Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine K.C.B. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Des Voeux, Indian Army, the “Hero of Fort Cavagnari”, which place he held for three days with his gallant band of 36th Sikhs in the face of some 6,000 Orakzias tribesmen - 44 of his men were killed or wounded before the timely arrival of a relief column in early September 1897

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the integral suspension loop slightly bent and lacking ring, and breast star, silver, gold and enamel centre, this with minor enamel damage, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Delhi Durbar 1903, scratches to edge from cavalry-style mounting; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (Maj. C. H. Des Voeux, 36th Sikhs), with minor official correction to unit; India General Service 1895-1902, 3 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Lt. Col. C. H. Des Voeux, 36th Sikhs), officially engraved naming in sans serif capitals; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp (Major C. H. Des Voeux, 36th Sikhs), this last with minor official correction to unit, mounted cavalry-style as worn, in this order, together with a set of related dress miniatures (including gold Bath badge), and an old portrait photograph by Elliott & Fry of Baker Street, generally good very fine (11) £4000-5000

Charles Hamilton Des Voeux was born in December 1853, the son of Major Thomas Des Voeux of Portarlington, Queen’s County, Ireland. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 37th Foot direct from Sandhurst in 1872, he transferred to the Indian Army in 1884, but, shortly afterwards, was embarked for Australia, where he served as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General and Infantry Staff Instructor of the Queensland Defence Forces - a turbulent time in the colony’s early history, with many local disturbances relating to striking workers and union activity, some of which were dealt with by Des Voeux and his men. And difficult though his appointment proved - as evidenced by accompanying research - his eventual departure, some eight years later, in the rank of Major, was greeted with universal regret.

Having then rejoined the 36th Sikhs, Des Voeux was quickly employed in the Dongola Expedition of 1896, but it was in subsequent operations on the North West Frontier that he gained his laurels, not least for his gallant leadership at the defence of Fort Cavignari in September 1897, where he was also present at the attacks of 27 August and 3-4 September, in addition to the memorable siege:

‘At the time of the Afridi incursion into the Khyber and Saman ranges, Major Des Voeux was in command of Fort Cavagnari at Gulistan, four miles from Fort Lockhart. The fort was occupied by 165 men of the 36th Sikhs. After the enemy had captured the small post at Saraghari, and annihilated the gallant Sikh garrison of 21 men, they proceeded to attack Fort Cavagnari, which was closely besieged for three days .

Major Des Voeux conducted the defence with great gallantry, and his Sikhs responded nobly to his call. On one occasion a sortie was made from the walls and three of the enemy’s standards were captured. The little garrison was cut off from water and its ammunition had to be closely husbanded. The commander of the garrison had his anxieties intensified by the presence of his wife and family in the fort, but in the words of a brother officer, he was “the life and soul of the defence, guarding against every danger and showing an example of cheerfulness and steadfastness to all.” In the fighting 44 men were killed or wounded and the garrison was under attack continuously for 52 hours. Relief was eventually brought by General Yeatman-Bigg’s column, and the General congratulated the garrison of the 36th Sikhs on their splendid defence’ (a copied obituary notice refers). And as confirmed by Yeatman-Bigg’s despatch, dated at Fort Lockhart on 21 September 1897, Des Voeux and his men had been up against a formidable enemy force: ‘A letter was brought to me from Major Dex Voeux, 36th Sikhs, commanding at Gulistan, urgently asking for help ... I pressed on with all possible speed, as I did not know whether Gulistan was holding out or not. On reaching the high ground overlooking Gulistan, I found that the fort was invested by about 6,000 Orakzias.’

This, then, the first of a brace of “mentions” won by Des Voeux in the campaign (London Gazette 11 February and 5 April 1898 refer), for he took part in the later Tirah operations and was present at the capture of the Sampagha and Arhanga passes, and in the operations at Saran Sar and in the Waran and Bara valleys. He was also given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Des Voeux was advanced to Major-General in 1904, commanded the 5th Mhow Division from 1907, and was placed on the Retired List as a Lieutenant-General in 1911, in which latter year he was created K.C.B. He died in Worthing that October.