Orders, Decorations and Medals

Seven: Lieutenant-Colonel (Honorary Colonel) William Henry Hammond, Bombay Battalion, Auxiliary Forces India

British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. W. H. Hammond, Lucknow Rifles I.D.F.) renamed; War and India Service Medals, unnamed; Jubilee 1925; Coronation 1937, these unnamed; Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration, G.V.R., reverse engraved, ‘Maj. W. H. Hammond, Bombay Bn. A.F.I.’, with top slip bar; Cadet Forces Medal, G.VI.R. (Lt. Col.) mounted as worn, very fine and better (7) £280-320

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

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Wlliam Henry Hammond was born in Warwick on 20 April 1886. He was educated at Warwick School, Worcester College, Oxford and Trinity College, Dublin. Hammond spent his life in the field of education in India. During 1914-16 he was an Assistant Master at La Martinere College, Lucknow. By 1919 he was Head Master of the Boys’ Department of the Cathedral High School in Bombay and by 1924 was the Principal of the Cathedral and John Connon High School, Byculla, Bombay. In about 1931 he became the Principal of the Anglo-Scottish Education Society and remained as such until 1940. He became Chairman of the European Association in Bombay and President of the Bombay Rotary Club in about 1935. In about 1937 he was Honorary Secretary of the Association of Heads of European Schools in India. He was appointed a J.P. in 1925 and was a F.R.G.S. and a Member of the Royal Society of Teachers.

Serving in the Volunteer Forces, he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Lucknow Volunteer Rifles on 1 January 1913 and was advanced to Lieutenant in September 1915. He was appointed Lieutenant in the 5th (Lucknow) Group Garrison Artillery, I.D.F. in April 1917. On moving employment he became a Lieutenant in the 15th Bombay Battalion, I.D.F. in March 1919 and later, a Lieutenant in the Bombay Battalion in January 1923. Hammond was advanced to Captain in October 1927 and Major in February 1930. As such, he was awarded the Indian Volunteer Forces Officers’ Decoration (Gazette of India 30 January 1932). He was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 31 March 1933. During 1935-36 he became a Local Lieutenant-Colonel and Officiating Commandant of the Bombay Contingent, and was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel of the Bombay Contingent on 1 April 1937. On 29 June 1938 he was appointed Honorary A.D.C. to H.E. the Viceroy and granted the honorary rank of Colonel. A year later he was appointed A.D.C. (Additional) to the King. During the War, in June 1940, he was appointed Commandant and Adjutant of the Bombay Contingent. After the war he returned to England, living in Woking, Surrey. There he took up service with the Army Cadet Force. He was Commanding Officer of the 2nd Cadet Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey). He also served as a Lieutenant in the T.A. General List. Hammond was awarded the Cadet Forces Medal (London Gazette 17 July 1951). Latterly living at Blandford, Dorset, he died on 24 February 1972. Sold with copied research.