Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The impressive and unique group of awards to Colonel Sir Wyndham Murray, K.C.B., G.C.St.J.J., late Gloucestershire Regiment, Military King’s Messenger in France 1915-16, a Member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, and Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod in the Order of the Bath

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Civil) Knight Commander’s set of insignia comprising silver-gilt neck badge, hallmarked London 1912, and breast star in silver and gilt; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Bailiff Grand Cross set of insignia comprising sash badge and breast star, silver-gilt and enamels, with section of full dress sash; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Justice, 1st type set of insignia comprising neck badge and breast star, silver-gilt and enamels; South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Capt: C. W. Murray. 61th Foot.); Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (Capt: & Bt. Maj: C. W. Murray. 61st Foot.); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-el-Kebir (Maj: C. W. Murray. 1/Glouc: R.); 1914-15 Star (Col. Sir C. W. Murray.); British War Medal (Col. Sir C. W. Murray.); Victory Medal (Col. Sir C. W. Murray.) the Star and Victory Medal identically named in small impressed capitals, see note below; Jubilee 1897, silver (Col: W. Murray. M.P., Royal Body Guard); Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Khedive’s Star 1882; Order of Osmanieh, 4th class breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, damage to green enamel; Japan, Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Japan, Red Cross Order of Merit, with rosette on ribbon and related lapel rosette; Japan, Red Cross Membership Medal, with related lapel rosette; Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy, silver-gilt and enamels; together with 17 miniature medals representing the above awards, all mounted in two old gilt frames for display with ivorine name labels, generally good very fine or better (40) £8000-10000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Militaria to the Gloucestershire Regiment (28th and 61st Foot).

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The first two campaign medals are unique to the 61st regiment. There were 11 clasps for Tel-el-Kebir to the Gloucetsershire Regiment.

(Charles) Wyndham Murray was born on 22 February 1844, the son of the Rev. Thomas Boyles Murray and Helen Douglas, and was educated at Marlborough. He entered the army as an Ensign in the 61st South Gloucestershire Regiment in November 1862, and was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1865. He passed from Staff College in 1872 and was promoted to Captain in October 1877. In March 1879 he proceeded to Zululand as Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Crealock, and in May was appointed D.A.Q.M.G. to the 1st Division. He made surveys of the routes to be taken by the column and selected camping-grounds, &c. On the breaking up of the Division he was appointed reconnoitring officer, with rank of D.A.Q.M.G., to Clarke’s Flying Column, and was attached to the Mounted Infantry under Major Barrow. He surveyed and reported on the whole route followed by the Column to the Black Umvolosi, beyond Ulundi. He was afterwards present during the search for the King, and selected the route to be followed by the Column to the Middle Drift (Despatches, Medal with Clasp, brevet of Major).

In the Spring of 1880 he was attached for duty to the 72nd Highlanders at Kabul. He was appointed Orderly Officer to Brigadier-General Baker, and accompanied his column, in that capacity, in the expedition into the Logar Valley in May and June, 1880; and served as Provost-Marshal and D.A.Q.M.G. Quetta Division (Medal). He served also as Staff Officer, Pishin Outposts, Afghanistan 1881 (Despatches).

In 1882 Murray served with the Egyptian Expedition, as Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General on the base and lines of communication, and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (Despatches London Gazette 2 November 1882, Medal with Clasp, Bronze Star, brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th class Osmanieh). He also served with the Bechuanaland Expedition of 1884-85, as D.A.A. and Q.M.G. (Honourably mentioned). Murray retired from the service in 1890 and was appointed a member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms in the following year.

He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Bath from 1892 to 1906, and was Chairman of the Japan Society from 1913 to 1918 (3rd class of the Rising Sun of Japan). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1902, knighted in 1905, and advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1917. From 1913 until his death he held the office of Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod in the Order of the Bath. During the Great War he served in France in 1915 with the British Red Cross Society, and as a Military King’s Messenger, 1915-16. For many years a Knight of Justice of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, he was made Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order in 1927. Colonel Sir Wyndham Murray died on 1 November 1928.

Note: the Medal Index Cards show that Sir Wyndham Murray was entitled to the British War Medal for his services as a Military King’s Messenger in 1915-16 but that he was ineligible for the 1914-15 Star for these services. However, he went to France on Special Service with the B.R.C.S. & O.St.J.J. in August 1915 and is on the roll for that unit as being entitled to the 1914-15 Star trio. Consequently his British War Medal was issued off the first roll in April 1921, and the Star and Victory Medal off the latter roll in April 1925. Interestingly they are listed in the same order in his Who’s Who entry.

See lot 1044 for another miniature attributed to the above.