Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Captain R. J. C. Otter, Norfolk Regiment, dangerously wounded in the Boer War and killed in action near Messines in February 1915

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Lieut. R. J. C. Otter, Norfolk Rgt.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (Capt. R. J. C. Otter, Norf: R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. R. J. C. Otter.) the first with some minor edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise generally good very fine (4) £800-900

Robert John Charles Otter was born on 12 January 1881 at Edwinstowe Hall, Newark, and educated at Charterhouse and the R.M.C., Sandhurst. He was gazetted to an unattached Lieutenancy in January 1901, and posted to the Norfolk Regiment the following March, joining the 2nd battalion in South Africa in April 1901. During the Boer War he acted as Signalling Officer to General Kekewich’s Brigade, where he was present with them in the operations in the Transvaal, and was dangerously wounded at Witpoort on 13 December 1901. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in February 1909.

Captain Otter was shot by a sniper on 15 February 1915, in a trench at Messines, whilst serving with the 2nd (attached 1st) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, and is buried at Dranouter Churchyard, Belgium.