inspector-General to the Sierra Leone Frontier Force, and helped to quell the disturbances in Sierra Leone during 1897-99, when he commanded the Frontier Police on the Karene Expedition (despatches London Gazette 29 December 1899; Clasp; created C.M.G.).

He served during the South Africa War 1900-01, as a Railway Staff Officer (graded as a D.A.A.G.), Lines of Communications, and afterwards as Commandant, Jagersfontein Road. He took part in operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 November 1900; in Cape Colony, south of Orange River, February to April 1900; and operations in Orange River Colony, November 1900 to July 1901 (despatches London Gazette 10 September 1901; Queen’s Medal with 3 clasps; created D.S.O.)

Tarbet resigned his commission in 1907 but rejoined the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1914 and served with that regiment at Home until the end of the war.