Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

Five: Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Sykes, Army Service Corps, late Sierra Leone Frontier Police Corps

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Mr., S. Leone F.P.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut., A.S.C.); 1914 Star, with bar (Capt., A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.), M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted as worn, the first with re-riveted suspension claw, contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (5) £450-500

Harry Erling Sykes was commissioned into the York and Lancaster Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant in May 1900, having already seen active service with the Frontier Police Corps in Sierra Leone between 1898-99, when he participated in the operations in Mendiland. Quickly transferring to the Army Service Corps, he served in South Africa during the Boer War and was present in operations in the Transvaal between October and November 1901, in the Orange River Colony in the latter month, and in Cape Colony from November 1901until May 1902. Awarded the Queen’s Medal with five clasps, Sykes was advanced to Captain in October 1904.

During the Great War he served with the B.E.F. from September to December 1914, returned to France as C.O. of 29 Divisional Train, A.S.C. in March 1916, and remained on active service there until September 1917. Sykes was subsequently given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel and mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 4 January 1917).