Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A notable Burma, India and China campaign group of three awarded to Major J. H. Gwynne, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who, having been severely wounded and ‘cut about’ during an attack on a dacoit village in Burma in January 1886, onetime commanded the 2nd Battalion during the Boxer Rebellion: he was mentioned in despatches on both occasions

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Hazara 1891 (Lieutt. J. H. Gwynne, 1st Bn. R.W. Fus.); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Major J. H. Gwynne, R. Welsh Fus.); U.S.A., Military Order of the Dragon, the reverse officially engraved, ‘Capt. James H. Gwynne, Royal Welch Fusiliers, No. 749’, complete with upper Pagoda fitment on original silk riband, rank possibly officially re-engraved on the first, verdigris to edges of reverse field on the last, otherwise very fine and better (3) £3000-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord.

View
Collection

James Hugh Gwynne was born in Brecon, Wales in February 1863 and was educated at St. Martin’s School, Windsor and Burney’s School, Gosport. Appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, South Wales Borderers, in November 1880, he gained a regular commission as a Lieutenant in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in November 1884, the same month in which he transferred to the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

Embarked for India in the 1st Battalion in early 1885, he joined the Shwebo Detachment in Burma in November 1885. In the new year, a force of three officers, including Gwynne, and 163 N.C.Os and men of the Battalion, marched from Shwebo for the purpose of dispersing a body of the enemy who had assembled at the village of Kadu, under Prince Mount Hmat. On approaching the village the enemy opened a heavy fire and Gwynne was severely wounded by a gunshot in his knee. In British Battles on Land and Sea, James Grant states that Gwynne was also ‘badly cut about’. The services of the R.W.F. detachment were highly commended by the G.O.C. and he was among those mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1886, refers).

Having then witnessed further active service in the Hazara Expedition in 1891 and been advanced to Captain in December 1893, Gwynne transferred to the 2nd Battalion and commanded a detachment during the occupation of Crete 1897-98.

With the advent of the Boxer Rebellion, he was next embarked for China and, as a consequence of his C.O. being taken ill at Hong Kong, he held temporary command of the Battalion. He was subsequently present at the relief of Tientsin and Pekin and in the actions at Peitsang and Yangtsun. At Tientsin, according to Under the Allied Flags, by Eldridge Brooks, Gwynne served with distinction alongside the U.S. Marines:

‘The Yankee marines, the Welsh Fusiliers and Captain Gywnne with his British marines, a slim but determined forlorn hope, charged headlong across the open and scaling the walls like rats, actually drove the Chinese defenders from their guns, surprising and scattering them so by this headlong dash that the Chinese garrison could not withstand the charge.’

Gywnne is also credited with having led a reconnaissance party that seized two 4-inch Krupp guns and three field guns from an abandoned enemy fort near the city in July 1900.

Of subsequent events at Peitsang, Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. R. H. Bertie, wrote in is diary:

‘The Royal Welsh Fusiliers were awfully done up after yesterday’s battle [at Peitsang}. The heat, and a run in of quite half a mile, pumped them and we could only muster 100 out of 200 at the finish: 29 cases of sun and 22 missing came in later. The rest stopped for water as soon as we reached the village, as the cease fire had sounded. I collected about 50 there soon after, and the rest were accounted for all right. Captain Gwynne was so beat he looked fit to drop. I was fairly done up too. I don’t think that any of the troops were fit to go on till rested and watered: fortunately there was no need to do so. All our officers played up well and were quite cool under fire … ’

Gwynne was the recipient of extensive praise in the ensuing ‘China despatches’ of July 1900 (London Gazette 6 November 1900, refers). His C.O. reported ‘This officer has done most excellent work and was conspicuous in leading some of the principal attacks on various villages’; the G.O.C. North China Field Force added that a retirement movement at Tientsin ‘reflected much credit’ on Gwynne and that the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were well-handled by him throughout the day - ‘they were very careful of their ammunition and wasted less than any other body of troops on the ground’; likewise, the G.O.C. China Expeditionary Force commended Gwynne as having had a special opportunity of distinguishing himself in the action at Yangtsun. He was given the Brevet of Major.

Gwynne, who was advanced to the substantive rank of Major in August 1903, was placed on the Retired List in August 1906. Settling at Sandhurst Lodge, Little Common, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, he died as a result of a hunting accident in March 1910; sold with a file containing extensive copied research and photographs.