Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A C.I.E. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. L. Showers, C.S.I., C.I.E., Indian Army and Indian Political Department

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., Companion’s 2nd type breast badge, gold and enamels, complete with top suspension brooch; Delhi Durbar 1903, silver, complete with silver ribbon buckle; Delhi Durbar 1911; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, Suakin 1885, Tofrek (Lieut: H. L. Showers. 17th Bengal Infy.); Khedive's Star 1884-6, mounted in this order together with the riband for the C.S.I., good very fine (5) £1200-1500

C.S.I. Gazette of India 12 December 1911.

C.I.E. Gazette of India 26 June 1902. A contemporary newspaper report stated: ‘We may be permitted to observe that we fully expected a C.S.I. at least for Major Showers, in recognition of the very valuable political services rendered in the last Makran operations, extending, as they did, to the very confines of, and even across, the Perso-Baluch frontier in conjunction with the Shah’s troops. Besides which, Major Showers exhibited the greatest gallantry inside the Nodiz fort, after it had been stormed by the troops, it having been remarked at the time by our special correspondent that he seemed to bear a charmed life in the midst of a shower of bullets.’

Herbert Lionel Showers was born in London on 16 June 1861, son of General Charles Lionel Showers, Bengal Army. Educated at private schools, he was commissioned from Sandhurst as a Lieutenant on 16 May 1883, and joined the Welsh Regiment in Natal. He transferred to the Norfolk Regiment and arrived in India in 1884, was appointed to the Indian Army, 12 February 1885, and attached as Staff Corps Probationed to the 17th Bengal Native Infantry. Served in the Soudan expedition 1885 and was present at Suakin and the action at Tofrek (Medal with 2 clasps, Bronze star). He was attached to 2nd Battalion, 4th Gurkhas in April 1886, and to the Meywar Bhil Corps in January 1889, becoming Wing Officer of that corps in January 1890. He entered the Government of India Political Department in July 1890; Captain, May 1894; Assistant to the Political Agent in Baluchistan, November 1896; Political Agent and Deputy Commissioner, Quetta and Peshin, December 1899; Major, July 1901; present in Mekran, 1901, and took part in attack on and capture of Nodiz Fort; Political Agent, Kalat, in charge of the Bolan Pass, December 1901; Lieutenant-Colonel, 12 May 1910; Resident in Jaipur, November 1910; Resident in Nepal, May 1912; Officiating Resident and Commissioner in Baluchistan, April to October 1914. Lieutenant-Colonel Showers died on 2 February 1916.

Sold with a large amount of research including copied extracts from the Report on the Mekran Expedition, and numerous copied extracts from the ‘Showers Family Papers’ held by the Centre of South Asian Studies, Cambridge University.