Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A ‘Boer War’ D.S.O. group of four miniature dress medals attributed to Major H. d’E. Vallancey, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and Pietersburg Light Horse

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., gold and enamel, with top bar; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-8; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Talana, Def. of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, mounted as worn, very fine (4) £200-250

Henry d’Estampes Vallancey was born on 16 December 1861 in Havant, the son of George Preston and his wife Jane Mary Yates. He was christened at St Thomas’s church, Bedhampton on 14 January 1862. He entered the Army, being gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 29th Foot on 22 January 1881, and then to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, becoming Lieutenant, July 1881. He was D.A.C.G., Commissariat and Transport Staff, July 1886-December 1888 and took part in the operations in Zululand, 1888; became Captain, February 1890; was attached Army Service Corps for a period ending in 1891; was Commandant, Base Depot, British Troops, August 1897- February 1898, serving on the N.W. Frontier of India (Malakand); Medal and clasp. Captain Vallancey served in the South African War of 1899-1902, as Assistant Provost-Marshal, Natal, 9 October 1899-23 March 1900; as Brigade Major, South Africa, 23 March 1900-14 February 1901; as D.A.A.G., South Africa, 15 February-30 November 1901; from 1 December 1901, he was in command of the Pietersburg Light Horse. The Bush Veldt Carbineers were renamed the Pietersburg Light Horse on 1 December 1901. The unit was employed in the extreme north of Transvaal - officially designated the ‘wildest part’ of the country.

Vallancey was present at the operations in Natal, including the actions at Talana and Lombard's Kop; defence of Ladysmith; operations in Natal, March-June 1900, including action at Laing's Nek; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July-November 1900, including actions at Belfast (26 and 27 August) and Lydenberg (5 to 8 September); operations in the Transvaal, Nov 1900 to May 1902.

He was mentioned in despatches (Sir R H Buller, 13 September and 9 November 1900 [London Gazette, 8 February 1901]); received the Queen's Medal with four clasps, the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April 1901]: "Henry d'Estampes Vallancey, Captain, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia, Warrant and Statutes were sent to the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, and presented by Colonel S H Harrison at Pietersburg. He was Staff Officer, Transvaal and Orange River Colony, 10 August 1902-11 March 1903; was promoted to Major, 27 June 1903; was D.A.A.G., India, 16 November 1905. Major Vallancey died on the 2 September 1909.

With original photograph and copied birth and death certificates and other research.