Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Nile 1885 operations D.C.M. group of four awarded to Colour-Sergeant J. Symons, Coldstream Guards, attached Guards Camel Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Sergt. J. Symons, 1/Coldm. Gds., 13th Feby. 1885); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (2505 Sergt. J. Symons, 2/Coldm. Gds.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (2505 Cr. Sergt. J. Symons, Coldm. Gds.); Khedive’s Star, 1882, contact marks, edge bruising and polished, with consequent loss of naming details in places, otherwise generally good fine or better (4) £3500-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The collection of Medals formed by the Late Clive Nowell.

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D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen on 7 November 1885. The following details were taken from The Times, dated 26 November 1885:

‘Colour-Sergeant J. Drew, Royal Marine Light Infantry, and Sergeant J. Symons, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards: on the occasion of the attack on the sick convoy on the 13 February 1885, being with the advance guard, and ordered to fall back at once under fire, these two Non-Commissioned Officers showed the greatest coolness in assisting to get the camels back to the column, and it was mainly owing to their exertions that they were brought in safely.’

John Symons was born in Bridgwater, Somerset and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in September 1870, aged 17 years. Advanced to Corporal in April 1878 and to Sergeant in July 1882, he was embarked for Egypt with the 2nd Battalion in the following month, where he was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir.

Recalled to active service as a member of the Guards Camel Corps in the Nile operations of 1884-85, it was shortly after his participation in the action at Abu Klea in January of the latter year that he won his D.C.M. for the above cited deeds - a distinction which he received from the hands of the Queen at Windsor Castle on 25 November 1885 (The Times refers).

Thereafter, Symons remained employed in the U.K., gaining advancement to Colour-Sergeant in June 1887, in which rank he transferred to the 1st (Volunteer) Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment (Militia) in the following year. He was finally discharged in December 1891.