Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Lieutenant-Colonel F. M. E. Vibart, Royal Artillery, who served with N Battery, 5th Brigade during the Zulu War, and went on to command 5/1 Battery, Southern Division during the Burmese Expedition 1886-87 - for which he was mentioned in despatches

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Capt: F. M. E. Vibart. 5th Bde. R.A.); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (Major F. M. E. Vibart No. 5 By. 1st Bde So. Dn R.A.) last partially officially renamed, very fine (2) £1,600-£2,000

Francis Meredith Edmund Vibart was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in July 1867, and advanced to Captain in February 1869. He served with N Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Artillery during the second phase of Zulu War. The Battery had lost one officer and 61 non-commissioned officers and men killed, two guns, 24 horses, 30 mules and 534 rounds of ammunition at Isandhlwana:

‘The battery re-crossed the Buffalo River with the remains of the Column on the 23rd Jan., remained at Rorke’s Drift post until the 25th, and then proceeded to Helpmakaar, where it remained until the 17th April; during this time much sickness prevailed.

Proceeding to Dundee on the 17th April, the battery formed part of Newdigate’s Division, and reinforced by two guns under Capt. Vibart, took part in the advance of that force into the enemy’s country. At Fort Newdigate two guns under Capt. Vibart, with Lieut. Curling, were detailed to form part of the garrison, and, subsequently, two guns under Lieut. Fowler were detailed to remain at Fort Evelyn.’ (The South African Campaign of 1879, by J. P. Mackinnon & S. H. Shadbolt refers)

Vibart commanded the Royal Artillery at Forts Marshall and Evelyn on the line of communications, he also commanded the Royal Artillery of Colonel Baker Russell’s Column in the north of Zululand. Vibart served during the First Boer War of 1881, and advanced to Major November 1884. He commanded the 5/1 Battery, Southern Division during the Burmese Expedition of 1886-87 (M.I.D. London Gazette 2 September 1887). Vibart advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1891, and retired the following year.