Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Knight Bachelor group of seven to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Humphery, Commanding Officer of the Surrey (Queen Mary’s Regiment) Yeomanry

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, replacement convex reverse with pin-fitting; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. Sir, Surr. Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Lt. Col. Sir); Coronation 1911, silver, unnamed; France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, rosette on ribbon; Belgium, Order of the Crown, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, crossed swords on ribbon; together with a bronzed Surrey (Q.M.R.) Yeomanry cap badge, generally extremely fine (8) £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Surrey Yeomanry.

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Knight Bachelor London Gazette 31 July 1914. ‘Lieutenant-Colonel John Humphery, Sheriff of the City of London’.

John Humphery was born on 19 March 1872, the son of James Arthur and Louisa Sophia Humphery of Walton Leigh, Addlestone, Surrey. Educated at Winchester College (1886), he was elected a Member of the Court of Common Council, City of London, in 1902, and was a Member of the Surrey County Council, 1907-19; Member of the Port of London Authority, 1910-19; Alderman for Tower Ward, City of London, 1912-20 and Sheriff of London, 1913-14. As Sheriff, in connection with the visit of King Christian X to London in 1914, he was awarded the Order of the Dannebrog, 2nd Class. In 1914, in connection with his civic duties, he was created a Knight Bachelor, was awarded the French Legion of Honour and the Belgian Order of the Crown. An early officer member of the then Surrey (Princess of Wales’ Lancers) Imperial Yeomanry (formed 1901), he succeeded Lord Ashcombe as Commanding Officer with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 15 May 1912. In the Great War, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Humphery entered the France/Flanders theatre of war, accompanying “B” Squadron of the Surrey Yeomanry in January 1915. However, the Colonel, with his regiment divided into several independent squadrons, found himself with no ‘regiment’ to command. Despite this, his talents for leadership were not discarded, and in place of the command of a regiment, he was appointed Town-Major of Ypres, which, due to the proximity of the enemy, was no mere sinecure. Eventually due to illness he was evacuated to England. Sir John was twice married, firstly in 1896 to Amy Constance, daughter of Theodore Rixon, with whom he had three daughters, and secondly in 1928, after a divorce, to Mrs G. C. Hethey, daughter of W, G. Wetherley. Sir John Humphery, a resident of 6 Lyall Street, Eaton Square, S.W.1 and Castle Bridge House, North Warnborough, Odiham, Hampshire, died on 19 July 1938. Sold with copied biographical details and research. M.I.D. not confirmed.