Arms, Armour and Militaria

2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays), a very fine officer’s 1871 pattern full dress helmet for the period 1901-10 formerly worn by Major William Horsley Persse, complete with frontal plate, silver diamond cut star with overlays in gilt silver and red and blue enamels being the fretted Garter Proper with blue backing and central red ground with silver ‘EVIIR’ monogram, chin chain and rose side ornaments, quadrant and plume holder, internally some of the original lining present now partially replaced, complete with chamois bag and carrying tin by Hawkes, brass name plate ‘Major WH Persse Queen’s Bays’, accompanied by the full dress black horse hair plume, this with gilt rose finial contained in its original carrying tin with attached period label ‘Col.WH Persse’; together with research details of Persse’s career, the helmet in excellent external condition, the chin chain now crudely and incorrectly relined, the hasp anchor on the carrying tin missing (5) £1200-1500

William Horsley Persse, born 16 October 1863, educated Wellington College, commissioned Lieut Hampshire Regiment, 6 May 1885 (from militia); transfered to the 2nd Dragoon Guards in July 1885; Captain, March 1895; Brevet Major, November 1898; Major, November 1899; held various commands including Cavalry in Egypt 1897-1901 as local Lieut-Colonel; retired February 1911 but was re-employed during WWI; still on the Retired List February 1959. Served on expedition to Dongola 1896, including operations of 7 June and 19 September (Despatches, 4th Class Medjidieh and Egyptian Medal); Nile Expedition 1897 (clasp); Nile Expedition 1898, wounded 4 April, battles of the Atbara and Khartoum (Despatches twice, Brevet of Major, two clasps to Egyptian medal); Soudan 1904, operations at Jebel Jerok - Southern Sennar (clasp to Egyptian medal); Great War 1914-19, operations in France and Belgium, 5 March 1917 to 11 September 1918 (British War and Victory Medals, 3rd Class Medjidieh, 3rd Class Osmanieh).