Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A superb campaign group of five awarded to Major-General F. E. Sotheby, 2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade

Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Lieut., 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde.); China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860 (Capt., 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde.) impressed naming; Ashantee 1873-74, 1 clasp, Coomassie (Capt. & Bt. Lt. Col., 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde. 73-4); Turkish Crimea, British issue, unnamed, together with companion set of five miniature medals mounted on silver ribbon bar, all contained in a contemporary silver display frame, hallmarked London 1909, the frame inscribed ‘F. E. Sotheby, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. This case was made for & the medals placed in it by Mrs Sotheby. December, 1909’, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better, the China medal very rare to the Rifle Brigade (10) £1500-2000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Rifle Brigade and Affiliated Regiments from the collection formed by Michael Haines.

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Frederick Edward Sotheby was the only son of Rear-Admiral Charles Sotheby, of Sewardstone, Essex, and was born in 1837. He entered the Rifle Brigade on 18 January 1855, and became Lieutenant on 11 May the same year. He served with the Rifle Brigade in the Crimea from 11 August 1855, including the siege and fall of Sebastopol and storming of the Redan on 8 September (Medal with Clasp and Turkish Medal). He served with the 2nd Battalion throughout the whole of its service in the suppression of the Indian mutiny, including the capture of Lucknow and numerous affairs during the Oude campaign (Medal with Clasp). He served throughout the campaign of 1860 in China, terminating with the surrender of Pekin (Medal with two Clasps), and was promoted to Captain on 21 September 1860.

Promoted Brevet Major in May 1873, Sotheby embarked for the Gold Coast with the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, and served throughout the second phase of the Ashantee war, in 1874, including the battle of Amoaful, battle of Ordahsu and capture of Coomassie (Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, Medal with Clasp). Sotheby was confirmed as Major in the Rifle Brigade on 31 January 1877, as Lieutenant-Colonel on 1 July 1881, and Brevet Colonel the same day. On 9 August 1882 he went on half-pay, and retired with the honorary rank of Major-General on 9 August 1887. In July 1888, he was appointed to command the Birmingham Volunteer Infantry Brigade. Major-General Sotheby died at his residence, Ecton, Northamptonshire, on 7 February 1909, aged 72.