Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

A Great War D.S.O. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir C. B. Lowther, Bart., late 8th Hussars, in command of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry from April 1917, and of the Mounted Troops of the Italian Expeditionary Force from June 1918, and during the final offensive against the Austrians

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Commander’s neck badge, silver and enamel; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (Lt. Sir C. B. Lowther, Bt. 8/Hrs.); British War Medal (Lt. Col. Sir, Bt.); Order of the Crown of Italy, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamels; Italian War Cross, all but the second mounted on the remnants of the original court mounting with space for 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal, good very fine (6) £1000-1200

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1917: ‘Sir Charles Bingham Lowther, Bart., Capt. (Temporary Major), Yeomanry.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 22 June 1915, 15 June 1916, 4 January 1917, 6 January 1919, and 5 June 1919.

Sir Charles Bingham Lowther, 4th Bt., was born on 22 July 1880, son of George William Lowther, who was eldest son of the 3rd Baronet. He succeeded his grandfather in 1894. He was educated at Winchester, and R.M.C. Sandhurst, and entered the 8th Hussars on 12 August 1899. He served with the 8th Hussars in South Africa, taking part in the operations in the Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to February 1901. He left the 8th Hussars in 1907 as a Captain, and joined the Northamptonshire Yeomanry in the same rank 1910.

Sir Charles served with the Northants Yeomanry during the Great War and commanded the regiment from April 1917. He was placed in command of the Mounted Troops of the Italian Expeditionary Force, commanded by General the Earl of Cavan, K.P., K.C.B., M.V.O., from June 1918, and during the final offensive against the Austrians. In his despatch covering the Crossing of the Piave and the final defeat of the Austrian Army, dated 15 November 1918, the Earl of Cavan wrote: ‘On the morning of the 29th October the attack was again renewed, and during the day the advance was carried up to the River Monticano from the neighbourhood of Fontanelle to Ramiera. The XIVth Corps Mounted Troops, under Lieutenant-Colonel Sir C. B. Lowther, D.S.O., Bart., acting vigorously in advance of the infantry, secured the bridge over the Monticano between Vazzola and Cimetta intact, although it had been prepared for demolition. This resolute action undoubtedly saved us many hours of delay in the pursuit.’

Sold with four original photographs, including a fine studio portrait and a group photograph of mounted cadets at Sandhurst in 1899, a hand coloured menu of the 21st Regiment de Chasseurs a Cheval (Soave, 25 September 1918), two campaign maps of Italy, a book of common prayer, inscribed ‘Charles B. Lowther from his mother, Sept. 3rd 1914’; and a silver plated letter opener.