The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

Five: Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. C. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Cheshire Regiment, late Coldstream Guards, who commanded the 8th Battalion Cheshires in Gallipoli

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Belmont, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (Capt. Hon. C. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, C. Gds.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Cpt. Hon. C. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, C. Gs.); 1914-15 Star (Major Hon. C. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, C. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. Hon. C. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby): Jubilee 1897, the first with officially corrected initial, contact marks, very fine or better (6) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Claud Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby was born at Normanton Park, Stamford, in October 1872, the third son of the 1st Earl of Ancaster (a descendant of William The Conqueror), and was educated at Eton.

Commissioned in the Coldstream Guards from the Militia in December 1891, he was avanced to Lieutenant in January 1897 and served out in South Africa from October 1899 until August 1902, including the actions at Belmont, where he was wounded by a gunshot to his forearm, Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Vet River and Zand River, the Johannesburg operations, in addition to Diamond Hill and Belfast (Queen’s Medal & 5 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps).

He was also present on the occasion the Boers attacked a train conveying guardsmen and prisoners at Pan in October 1900, his senior officer afterwards submitting his name favourably in his covering report. Having torn up some line about a mile and three quarters east of Pan, the Boers lay in wait until the British train derailed, and then poured volley after volley into the trucks and engine - the action lasted for 20 minutes and seven guardsmen were killed or died of wounds, and at least another dozen wounded: