Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Major H. S. Marsham, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Red River 1870 (Lt., 1/60 K.O.R.) officially engraved naming; Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar (Captain, 2/60th Foot) together with companion miniature medals, both sets mounted as worn but with spaces for the Kabul to Kandahar Star, the first extremely fine, the second with some pitting from star, otherwise good very fine and rare (4) £1400-1800

Henry Savill Marsham was born in Norfolk on 19 January 1847, eldest son of Henry P. Marsham of Rippon Hall, Hevingham. He was educated at Eton and joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in December 1865. He served as Adjutant with the 1st Battalion in the Red River Expedition in 1870 (Medal with Clasp); with the 2nd Battalion in the Afghan war from October 1878 to November 1880, took part in the advance on and occupation of Kandahar and Kelat-I-Ghilzie, and was present in the engagements at Ahmed Khel and Urzoo near Ghuznee; accompanied Sir Frederick Roberts in the march to Kandahar, and was present at the battle of Kandahar; and served in the Marri Expedition under Brigadier General MacGregor in October 1880 (mentioned in despatches London Gazette 3 December 1880, Medal with two Clasps, and Bronze Decoration). In January 1881, Marsham embarked with the battalion at Bombay for Natal, South Africa, for service against the Boers of the Transvaal in 1881. He was promoted to Major in December 1882, and retired from the Army in December 1888. He was subsequently a Deputy-Lieutenant for the County of Norfolk, Lord of the Manor of Cats-cum-Cricketots, and patron of the livings of Stratton Strawless, Brampton, and Wramplingham. He was for forty years a magistrate, occupying for many years the chairmanship of the Aylsham Bench. He died, shortly after his 91st birthday, in April 1937.

A total of approximately 502 Red River 1870 clasps were issued, including 12 officers and 115 men of the 1/60th, and 18 to other British units.