Auction Catalogue

25 March 2015

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 590

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25 March 2015

Hammer Price:
£2,200

Family group:

A good Great War C.M.G., D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel J. D. Buller, Royal Army Service Corps, who, having seen action in the Boer War and with the B.E.F. in 1914, was attached to the Royal Naval Division in Gallipoli from April 1915 until the evacuation in January 1916, where he had charge of the R.N.D’s supply column and gained a mention in despatches: he was subsequently given command of a Divisional Train in France and added two further “mentions” to his accolades before the War’s end
The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Transvaal (Capt. J. D. Buller, A.S.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (Capt. J. D. Buller, A.S.C.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Major J. D. Buller, A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. J. D. Buller), together with a set of related miniature dress medals, generally good very fine

The Great War pair awarded to his sister Miss Dorothy N. de C. Buller, Voluntary Aid Detachment
British War and Victory Medals (D. N. de C. Buller, V.A.D.), good very fine (16) £1800-2200

C.M.G. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

D.S.O.
London Gazette 1 January 1917.

John Dashwood Buller was born in August 1878, the son of Colonel James Hornby Buller, a member of the Queen’s Body Guard, and was educated at Eton. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Regiment in September 1897, he transferred to the Army Service Corps in October 1899 and saw action in the Boer War, including the Paardeberg operations (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps). He was promoted to Captain in April 1902.

Advanced to Major on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Buller went out to France in the same month, where he was actively employed with the B.E.F. until ordered to the Mediterranean in March 1915. He was subsequently attached to Royal Naval Division in Gallipoli from April 1915 until the evacuation in January 1916, in which period he served as C.O. of the R.N.D’s supply column, and was mentioned in despatches by General Sir Charles Monro (
London Gazette 13 July 1916, refers).

Returning to France in April 1916, Buller was given command of 31 Divisional Train, in which capacity he remained employed until returning to an appointment at the War Office in March 1917. He was awarded the C.M.G. and the D.S.O., in addition to gaining two further “mentions” (
London Gazettes 4 January 1917 and 6 July 1918, refer).

Advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1920, Buller was placed on the Retired List in 1925 but was re-employed in the 1939-45 War at the War Office and the Ministry of Information. He died in May 1961, aged 82 years.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s C.M.G. and D.S.O. warrants, the last with related statutes; his M.I.D. certificates (3), the first of these dated 6 March 1916 and in the name of ‘Maj. J. D. Buller, A.S.C., Royal Naval Division’; his commission warrant for the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Worcestershire Regiment, dated 7 September 1897; his Freedom of the City of London certificate, dated 3 June 1903; and several family photographs, including two of the recipient in uniform.

Also see Lots 379 and 660 for other family awards.