Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The C.B.E. and campaign group of five awarded to Major James Drogo Montagu, late Royal Irish Rifles

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 1st type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State (Lieut. J. D. Montagu, R. Irish Rif.) some official corrections to naming; Defence Medal; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, the last four mounted as worn, very fine or better (5) £450-500

James Drogo Montagu was the youngest son of Captain G. E. Montagu, J.P., late 84th Regiment. He served during the Boer War as a Lieutenant in the 5th Royal Irish Rifles, and afterwards, from 1903 to 1909, in the Cape Mounted Rifles, Johannesburg Mounted Police, and the Rhodesian Police. He was Commissioner of Police at Lagos, Nigeria, 1910-19; Local Commandant of Police at Cyprus, 1920-34; Commissioner of Nicosia and Kyrenia, Cyprus, 1934, and a Member of both the Executive and Legislative Councils. He was created a C.B.E. in 1937 and during the Second World War served as a Captain and Major with the 10th Battalion, Wiltshire Home Guard. Major Montagu died at St Helier, Jersey, on 1 August 1958. For related family awards see Lots 405 and 407.