Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Lieutenant-Colonel James Villiers, 47th Regiment, severely wounded when in command of the regiment at the storming of the Quarries 7 June 1855

Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Capt. James Villiers, 47th Regt.) contemporary engraved naming in cross-hatched serif capitals; France, Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver, gold and enamels; Sardinia, Al Valore Militare (Bt. Lt. Coll. James Villiers, 47th Regt.) mint mark ‘F.G’; Turkey, Order of the Medjidie, 5th class breast badge, silver, gold and enamels; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, several points bent and light enamel damage on the Legion of Honour, otherwise very fine or better (5) £2400-2800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Arnold Jackson.

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James Villiers was born in 1820 and entered the Army as an Ensign in the 47th Regiment, by purchase, on 31 December 1839. He similarly purchased his Lieutenancy in September 1841 and Captaincy in December 1847. He served in the Crimean campaign of 1854-56, including the battles of Alma, Inkermann, capture of Balaklava, the siege of Sebastopol, sortie on 26th October 1854, and the storming of the Quarries on 7th June 1855, when he commanded the Regiment and was severely wounded. He was mentioned in despatches by Lord Raglan, given the brevets of Major and Lieutenant-Colonel, and awarded the 5th Class of the Legion of Honour and of the Medjidie, and the Sardinian War Medal for Valour. The citation for the Sardinian medal reads:

‘Lieutenant-Colonel James Villiers served the Eastern Campaign of 1854-5, including the Alma, Inkermann, sortie on the 26th of October 1854, the whole of the siege of Sebastopol, and was engaged in the attack and capture of the Quarries on the 7th of June 1855.’

Lieutenant-Colonel Villiers remained at Malta until 15 June 1858, when he went on half-pay. On 14 November 1859, he was appointed to the command of the 74th Highlanders. Villiers died in 1863 at the young age of 43.