Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Lieut. S. E. Bellingham, 57th Foot), together with related miniature dress medal and officer’s 57th West Middlesex Regiment waist-belt clasp, by J. & Co., 1855-81 pattern, the first with edge bruise, otherwise very fine or better (3) £1200-1500

Sydney Edwin Bellingham was born in April 1853, the son of William Johnstone Bellingham, late 50th Regiment, and a grandson of Sir Alan Bellingham, 2nd Bt., of Bellingham Castle, Co. Louth. Educated at Cheltenham and Trinity College, Dublin, he was appointed a Lieutenant in the 57th Regiment direct from the Louth Rifles, and witnessed active service in South Africa in 1879, when he was present at the battle of Ginghilovo, the relief of Etshowe and in the advance of Crealock’s Division to Port Durnford, in addition to the operations undertaken by Clarke’s Column (Medal & clasp). He subsequently served as Regimental Transport Officer in the Mahsud Waziri Expedition of 1881, for which no medal was awarded, and latterly as Adjutant of the Hyderabad Rifle Volunteers. He died at Quetta in November 1893, aged 40, by then having attained the rank of Major.