The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

An interesting C.B. group of five awarded to Brigadier-General F. S. Gwatkin, Indian Army

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, complete with ribbon buckle in its R. & S. Garrard & Co. case of issue; Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Lt. F. S. Gwatkin, 13th Bl. Lancs.); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, Tel-el-Kebir, Suakin 1885 (Lieut: & Adjt. F. S. Gwatkin, 13th Bengal Lancs.); India General Service 1854-94, 3 clasps, Chin-Lushai 1889-90, N.E. Frontier 1891, Lushai 1889-92 (Captn. F. S. Gwatkin, S.C.) small erasure after unit; India General Service 1895-1902, 3 clasps, Relief of Chitral 1895, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Major F. S. Gwatkin, Road Comdt. 1st Section) contact marks and some pitting from Khedive’s Star, otherwise generally very fine (5) £1800-2200

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

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Sold with warrant for C.B. and original Record of Officers’ Services.

Frederick Stapleton Gwatkin was born on 30 January 1849, and educated at Rugby and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the 73rd Foot in March 1872, and transferred to the Indian Army in July 1875. Posted to the 13th Bengal Lancers, he served in the Second Afghan War in the 2nd Division of the Khyber Force, and took part in both the Bazar Valley expeditions, at the action of Dek Sarak, and in the Zaimukht expedition (Mentioned in despatches, Medal).

He was present with the 13th Bengal Lancers in the Egyptian campaign of 1882, including the actions at Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir, and the occupation of Cairo, being adjutant of the regiment at the time. Promoted Captain in March 1884, he also served with the Suakin force during the Nile expedition of 1885 (Medal and two clasps, Khedive’s star). From October 1888 to June 1889 he was Station Staff Officer at Ferozepore, and in June 1889 his appointment as District Staff Officer, Assam, brought him opportunities for campaigning on the north-eastern frontier of India.

As a staff officer with the Lushai expedition of 1889 his name was specially cited, and for his work on the staff during the Chin-Lushai operations in 1889-90 he was mentioned in despatches and given a brevet majority. He acted as A.A.G. with the Manipur expedition in 1891 and received another mention in despatches, obtaining his regimental promotion to Major in March of the following year.

Returning to his regiment in April 1894, he was selected in 1895 to be the First Section Road Commandant on the lines of communication of the Chitral Relief Force, and earned another mention in despatches and another brevet. In January 1896, he was posted as Commandant to the 1st Lancers (Hyderabad Contingent), but from October 1897 to March 1898 he was with the Tirah Expeditionary Force as A.A. and Q.M.G., his services again being mentioned in despatches. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in his regiment in March 1898, and from January 1899, when he reached the substantive rank of Colonel, to March 1900, he was Military Secretary to Sir William Lockhart, Commander-in-Chief in India. He was then appointed A.A.G. Peshawar District, and from August 1900, until his retirement in November 1904, commanded successively at Cawnpore, Fyzabad, and Sialkot. He was created C.B. in June 1902. Brigadier-General Gwatkin died on 29 January 1940, the day before his 91st birthday.