Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Boer War D.S.O. group of nine awarded to Colonel W. M. Sherston, late The Rifle Brigade, a veteran of the 1st Boer War and Abu Klea - at which action he was one of just two Rifle Brigade officers present and commanded 14 other ranks - who was decorated for his gallantry in the 7th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa and went on to be appointed a Lieutenant-Commander in the R.N.V.R. and assist ‘in the organisation of armed motor aeroplane support’ during the Great War

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (Lieut. W. M. Sherston, 2/Rifle Bde.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Lieutt. W. M. Sherston, Rifle Bde.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (Major W.M. Sherston, D.S.O., Impl. Yeo.); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr. W. M. Sherston, R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Col. W. M. Sherston); Coronation 1902, silver; Khedive’s Star 1884-6, all medal clasp backstraps reduced to facilitate mounting and the suspension on the last soldered for like purposes, contact marks to the earlier medals, otherwise nearly very fine or better (9) £5000-6000

D.S.O. London Gazette 19 April 1901.

William Maxwell Sherston was born at Evercreech, near Bath, on 14 April 1859, son of J. D. Sherston, a J.P. for Somerset. Educated at Marlborough, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, he enlisted into the 7th Dragoon Guards in 1877. Having then served as a Sergeant in the Transvaal during the First Boer War of 1881, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade in June 1882.

Sherston subsequently commanded the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade detachment which served with the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85, comprising himself and 27 other ranks - he and 14 of those men were present at the battles of Abu Klea and Abu Kru, and also the reconnaissance to Metemmeh (Medal & 2 clasps; Khedive’s Star). The only other Rifle Brigade officer present at Abu Klea was Captain Hon. H. Hardinge, who commanded the 3rd Battalion detachment in the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment, with 22 other ranks.

Next proceeded to India, Sherston was present in operations in the campaign in Burma in 1887 (Medal & clasp), and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 2 September 1887, refers). Advanced to Captain on transferring to the 18th Hussars in the following year, he was placed on the Retired List in 1896 but retained his military links with an appointment as a Major in the North Somerset Yeomanry.

With the advent of hostilities in South Africa, Sherston gained appointment as a Major in the 48th (North Somerset) Company, 7th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, in which capacity he was present in operations in the Orange Free State, including the actions at Vet River (5-6 May 1900) and Zand River, in addition to operations in the Transvaal in May-November 1900, including the actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill and, in August 1900, Belfast (Medal & 5 clasps). He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 16 April 1901 refers), and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order ‘For services in connection with the campaign in South Africa 1899-1900, dated 29 November 1900’.

Sherston reverted to the North Somerset Yeomanry with his former rank at the end of the same year and served as A.D.C. to the Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal Earl Roberts, 1901-04 - he is believed to have ridden in front of the Earl’s gun-carriage at his funeral. He was meanwhile appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the North Somerset Yeomanry in December 1903 and Hon. Colonel of the Regiment in February 1904, from which office he retired in 1909.

Having no doubt been turned down by the military on account of his age, 55 year old Sherston wangled a commission as a Temporary Sub. Lieutenant in the R.N.V.R. in August 1914, but was quickly advanced to Lieutenant-Commander, in which capacity he appears to have been attached to the Royal Naval Air Service and ‘assisted in the organisation of armed motor aeroplane support’ (his service record refers). In January 1916, however, his R.N.V.R. commission was terminated on him taking up appointment as Commandant of the Yeomanry Base Depot in Alexandria, and he subsequently served as 22nd Infantry Base Depot in France from March 1917, and as Camp Commandant 17th Corps in the following year.

The Colonel, who like his father before him was a J.P. for Somerset, died at Parkstone, Dorset, in August 1925, aged 66 years.

Sold with copied research, including medal roll verification of his Nile and Abu Klea entitlement.