Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Lennox-Conyngham, Worcestershire Regiment

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1918; 1914-15 Star (Major W. A. Lennox-Conyngham. Worc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Major W. A. Lennox-Conyngham) good very fine (4)

O.B.E. London Gazette 12 December 1919:
‘In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the War.’

William Arbuthnot Lennox-Conyngham was born on 8 September 1857, the son of Colonel Sir William Fitzwilliam Lennox-Conyngham, K.C.B., D.L., J.P. of Spring Hill, County Londonderry, and was educated at Fettes College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Regiment on 1 May 1878 and was advanced Lieutenant on 1 February 1879. Following employment with the Bikaner Field Force in India in 1884-85 he was promoted Captain in the 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment on 20 January 1886 and advanced Major on 9 October 1893.
He served during the Boer War, including operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, and Operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 November 1900. He transferred to the 4th Battalion on 1 September 1900, was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901: ‘..who has rendered special and meritorious service’), and was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with three clasps (Cape Colony, Orange Free State, and South Africa 1901). Retiring on 13 November 1901 he would succeed to the family estates in Ireland in 1906 and serve as High Sherriff of Londonderry in 1909.

Following the outbreak of the Great War Lennox-Conyngham was called from retirement and served as Major, 2nd in Command, 10th (Service) Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment from 25 September 1914, proceeding with them to France on 15 July 1915 where their first action would be at Pietre, a diversionary attack supporting the Battle of Loos. He later served as Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Welsh Fusiliers from 31 May 1916, employed with 1st Garrison Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He also saw service as Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Defence Corps from 3 August 1917 and Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry Record Offices from 6 February 1918.

For his wartime services Lennox-Conyngham was appointed an O.B.E. in 1919. He relinquished his Commission on 18 February 1920 and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.