Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of six awarded to Colour-Sergeant (Acting Sergeant-Major) James Butler, Hampshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (2961 Clr: Serjt: J. Butler. Hampshire Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901 (2961 C. Sgt. J. Butler, 2nd Hampshire Regt.); 1914-15 Star (4-1827 W.O. Cl. 1. J. Butler. Hamps. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (1827 W.O. Cl. 1. J. Butler. Hamps. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (2961 C. Sjt: J. Butler. Hants: R.) contact marks, nearly very fine or better (6) £2000-2500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Hampshire Regiment.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901. Only 10 D.C.Ms. to the Hampshire Regiment for the Boer War 1899-1902.

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 September 1902.

James Butler was born in the Parish of St Lawrence, Ramsgate, Kent, and enlisted into the Hampshire Regiment on 16 January 1890, aged 18 years. He served in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion as a Colour-Sergeant, from 4 January 1900 to 1 April 1901, and, according to his Military History Sheet, was ‘awarded Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field, 29.11.00 (sic)’. He was posted to the 1st Volunteer Battalion as Colour-Sergeant Instructor in October 1905, and transferred to the 4th Battalion in January 1910. He was appointed Acting Sergeant-Major in February 1911, and Quarter-Master Sergeant in May 1912, seeing service during the Great War in India from October 1914. In March 1915 he left India for Mesopotamia as part of the Indian Expeditionary Force “D”, becoming Acting Regimental Sergeant-Major once more in December 1915, and returned to India in April 1916 and back to the U.K. in June 1916. He was appointed Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant in August 1917 and was demobilised on 28 March 1919. Mention in despatches for the Great War has not been confirmed.