Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Warrant Officer Class 1 H. J. Dunham, Wellington Mounted Rifles (N.Z.E.F.), late 5th Dragoon Guards and South African Constabulary, who was killed in action in Gallipoli in August 1915

India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (3745 Corpl. J. Dunham, 5th Dragoon Gds.), note initial; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (1942 T. Serjt.-Maj. H. J. Dunham, S.A.C.); 1914-15 Star (11/737Z W.O. 1 H. J. Dunham, N.Z.E.F.); British War and Victory Medals (11/737 W.O. 1 H. J. Dunham, N.Z.E.F.), very fine and better, the first extremely rare to the regiment (5) £600-700

Ex Baldwin, July 1961.

Herbert John Dunham was born in St. Albans, Hertfordshire in March 1874. Enlisting in the 5th Dragoon Guards, he saw active service in India with the Tirah Expeditionary Force on the Punjab Frontier 1897-98, where he served as a Transport Assistant (Medal & 2 clasps); just one officer and nine O.Rs of the 5th Dragoon Guards received a similar award. The following testimonial from Major H. Bond, an Acting Commissariat General, was published at the time of Dunham purchasing his discharge at the end of these operations:

‘Acting Sergeant Dunham, 5th Dragoon Guards, was employed as Convoy Sergeant with camels working from Shinawari to the font during the time he was attached to the Department under my charge. He is spoken of in the best of terms by the officer, Lieutenant Hawkes, under whom he served, and after due consideration I selected his name as being worthy of being brought to notice of the General Officer, Commanding Line of Communication, as having done specially good work. His conduct throughout the time he has been serving at Shinawari has been very good.’

Dunham next served in the Boer War, as a Sergeant-Major in ’A’ Division, South Africa Constabulary (S.A.C.) and, it would appear, with equal distinction, Captain A. F. Sprigg of the same corps stating in another testimonial that Dunham always showed himself to be ‘keen, cool and brave’ in the Field’ (Queen’s Medal & 5 clasps).

Dunham subsequently found work in Auckland, New Zealand where, in March 1911, he enlisted in the New Zealand Permanent Forces and served in the 2nd Mounted Rifles at Wanganui. Enrolled in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in September 1914, he was quickly appointed Sergeant-Major in the Wellington Mounted Rifles (2nd Squadron), in which capacity he embarked for the Dardanelles in June 1915. Having then been advanced in the Field to Regimental Sergeant-Major in June 1915, he was killed in action at Anzac Cove on 27 August 1915. He was buried in 7th Field Ambulance Cemetery, Gallipoli, and his medals were sent to his widow at Wrea Green, near Kirkham, Lancashire; sold with copied N.Z. attestation and service papers.