Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1915 ‘Gallipoli’ M.C. group of thirteen awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel and local Brigadier K. C. S. Erskine, Royal Gurkha Rifles, who was five times Mentioned in Despatches

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Lt. K. C. S. Erskine, 1/5/Gurkha Rfls. F.F.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. K. C. S. Erskine.); India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919; Waziristan 1921-24 (Capt. K. C. S. Erskine. 1-5 G.R.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (Lt. Col. K. C. S. Erskine. 1-5 R.G.R.); 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; India Service Medal; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gold appliqué, and enamel, mounted court-style by Spink & Son, London, as worn, clasp backstraps removed from both IGSs in order to facilitate mounting, traces of lacquer, generally good very fine (13) £1,600-£2,000

M.C. London Gazette 14 January 1916.

French Legion of Honour, Chevalier, London Gazette 28 September 1917.

Kenneth Charles Stuart Erskine was born in Maligaon, India, on 22 October 1888, the son of Claude Erskine Esq., Deputy Superintendent of the Revenue and Survey Department, and was educated at Charterhouse and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Gazetted to the Indian Army in 1908, he joined the 5th Gurkha Rifles and served as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion. He served with the Regiment during the Great War in the Gallipoli theatre of War, and distinguished himself during the attack on J15 trench, where, being the senior officer left, he commanded the battalion until he himself was wounded. For his services during the Great War he was three times Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 5 November 1915, 28 January 1916, and 21 June 1916).

Erskine subsequently served during the operations in Afghanistan and on the North West Frontier of India, and was again Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 3 August 1920). He saw further service in Waziristan, and was Mentioned in Despatches for a fifth time ‘for distinguished service during the operation in Waziristan between January 1922 and April 1923’ (London Gazette 27 February 1924). He was promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 4 February 1930, and was advanced local Brigadier on 1 June 1936 whilst serving as Officer Commanding, Peshawar Brigade. He retired on 10 November 1939, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and died on 21 March 1962.

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