Orders, Decorations and Medals

Sayer family group:

Four: Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General F. Sayer, late Captain, 23rd Foot, Royal Welch Fusiliers

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Alma (Captn. Sayer, Rl. Welch Fusrs.), contemporary engraved naming; France, Second Empire, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gold and enamel, enamel damage, fine; Turkey, Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unofficial issue by ‘J.B.’, unnamed, with individual silver buckles on ribbon

Pair: Bombardier F. C. R. Sayer, New South Wales Artillery

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (4065 Bomb., N.S.W. Arty.), official correction to rank; Khedive’s Star 1884-6, unnamed

Pair: Ranger G. S. Sayer, Corps of Cattle Rangers, late French’s Scouts

North West Canada 1885, no clasp, unnamed as issued; Quen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5 Ranger, Corps of C.R.); together with Peace Treaty for the South African War Medallion, Angel tending fallen soldier, ‘To the Memory of those who gave their Lives for Queen and Country’, rev. Cuirassed female sheathing sword, a column of troops passing behind her, ‘Pax’, 70mm., bronze, unnamed, ref. B.H.M. 3876, second medal rare to unit

Single: H. E. Sayer, French’s Scouts

North West Canada 1885, 1 clasp, Saskatchewan, unnamed as issued

Pair: Sergeant W. C. F. Sayer, Natal Scottish

War and Africa Service Medals (119184 W. C. F. Sayer)

Four: Lieutenant-Colonel W. Chaine, 10th Hussars, Assistant Master of Ceremonies to Queen Victoria

The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O. 4th Class, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse officially numbered ‘1’; Jubilee 1887, clasp, 1897, silver; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911, these all unnamed as issued, mounted on board, held in place by various adhesive means, generally good very fine and better except where stated (16) £2200-2600

Frederick Sayer was born in the U.K. in 1832. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 23rd Foot in November 1850, he was promoted to Lieutenant in September 1852 and Captain in December 1854. He served in the Crimean War and was severely wounded in the ankle at the battle of Alma, 20 September 1854, and was evacuated ‘sick’ on 28 October 1854. For his services in the Crimea, he was awarded the French Legion of Honour and Turkish Order of Medjidie. He was placed on Half Pay on 27 March 1857. He later served as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General and later still was appointed a Magistrate of Gibraltar. He married Maria H. S. Phipps in 1856 and together they had 4 sons and 4 daughters. Frederick Sayer died in Cairo in 1868 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery, London. His widow married William Chaine (see below). Sold with some copied research.

Frederick Charles Robert Sayer was born in Kensington, London in 1859, the eldest son of Frederick and Maria Sayer. Living in New South Wales, he enlisted into the Army on 28 September 1883, aged 24 years, 5 months. As a Bombardier in the N.S.W. Artillery, he embarked for Egypt on 3 March 1885. He returned to Australia on 23 June 1885 on board the S.S. Arab. Sold with copied roll extract confirming medal and clasp.

Gerald Steadman Sayer was born in 1860, the second son of Frederick and Maria Sayer. In 1885 during the Riel Rebellion he served in French’s Scouts. In the Second Boer War he served as a Ranger in the Corps of Cattle Rangers. The Corps, a unit of only 27 men, was utilised ‘for protection and safe conduct of captured stock’. Gerald Sayer died of Enteric at No.19 General Hospital, Pretoria on 17 January 1902. Sold with copied Corps of Cattle Rangers Engagement Form, Nominal Roll and confirmation of Q.S.A. clasps. Q.S.A. medals to the Corps of Cattle Rangers are even more rare than the numbers suggest, as 2 of the 27 men listed were later transferred and 10 were discharged due to ‘misconduct’ or ‘fraud’ and are unlikely to have been awarded a medal.

Harry Errington Sayer was born in 1861, the third son of Frederick and Maria Sayer. Like his brothers Gerald and Francis, he served in French’s Scouts during the Riel Rebellion of 1885. Confirmed on roll.

Francis Arthur Sayer was born in England in October 1863, the fourth son of Frederick and Maria Sayer. A Constable in the North West Mounted Police, he like his brothers Gerald and Harry, served in the Riel Rebellion of 1885, serving at Battleford and Fort Carlton in Saskatchewan. Listed on the roll (as ‘Sayre’) as entitled to the medal without clasp (This medal not included in lot). He purchased his discharge from the Force on 18 December 1885, in order to return to Moose Mountain, Manitoba where he had a homestead.

William Claude Frederick Sayer was born in London, England on 8 June 1900, the son of Gerald Steadman Sayer. A Farmer by occupation, he attested for service in the Natal Scottish Battalion on 12 July 1940. He was discharged as medically unfit on 5 October 1943. Sold with copied attestation and service papers.

William Chaine was born on 1 January 1838. He enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Hussars in December 1856, was promoted to Captain in May 1864 and retired on Half Pay on 2 February 1881. He was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1881. Employed as Assistant Master of Ceremonies to Queen Victoria, he was awarded the M.V.O. 4th Class (number ‘1’) on 16 August 1901. He died at Kensington Palace on 3 July 1916. He had married the widow of Captain Frederick Sayer, 23rd Foot, and was stepfather to their sons. Sold with copied research.