Orders, Decorations and Medals

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, V.R., reverse impressed, ‘Lieut. Colonel H. R. Smith, Reserve of Officers’, hallmarks for London 1901, complete with top brooch bar, good very fine £220-260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Henry Robert Smith was born on 30 December 1843, the eldest son of the Hon. Sir Henry Smith, Kt., Q.C. of Roselawn, Kingston, Canada. He was educated at Kingston Grammar School and the Royal School of Artillery. He entered the Canadian Civil Service in 1859 and was appointed Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons in Ottawa in 1872, and Sergeant-at-Arms in 1892. Smith was a keen member of the Canadian Militia from 1863, and served for many years. He participated in the suppression of the Fenian Raids in 1866 and 1870 when he was with the Civil Service Rifles and the 47th Battalion. For his services he was awarded the Canadian General Service Medal with two clasps. He later took part in the suppression of the Riel Rebellion in 1885 when he was a Major in the Midland Battalion and was also Acting D.A.G. He was present in the operations against Chief Big Bear’s Band. For his services he was awarded the N.W. Canada Medal and was mentioned in despatches (Canada Gazette 11 July 1885). Smith was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel of the 14th Battalion (The Princess of Wales’s Own Rifles) on 29 January 1886; the H.Q. of the regiment being at Kingston. He was appointed A.D.C. to General Luard and to the Marquis of Lansdowne and to the successive Governor-Generals from 1887. In March 1898 he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment, and remained as such until his death. He was placed on the Retired List on 20 April 1909 and was advanced to Honorary Colonel of the Regiment in December 1913. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration (Canada Gazette 15 February 1902); Imperial Service Order (London Gazette 23 February 1904) and C.M.G. (London Gazette 2 January 1911). Smith was President of the Frontenac Loan and Investment Society in Kingston, was a Justice of the Peace, and a Commissioner of Parliament. His home at the time of his death, on 20 September 1917, was 118 William Street, Kingston. Sold with a quantity of copied research.