Military Awards from the Collection of John Tamplin

A scarce Great War King’s African Rifles D.C.M. awarded to Private Chilingi, 1st King’s African Rifles, for gallantry in Nyasaland in 1916

King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (666 Pte., 1/K.A.R.) contact marks and polished, otherwise about nearly very fine £600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Military Awards from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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King’s African Rifles D.C.M. Nyasaland Government Gazette 30 December 1916: ‘At the engagement at Malangali on the 24th July, this man seeing a body of the enemy advancing, and fearing they might recapture the machine gun captured by Lieut. Borthwick’s team, asked leave to charge, and fixing bayonets led the remainder of the team and drove back the enemy. The country being thick and broken he could not see the strength of the enemy and might well have been going to certain death.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 25 September 1917: Despatch of Brigadier-General E. Northey, C.B., Commanding the Nyasaland-Rhodesia Force, dated Ubena, German East Africa, 10 March 1917.

Chilingi (or Chilenje) was a member of the Angini tribe in the Ncheu district. He enlisted on 8 January 1914 and served during the campaign in German East Africa, being mentioned in despatches and awarded the ‘African’ D.C.M. with a Gratuity of £10. In recognition of his ‘excellent behaviour in action’ he was made Lance-Corporal on 26 July 1916, two days after the action for which he won the D.C.M. He was further promoted to Corporal on 1 May 1918, and was discharged at Zomba on 30 January 1920. His discharge papers note that he was a qualified machine gunner and trained soldier, and that he was exempted from the payment of Hut Tax for one hut for life. He was also entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals. Sold with copy discharge papers and relevant Gazettes. Approximately 190 King’s African Rifles D.C.M’s were awarded during the reign of George V.