Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An unusual Victorian campaign group of three awarded to Commandant A. N. Montgomery, 1st Natal Native Contingent, late 7th Royal Fusiliers, and latterly Colonial Commander of the Natal Levies for District No. 1

Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Fenian Raid 1866 (Capt. A. N. Montgomery, J.P., 2/7 R. Fus.); South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (Coll. Comdr. Captn. Montgomery); South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Commdt. A. N. Montgomery, 1st Nat. Nat. Comgt.), this last with edge bruise, otherwise generally good very fine (3) £2500-3000

Alexander Nixon Montgomery was born in Dublin in March 1839, the only son of Handcock Montgomery of Bessmont Park, and was educated at Marlborough College.

Obtaining an Ensigncy in the 6th Dragoons in June 1855, he appears to have been embarked for the Crimea but too late to witness active service. Having then transferred to the 7th Royal Fusiliers, and been advanced to Captain in July 1864, he was present in operations in Canada during the Fenian Raid of 1866 (Medal & clasp). In 1872, however, he emigrated to South Africa, where he served as a J.P. for Maritzburg and for Upper Umkarnaas, and subsequently as a Resident magistrate for Richmond.

During the Zulu War of 1879, he held two appointments, firstly as Commandant of the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment of Natal Native Contingent, and secondly as Colonial Commander for District No. 1 of the Colonial Levies. The former corps served in No. 2 Column under Lieutenant-Colonel Durnford, R.E., and six of its officers and 240 of its men were present at Isandlhwana, although Montgomery, apparently a restless man with a quick temper, was not among them, having halted at Kranskop with the remainder of the Battalion. His unit subsequently manned Fort Cherry and assorted outposts at Krantz Kop, near Middledrift, following which he took his leave to serve as Colonial Commander for District No. 1 of the Colonial Levies (Medal & clasp); see standard references and websites for frequent mention of Montgomery.

In The Washing of the Spears by Donald Morris, reference is made to Montgomery dying at Fort Pearson after being bitten by a snake, but if he was indeed bitten he survived the ordeal, and in fact died at his farm “Ismont” near Langford, Natal in 1910.