Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant-Colonel E. S. ‘Bongo’ Percy-Smith, Indian Army Reserve of Officers, attached 12th Cavalry, and Burma Military Police, who successfully captured the first Bongo, a rare antelope

1914-15 Star (Capt. E. Percy Smith, I.A.R.O. Attd. 12/Cavy.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. E. S. Percy-Smith) some staining to the reverse of the star, otherwise good very fine (3) £260-£300

M.I.D. London Gazette, 27 August 1918.

Eric Sydney Percy-Smith was born at Mount Abu, Rajastan, India, on 26 January 1879. Attending R.M.A. Sandhurst in 1897, he was commissioned into the 20th Hussars on 3 August 1898 before moving to India in 1900 where he served with the 19th Fane’s Horse and 17th Jat Lancers, and was advanced Lieutenant. Joining the Burmese Police, he was appointed District Superintendent in July 1910 and appears on a Supernumerary List after ten years civilian service. He served during the Great War attached to the 12th Cavalry and was advanced Brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 3 June 1918. Retiring in October 1924, he settled to farm in Ol Likia, Nanyuki, Kenya, where, in 1932, he became the first person to successfully capture a male Bongo, a shy and elusive antelope, which was sold to New York Zoo, before capturing a female specimen the following year, which made its way to Rome Zoo. He died in 1939, in Marseilles, France, allegedly after a bar fight with a French sailor.

Sold with detailed copied research and a copy of Golden Parasol by Wendy Law-Yone, the recipient’s granddaughter, ‘A Daughter’s memoir of Burma’, which relays a number of stories about her grandfather’s most colourful life.