An outstanding Omdurman charger’s group of nine awarded to Warrant Officer Class 1 (Bandmaster) George Thomas Acres, 21st Lancers, afterwards 1st (Kings) Dragoon Guards and Royal Guernsey Militia

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3473 Pte., 21/L’crs.); British War Medal 1914-20 (D-715 W.O. Cl. 1, 1-D. Gds.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (D 715 W.O. Cl. 1, 1-K.D. Gds.); Delhi Durbar 1911, unnamed; Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (715 Bndmstr., 1/Dgn. Gds.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (389418 W.O. Cl. 1, K.D.G.); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Guernsey (301 W.O. Cl. 1, R. Guernsey Mil.); Austria, Jubilee Medal for Foreigners 1908, silvered bronze (To Mr G. T. Acres Bd. Mr. 1 K.D. Gs.); Khedive’s Sudan 1898-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (21st E. of I. Lancers 3473 Lce. Corpl. G. Acres) mounted for wear, some with edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (9)
£2400-2800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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George Thomas Acres was born on 3 May 1874, studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and joined the Army in July 1892. As a Private, and later a Lance-Corporal, in ‘A’ Squadron, 21st Lancers, he took part in the Sudan Campaign of 1896-98 and was present at the battle of Omdurman, 2 September 1898. He later transferred to the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, with which regiment he served until he left the Regular Army in 1923. He entered Kneller Hall as a Student in 1903 and on 22 July 1907 was appointed Bandmaster of the King’s Dragoon Guards. In 1908 Acres was awarded one of the special Jubilee Medals commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. The Emperor who was honorary commander of 11 non-Austro-Hungarian regiments, including the King’s Dragoon Guards, awarded this special version of the jubilee medal in gold, silver and in bronze to certain members of the regiments concerned; Acres was awarded a medal in bronze. Acres was also awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal 1911, the King’s Dragoon Guards being present on that occasion. As Bandmaster, K.D.G., he was awarded the Army L.S. & G.C. without gratuity, notified in A.O. 92 of April 1911. During the Great War the K.D.G. served on the Western Front but it appears that Acres did not serve with the regiment overseas until his service in Iraq. Bandmaster Acres left the Army with a pension on 12 August 1923

On 12 August 1923 Acres was appointed the Bandmaster of the Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert’s Own), a position he held until 1928 when he joined the Royal Guernsey Militia as Bandmaster. As Lieutenant Bandmaster he retired from his position due to ill-health in 1939 and was awarded £100 as mark of appreciation by the States of Guernsey. For his long service in the Leicestershire Yeomanry and Royal Guernsey Militia, Acres was awarded the Efficiency Medal (Guernsey), this published in List 8 of Army Order 27 of March 1948. He was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal with Annuity by Army Order 14 of January 1949

Together with a coloured document, ‘A Memento of the Famous Charge at Omdurman, Sept. 2nd 1898’, giving a list of officers and other ranks present at the charge (including Acres) and with copied photographs and research.