Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Major R. H. Leeke, The Rifle Brigade and King’s African Rifles

Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, East Africa 1913, East Africa 1914 (Capt., 4/K.A.R.); 1914-15 Star (Capt., Rif. Brig.); British War and Victory Medals (Major) nearly extremely fine and extremely rare (4) £900-1200

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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Ralph Henry Leeke was born on 8 December 1883, eldest son of Colonel Ralph Leeke, Grenadier Guards. He was educated at Eton and R.M.C. Sandhurst, and was gazetted to the Rifle Brigade on 23 October 1902, joining the 2nd Battalion in Cairo. On 30 December 1910 he was seconded for service under the Colonial Office and, on 29 May 1912, was appointed to the King’s African Rifles with the rank of Captain. During the years 1913 and 1914 he was in charge of the Northern or ‘Rudolph’ Province of Uganda. From June to August 1913 he was engaged in the operations under Captain W. T. Brookes, D.C.L.I., against the Didinga tribe (clasp ‘East Africa 1913’, one of only 7 to European officers), and from April to July 1914 he commanded the punitive expedition against the Turkana tribe (clasp ‘East Africa 1914’, one of only 5 to European officers). Captain Leeke was one of only two officers to qualify for both of these clasps, the other being Captain H. A. Lilley, West Yorkshire Regiment.

Upon the outbreak of war Leeke was appointed Major and second-in-command of the 4th King’s African Rifles, and served with it in the attack on the Germans at Mbuguni, British East Africa, in August 1914, and in subsequent operations. Major Leeke died of blackwater fever at Mzima on the Isavo River on 5 November 1915, aged 31 years. He is buried in Taveta Military Cemetery, Kenya.