Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique ‘Lango 1901’ D.S.O. group of six awarded to Major G. M. N. Harman, The Rifle Brigade, killed in action at Levantie in November 1914

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Lango 1901 (Capt., Rifle Bde.); 1914 Star (Major, D.S.O. Rif. Brig.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); Delhi Durbar 1911, nearly extremely fine (6) £4000-5000

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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See Colour Plate I.

George Malcolm Nixon Harman was born in London on 14 November 1872, son of Lieutenant General Sir George Harman, K.C.B., and educated at Marlborugh and R.M.C. Sandhurst. He was gazetted into the Rifle Brigade on 7 November 1891, and was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1893 and to Captain in January 1898. From 1900 to 1904 he was employed in the Uganda Protectorate and with the King’s African Rifles.

Captain Harman took part in the expedition under Major C. Delme-Radcliffe into the Lango country against the Sudanese mutineers, from 24th April to 24th August, 1901. The Lango Field Force totalled six European officers and one N.C.O., a civilian Doctor, some 380 men of the Uganda Rifles (4th K.A.R.) and a levy of 100 Buganda.

The hard core of the resistance in the Lango District came from some 100 mutineers, known as the ‘Black Turks’, who had entered into blood-brotherhood with some of the Lango, who believed that King Kaerga would return to oust the British. They had established a European model stronghold, well stocked with arms and ammunition, but their camp was captured at the commencement of the campaign. Thereafter, the operations consisted of constant patrols in terrible conditions during the rainy season, the country being of thick forest and tall elephant grass up to nine feet high. By the end of the campaign, all but seven of the mutineers had been killed or captured, and the Field Force had suffered 21 killed and 16 wounded. They had themselves captured 1,485 prisoners, 10,000 head of livestock, 3,000 spears and 88 firearms.

The Lango tribesmen broke away from their blood-brotherhood with the mutineers, for which purpose Doctor A. G. Bagshawe, the medical officer of the column, had a special de-oathing ceremony. By injecting an emetic into the scar caused at the blood-brotherhood ceremony, vomiting was induced which convinced the recipients that the evil spirit was departing their body.

Captain Harman was mentioned in despatches and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 12 September 1902) ‘for services during the operations in the Lango District of Uganda.’ This was the only award given for these operations and the clasp for Lango 1901 is one of the rarest in this African series, being awarded to just eight European recipients.

Harman was subsequently engaged on the Anglo-German Boundary Commission, west of Victoria Nyanza, from July 1902 to November 1904. Whilst so engaged he was presented ‘without ceremony’ with the Insignia, Warrant and Statutes of the D.S.O. which had been sent out by the Foreign Office. After East Africa he served in Malta and Alexandria with the 4th Battalion, and, having obtained his Majority in June 1907, he joined the 2nd Battalion in Calcutta.

When war was declared in August 1914 the battalion was in Rawalpindi, and was then ordered to France. Major Harman arrived in France on 6 November 1914, and was killed in action by a shell at Laventie on 27 November 1914. He was 42 years old and is buried in Laventie Communal Cemetery.