Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second Boer War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant Herbert Nicholson Betts, Calcutta Light Horse, late Lumsden’s Horse

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (161 Tpr., Lumsden’s Horse); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg (161 Tpr., Lumsden’s Horse); Volunteer Force Long Service, G.V.R. (Sgt., Calcutta L.H., A.F.I.); together with a set of three unmounted miniature dress medals, full-size medals with contact marks, minor edge bruising, nearly very fine (6) £2500-3000

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

Lumsden’s Horse was an irregular unit of mounted volunteers raised by subscription in India. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel D. M. Lumsden of the Assam Valley Volunteers, it consisted of two squadrons of cavalry and a maxim gun detachment. Its members were mainly tea, coffee or indigo planters from across India, along with a few gentlemen, merchants, clerks and civil servants, altogether, some 240 strong. The Regiment sailed from Calcutta in February (’A’ Squadron) and March (’B’ Squadron) 1900. Once both squadrons had been assembled in South Africa, they joined Lord Robert’s Army at Bloemfontein, where they were attached to Colonel Ross’s Mounted Infantry. They participated in several sharp engagements during the advance to Pretoria and after its occupation were engaged in outpost work and skirmishing. They later took part in the march from Machododorp to Heidelberg, where they were engaged in further severe fighting. When the Regiment returned home in November 1900, they found that they were the toast of India. Lord Roberts sent a telegram to the Viceroy expressing his appreciation for their excellent services, stating, ‘It has been a pride and a pleasure to me to have under my command a volunteer contingent which has so well upheld the honour of the Indian Empire.’

Six men of Lumsden’s Horse were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Together with an R.S.M., a Corporal and two other Troopers, Betts was recommended for the D.C.M. with these words:- ‘The men I have recommended for this decoration behaved splendidly throughout the campaign and did many individual plucky actions. They were the pick of my scouts and were always selected when any difficult or dangerous duty had to be performed.’

An extract from The Jubilee Memorial Register, by Major Pugh, published in 1952, was written after a reunion of the men of Lumsden’s Horse. It states, ‘Trooper Herbert Nicholson Betts, (later L/Cpl.) Jute Broker, Calcutta. Awarded D.C.M. A nephew of the famous Nicholson of Mutiny days. He spent about 65 years in India and about 40 in the Calcutta Light Horse. I first met “Betsy” when we were both junior clerks in Ernhausen and Co., and became staunch friends. Betts was completely fearless. He with Chapman accompanied the Colonel when he went to bring in Franks at Houtnek. Later that day he stayed on at the Kopje in the hope of getting a pot-shot at a Boer till discovered by the Adjutant and ordered off. The Official History records his part in several scraps and escapades. It was to Betts initiative that the idea of a reunion was evolved’. Latterly living at Lonshot Farm, Shelson, Chelford, Cheshire; he died on 31 March 1952. Betts is mentioned several times in The History of Lumsden’s Horse, by Henry H. S. Pearse.

With copied gazette extract and other research.