A fine C.V.O., O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Colonel Stanier Waller, Royal Engineers, Honorary Equerry to H.R.H. The Duchess of Albany

The Royal Victorian Order, C.V.O., Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse officially numbered ‘C41’; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1917; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Tel-el-Kebir (Capt. S. Waller, R.E.); Jubilee 1887, clasp, 1897, silver; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911, silver, these unnamed; Ottoman Empire, Order of Medjidie, 4th Class breast badge, silver, silver-gilt, gold and enamel, stamp marks on reverse; Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, generally good very fine (8) £1200-1500

C.V.O. London Gazette 16 February 1904. ‘Colonel Stanier Waller, late Royal Engineers, Honorary Equerry to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Albany.’

O.B.E. London Gazette 7 June 1918. ‘Colonel Stanier Waller, C.V.O., County Director, Auxiliary Hospitals and V.A.D.s, Oxfordshire.’

Order of the Medjidie London Gazette 4th Class 17 November 1882. ‘... in recognition of their distinguished services before the enemy during the late campaign in Egypt.’

Stanier Waller was appointed a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 9 December 1864. Promoted to Captain in February 1878. Served in the Egyptian War of 1882 as Aide de Camp to Brigadier-General Nugent, Commanding Royal Engineers. He was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, for which he was mentioned in despatches, received the brevet of Major (November 1882), was awarded the Order of Medjidie 4th Class and received the Queen’s medal and Khedive’s star. Waller was promoted to Major in December 1884, to Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1891 and to Colonel in July 1897. Later, for service as Honorary Equerry to the Duchess of Albany, he was awarded the C.V.O. For his wartime work as County Director of the Auxiliary Hospitals and Voluntary Aid Detachments of Oxfordshire, he was awarded the O.B.E. With copied gazette extracts and other research.

Princess Helena of Waldeck & Pyrmont married Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of of Queen Victoria in 1882. Two years later the Duke, who suffered from haemophilia, died in an accident. The widowed Duchess died in 1922.