Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The K.C.B. and Field Officer’s Gold Medal pair to General Sir George Turner, Royal Artillery

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s set of insignia, neck badge, gold and enamel, hallmarks for London 1862, complete with neck cravat with gold fitments; breast star, silver, gold appliqué and enamel, stamped ‘W.N.’ on reverse, these in R. & S. Garrard, London case of issue; Field Officer’s Gold Medal, for Orthes, 1 clasp, Toulouse (Capt. Geo. Turner, Rl. Arty.), with gold buckle on ribbon, contained in case, badge with enamel damage to scrolls and wreaths, very fine; star and medal extremely fine (3) £9000-11000



George Turner was born in Aberdeen in 1780 and after receiving his early education at Aberdeen, went to Woolwich and attended the Royal Military Academy. From thence he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 14 January 1797, a 1st Lieutenant on 16 July the same year and 2nd Captain on 29 July 1804. As a junior Captain he served at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope in 1806. Promoted to Captain on 8 May 1811, he joined the army commanded by the Duke of Wellington, operating in the south of France during 1813 until the end of the war.

He was present at the battle of Orthes, 27 February 1814, for which he was awarded the Field Officer’s Gold Medal and for which his brigade received the highest praise from General Sir Thomas Picton. His brigade was also mentioned in the despatch of 3 March from Major Dyer to Marshal Beresford and the Duke of Wellington said of the artillery corps in his despatch of 1 March to Earl Bathurst, ‘The conduct of the artillery throughout the day deserved my highest approbation’.

Turner then served in the actions at Vic Bigorre and Tarbes and thence the final major battle of the campaign at Toulouse, 10 April 1814, for which he received a clasp to his medal. On 4 June 1814, for his services, he was was granted the brevet of Major.

He continued to serve in the post-war army, for several years based in Canada, being promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on 25 November 1828 and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1831. Promoted to Colonel on 28 June 1838 and Major-General on 11 November 1851, he was appointed Colonel Commandant of the 12th Brigade on 11 August 1852. Promoted to Lieutenant-General on 28 November 1854, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 10 November 1862. Attaining the rank of General on 24 June 1863, he died at Menie, Aberdeen, on 9 December 1864.

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