The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

A fine Tel-el-Kebir C.B. group of six awarded to Colonel F. C. Keyser, Royal Fusiliers

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1855, complete with swivel-ring bar suspension and gold ribbon buckle; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Afghanistan 1878-80, 1 clasp, Kandahar (Major F. C. Keyser, 2/7th Foot); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-el-Kebir (Lt. Col: F. C. Keyser, C.B. Rl. Fus.); Khedive’s Star 1882, mounted as worn, minor chipping to the first and light pitting from star, otherwise good very fine (6) £2500-3000

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

View
Collection

Frederick Charles Keyser was born in London on 8 April 1841, and was first commissioned as Ensign in the 7th Foot on 28 May 1858.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in March 1862, to Captain in April 1868, and to Major in August 1880.

He took part in the Afghan war of 1879-80, and was present as orderly-officer to Brigadier-General Brook in the engagement at Kokeran, as Superintendent of Army Signalling in the defence of Kandahar, and at the battle of Kandahar (despatches London Gazette 19 September 1880; Medal with clasp).

Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1881, he served in the Egyptian expedition of 1882 as A.A. and Q.M.G. in command of the Corps of Signallers, and was present in the engagement at Tel-el-Mahuta, the action at Kassassin on 9 September, when he was slightly wounded, and at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (despatches London Gazette 19 September and 2 November, 1882; Medal with clasp and Bronze star; 3rd Class Medjidie; C.B.).

Keyser quitted his regiment on the expiration of his term of service as colonel commanding, at the end of 1887. After a short period on half pay, he was Inspector-General of Signalling from January 1889 to January 1894, and later commanded the Home Counties Volunteer Brigade. In May 1909 he was appointed the first President of the British Boy Scouts, newly raised out of a concern that Baden-Powell’s association was too bureaucratic and militaristic. Colonel Keyser died on Easter Sunday, 1920.