Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore

The regimentally unique pair awarded to Private H. F. Shergold, Devonshire Regiment, one of nine officers and men from the Devonshire Regiment who served with the Maxim Gun Detachment during the Waziristan Expedition 1894-5

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasp, Burma 1889-92, Waziristan 1894-5, second clasp loose on riband, as issued (1925 Pte. H. Shergold 2nd. Bn. Devon. Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (1925 Pte. H. Shergold, Devon: Regt.) light contact marks, very fine and the IGS with these clasps unique to the Regiment (2) £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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1 Officer and 8 Men from Devonshire Regiment served with the Maxim Gun Detachment during the Waziristan Expedition 1894-5 and received the Waziristan clasp. Of these nine, Private Shergold was the only man who had previously received the India General Service Medal with the clasp Burma 1889-92.

Herbert Frederick Shergold was born in Winchester, Hampshire on 8 November 1872 and attested there for the Devonshire Regiment on 28 December 1887, giving his age as 18 years 4 months, when in fact he was only 15 years and 1 month. Posted to the 1st Battalion at Aldershot he embarked with a draft for the 2nd Battalion at Rawalpindi, India, on 1 October 1889.

The 2nd Battalion entrained at Rawalpindi for Calcutta and embarked in the R.I.M. Canning for Rangoon on 7 December 1890; disembarking at Rangoon they entrained for Mandalay embarking on river steamers up the Irrawaddy for Kyouk Myoung. With Major Kelsall and 2 companies stationed at Bernardmyo, they formed the Momeik Column, patrolling and carrying out attacks on various villages against Kachin dacoits in the Manton District between 27 January and 28 March 1891. Awarded his Mounted Infantry Certificate on 15 July 1891, Shergold embarked with a draft of 445 other ranks on posting to the 1st Battalion on 11 December 1892 stationed at Rawalpindi. The Battalion arrived at Gharial, Muree Hills for hot weather quarters on 20 April 1894 and those entitled were presented with their medals for operations in Upper Burma on 14 September 1894. Subsequently 1 Officer and 8 men, including Private Shergold, joined the Waziristan Expedition as a Maxim Gun Detachment on 23 October 1894, returning on the conclusion of the expedition on 13 March 1895, having been the first men in the British Army to take the Machine Gun into action.

Shergold returned home on 3 December 1895 and transferred to the Army Reserve on 6 December 1895. Recalled to Army Service under Special Army Order of 7 October 1899 he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, on 9 October 1899 and embarking on SS Manila at Southampton on 20 October 1899 he arrived at Durban on 19 November 1899. He saw active service during the Boer War and was present at the battle of Colenso on 15 December 1899, the Relief of Ladysmith on 3 March 1900, and the capture of Botha's Pass (Laing's Nek) in June 1900. He departed South Africa on 22 November 1900 and was discharged upon the Termination of his Engagement on 20 January 1901. He died in Salisbury on 30 March 1951, aged 79.

Sold with copied research.