The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

A K.C.B. group of eight awarded to General Sir Montagu Gilbert Gerard, Central India Horse, late Royal Artillery, who died whilst serving as British Attaché to the Russian Army in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s set of insignia, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, with gold pin; Abyssinia 1867 (Lieut., 14th Bde. R.A.) suspension refitted; Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Kabul, Kandahar (Bre. Maj., 2nd C.I.H.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (Bt. Major, 2nd Regt. Central India Horse); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Tel-el-Kebir (Lt. Col., B.S. Corps D.A.A. & Q.M.G.) clasp loose; Jubilee 1897, silver; Coronation 1902, silver; Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, medals mounted for display; together with Japan, War Medal 1904-05, in box of issue, contact marks and some edge bruising, very fine and better (10) £3500-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Montagu Gilbert Gerard was born in Edinburgh on 29 June 1842 and was educated at Stoneyhurst and at R.M.A. Woolwich. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 19 April 1864. During 1867 he served with the 14th Brigade, R.A. in the Abyssinian Campaign for which he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the medal. Served in the 2nd Central India Horse as Squadron Subaltern, Squadron Officer and Squadron Commander, 1870-79. Promoted to Captain in April 1876, he served as Brigade-Major of various brigades of the Kabul Field Force, Northern Afghanistan Field Force and Kabul-Kandahar Field Force, 1879-80. Was present at the action of Deh Sarak (horse wounded); in the second expedition to the Bazar Valley; at the defence of the Jagdalak Pass; the advance on Kabul in December 1879; the action of Saidabad; the march from Kabul to Kandahar in August 1880; and at the battle of Mazra, near Kandahar, 1 September 1880. For his services he was three times mentioned in despatches; received the medal with two clasps and the bronze star and received the brevet of Major in November 1879 and that of Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1881. In 1881 and again in 1885 he was despatched on secret missions to Persia. Served as Squadron Commander, 1st Central India Horse, 1880-82. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Gerard next served in the Egyptian War of 1882, serving as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General and Quartermaster-General, Cavalry Division, being present at the bombardment of Alexandria; at the action at Kassassin and the battle of Tel-el-Kebir and occupation of Cairo. For his services he was mentioned in despatches, awarded the C.B., awarded the medal with clasp and bronze star and the Turkish Order of Medjidie, 3rd Class. He was promoted to Major in April 1884 and Lieutenant-Colonel in April 1890. Served as Assistant Quartermaster-General, Sirhind Division, 1888; District Staff Officer, Allahabad Division, 1888-89. Was 2 i/c, 2nd Central India Horse, 1889-91 and 2 i/c 1st Central India Horse, 1891-92. During December 1890-February 1891 he was selected to take charge of the tour which the Tsarevich (afterwards Nicholas II) made in India. Successfully accomplishing this, Gerard’s next appointment was as Military Attaché at St. Petersburg, 1892-93. Promoted to Colonel in 1892. Returning to India he then served as Commandant of the Central India Horse, 1893-95. During 1895 he was the British Commissioner at the Pamirs Delimitation Commission which delineated Russian and British spheres of interested in Asia. In 1896 he commanded the Hyderabad Contingent with the rank of Brigadier-General. Gerard was created a C.S.I. in 1896, a K.C.S.I. in 1897 and a K.C.B. in 1902 and was promoted to Major-General in 1897, Lieutenant-General in 1900 and General in 1904. On the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 he went out to Manchuria as chief British attaché to General Kuropatkin’s army. However his health succumbed to the rigors of the campaign, and he died of pneumonia at Irkutsk on 26 July 1905. A requiem mass was sung for him at the catholic church of St. Catherine’s at St. Petersburg, at which both the Tsar and King Edward VII were represented. His body was subsequently conveyed to Scotland where it was laid to rest at Airdrie.

With a quantity of copied research, including extracts from The Times and a copied group photograph. Also with two epaulettes and the book, Leaves from the Diary of a Soldier & Sportsman, by Sir Montagu Gerard - covering the period 1864-84.