Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine C.M.G., C.B.E. and Boer War D.S.O. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Baron Bentinck, The Rifle Brigade

The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., breast badge converted for neck wear, silver-gilt and enamels; The Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) 1st type neck badge; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, usual chipping to wreaths; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (Capt., Rifle Bde.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Major, D.S.O. Rifle Bde.); 1914 Star (Major Baron Bentinck, C.M.G., D.S.O., Rif. Brig.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. Baron Bentinck); Union of South Africa Medal 1910, unnamed as issued, together with an original ribbon bar, some light contact marks but generally veary fine and better (9) £1800-2200

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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Walter Guy Bentinck was born on 5 November 1864, son of Walter Bentinck, thirteenth baron of the Netherlands, late 15th Hussars, and Henrietta Bentinck, of Alton House, Alton, Hampshire. He was descended from Eusebius Bentinck, the elder brother of Hans William Bentinck, who was William III’s friend and advisor and who became Earl of Portland and was father of the first Duke of Portland. In 1911 Walter Guy Bentinck was authorised by Royal Warrant to bear and use in this country the title of Baron, having established his right to it under a grant of King William of the Netherlands made in 1819.

He was educated at Marlborough College and R.M.C. Sandhurst. He was gazetted into the Worcestershire Regiment in May 1885 and transferred to the Rifle Brigade three months later. He became a Captain in 1894 and a Major in 1902, and retired in 1905.

Bentinck served with distinction in the Boer War. He was present at the Relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso; operations of 17-24 January and 5-7 February 1900, and actions at Vaal Krantz; and operations on Tugela Heights, 14-27 February 1900. He was severely wounded at Monte Cristo on the 18th February but was sufficiently recovered to take part in the operations in Natal from March to June 1900, including the action at Laing’s Nek. Thereafter he was principally engaged in the Transvaal and was Assistant District Commissioner of Verseniging in 1900-01. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 29 July 1902), and appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 31 October 1902).

Bentinck remained in South Africa after the war, on special service to the South African Peace Conference in 1902. He served as Resident Magistrate for the District of Wakkerstroon, Transvaal, 1901-07, and as Assistant Imperial Secretary to the High Commissioner in South Africa, 1907-11. He received the Union of South Africa Medal in 1911 and was created C.M.G. in 1912.

Although aged 50 Bentinck re-enlisted on the outbreak of war in 1914 and served with the the B.E.F. 1914-15. In 1916 he was posted to the Directorate, Military Intelligence, at the War Office, where he remained until 1918. He was finally placed in charge of No. 2 Infantry Record Office at Preston in 1918-19. In recognition of his war work he was twice mentioned in despatches, and made a Commander of the British Empire on 3 June 1919. Bentinck made two contributions to the Rifle Brigade Chronicle, ‘Sorties from Biarritz’ in 1897, and ‘Some experiences of a Transvaal Resident Magistrate’ in 1904. Baron Bentinck was a Deputy Lieutenant for Kincardineshire and died on 7 July 1957.