A rare ‘Niger 1897’ and Great War M.B.E. group of five awarded to Major T. A. G. Sangster, Leinster Regiment

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarked London 1919; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, The Nile 1884-85 (Lieut: T. A. G. Sangster. 1/R.W. Kent R.); East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Niger 1897 (Capt: T. A. G. Sangster. Leins: R.); Royal Niger Company Medal 1886-97, 1 clasp, Nigeria 1886-1897 (Captain T. A. G. Sangster. Leinster Regiment.); Khedive’s Star 1882, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better (5) £4,000-£5,000

Provenance: John Etkins Collection, purchased privately in August 1985; accompanying correspondence refers.

M.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919: ‘For valuable services rendered in connection with the War. - Major, retired pay, Leinster Regiment (Reserve of Officers).’

The Royal Niger Company medal was awarded in silver to 36 British officers and N.C.O’s., 46 Royal Niger Company officers, and 10 Royal Niger Constabulary.

Thomas Alexander Gardner Sangster was born in Paddington, London, on 12 May 1863, and was educated at the United Services College and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was first commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Gloucestershire Regiment on 22 October 1881. He transferred in the same rank to the Royal West Kent Regiment on 10 May 1882, being promoted to Captain in 18 January 1888. He joined the Leinster Regiment on 12 September 1894, was promoted to Major on 22 November 1902, and retired on 27 May 1903.

Sangster served with the Royal West Kent Regiment in the Egyptian expedition of 1882 (Medal, Bronze Star), and in the Nile expedition of 1884-85 (Clasp). He was employed on Special Extra Regimental duties from 24 October 1896 to 23 August 1897, during which period he took part in operations on the Niger in 1897, including command of the Lokoja defence from 6-17 January, when he was ordered up to meet the column at Egbon; the capture and destruction of the town of Ladi on 21 January; command of No. 5 Company throughout the 2nd (Bida) and 3rd (Ilorin) expeditions; assisting Major Cunningham on the rear face of the square during the retirement of 26 January; and the minor reconnaissance from Bida on 30-31 January. Sangster suffered slightly from fever and erysipelas of the face during the Bide expedition (Medal with clasp, and Royal Niger Company medal with clasp)

He served in the South African War in 1902, taking part in operations in the Transvaal, March to 31 May 1902; and operations in Orange River Colony, February to March 1902 (Queen’s medal with 3 clasps). It is not known in what capacity Major Sangster was employed during the Great War but there is no evidence that he served overseas. He died in Dover on 13 May 1935 and is buried in Dover (St James’s) Cemetery.