Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. H. Armstrong, Army Service Corps, who was three times Mentioned in Despatches, and was wounded during the Great War

Ashanti Star 1896, unnamed as issued; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Transvaal (Capt. W. M. H. Armstrong. A.S.C.) engraved naming; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Maj: & Adjt: W. M H. Armstrong. A.S.C.) engraved naming; 1914 Star, with clasp (Lt: Col: W. M. H. Armstrong. A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. W. M. H. Armstrong.) mounted for wear, contact marks, generally very fine (6) £700-£900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Ashanti Star Groups.

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William Meredith Howard Armstrong was born on 7 October 1868 and was educated at Clifton College, where he captained the Cricket XI. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the 3rd (Fermanagh Militia) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 4 September 1889, and converted to the Regular Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment on 12 March 1892. He transferred to the Army Service Corps on 1 April 1893, and was posted to No. 14 Company at Dublin. Promoted Lieutenant on 30 March 1894, he embarked for the Gold Coast the following year and took part in the Ashanti expedition.

Promoted Captain on 19 June 1898, Armstrong served in South Africa during the Boer War from 1899, and took part in the operations in Cape Colony south of the Orange River in 1899 to 1900; in the Orange Free State in 1900, including the engagement at Paardeberg from 17 to 26 February; in the Orange River Colony from November to December 1900; and in the Transvaal from December 1900 to May 1902. Appointed Adjutant on 5 December 1900, he was promoted Brevet Major on 22 August 1902, and for his services was Mentioned in both Lord Roberts’ Despatch of 4 September 1901 (London Gazette 10 September 1901) and Lord Kitchener’s Despatch of 23 June 1902 (London Gazette 29 July 1902).

Promoted Major on 1 April 1905, Armstrong returned to Ireland and served in Dublin and Longford before being appointed Commanding Officer, Army Service Corps on the Island of Bermuda, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, on 15 December 1913. Following the outbreak of the Great War he served in France with the British Expeditionary Force as Commanding Officer of the Advance Horse Transport Depot from 22 August 1914; was wounded in action; and was Mentioned in Field Marshal French’s Despatch of 14 January 1915 (London Gazette 17 February 1915). He later served on the Staff as Assistant Director of Supply and Transport at HQ, Irish Command, and was placed on the Reserve of Officers List on 24 January 1919.

Sold with copied research.