Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of six awarded to Colour Sergeant W. G. Down, Northumberland Fusiliers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (... Corpl: W. G. Down. North.. Fus.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3659. Sgt. W. G. Down, 1/Northd. Fus.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Belmont, Modder River (3659. Corpl: W. G. Down: Northumberland Fus.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1908 (3659. Sergt. W. G. Down. 1st. Bn. N...); Delhi Durbar 1911, silver (No. 3659 Sjt. W. G. Down, 1/5. Fus.) regimentally impressed naming; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (3659. Sergt. W. G. Down. 5th. Fusers.) contemporarily engraved naming, all suspended from a top sextuple silver riband bar, heavy contact marks, therefore generally good fine (6) £2000-2400

D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

William George Down was born in Poole, Dorset, and attested for the Northumberland Fusiliers at London in November 1892. Down advanced to Sergeant in August 1895, and served with the 1st Battalion in the Sudan, January - October 1898. He served in Crete, October 1898 - May 1899, before serving in South Africa, September 1899 - March 1900 and July 1902 - June 1903. An obituary which appeared in the St. George’s Gazette of January 1936 adds the following for Down’s service during the Boer War:

‘In which he was present at the battles of Belmont and Modder River, and was awarded the DCM for gallantry while in command of a machine gun team.’

Having advanced to Colour Sergeant, Down served with the Battalion in India, January 1908 - October 1913. He was discharged, 17 November 1913, having served 21 years and 17 days with the Colours. Down died in November 1935.