Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An important ‘Southern Nigeria’ Knight Bachelor Badge, C.M.G, and Edward VII D.S.O. group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir H. C. Moorhouse, Royal Artillery, who commanded the ‘Anson’ Battalion R.N.D. in Gallipoli as a temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, Royal Marines, being M.I.D. and made an Officer of the Legion of Honour; he was afterwards Lieutenant-Governor of Nigeria

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse hallmarked London 1926; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, converted for neck wear, silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, E.VII.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top ribbon bar; East and Central Africa 1897-99, 1 clasp, Uganda 1897-98 (Lieut. H. C. Moorhouse, R.A.) officially engraved naming; Ashanti 1900, no clasp, high relief bust (Capt. H. C. Moorhouse, R.A.) officially engraved naming; Africa General Service 1902-56, high relief bust, 5 clasps, Aro 1901-1902, S. Nigeria 1902-03, N. Nigeria 1903, S. Nigeria 1905-06, West Africa 1909-10 ((Major H. C. Moorhouse, R.A.) officially engraved naming, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th clasps contemporary tailor’s copies; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. H. C. Moorhouse. R.M.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. H. C. Moorhouse. R.M.); France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamels, the last eight court mounted, a few minor enamel chips but generally good very fine or better (10) £4,000-£5,000

Knight Bachelor London Gazette 3 June 1925: ‘Lieutenant-Colonel, C.M.G., D.S.O., Lieutenant-Governor of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria.’

C.M.G. London Gazette 22 June 1914: ‘Major, D.S.O., Secretary, Southern Provinces, Nigeria.’

D.S.O. London Gazette 23 February 1906: ‘Captain and Brevet Major, Royal Artillery. In recognition of his services in command of the Onitsha Hinterland Expedition, Southern Nigeria, November 1904 to March 1905’

M.I.D. London Gazette 5 August 1915 (Gallipoli): “Anson” Battalion, Royal Naval Division. ‘Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.M., Brevet Major, Reserve of Officers.’

Legion of Honour London Gazette 24 February 1916 (Dardanelles): ‘Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.M., Brevet Major, Reserve of Officers.’

Harry Claude Moorhouse was born on 30 January 1872, and educated at Brighton College. He entered the Army, as Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, 4 November 1891. He served in Uganda in 1898 (Medal); became Captain, 1899. He was employed with the West African Field Force, 1900, during the operations in Ashanti, and was mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 8 March 1901). He served in Southern Nigeria from 1901-2, during the Aro Expedition, as Chief Transport Officer; was mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 12 September 1902), and received the Brevet of Major, 17 April 1902 (Medal with clasp). He served in the Asaba Hinterland Expedition, in command, 1902 (clasp). He served in Northern Nigeria in 1903, during the Kano-Sokoto Campaign, and was mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 31 July 1903) (clasp). He next saw active service in Southern Nigeria, 1904-5, during the Onitsha Hinterland Expedition, in command; he was mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 23 February 1906), and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. He retired on 26 September 1908, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Reserve of Officers. He was Chief Assistant to the Colonial Secretary, Southern Nigeria, 1908, and Provincial Commissioner, 1911. Major Moorhouse was Secretary, Southern Province, Nigeria, from 1914, and was awarded the C.M.G. in June 1914 for his services. He was appointed a temporary Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Marines, for service in the Royal Naval Division, on 21 February 1915, and commanded the ‘Anson’ Battalion R.N.D. in Gallipoli at the Suvla Bay landing (despatches, Legion of Honour). He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor in the Protectorate of Nigeria on 1 January 1921, and was knighted for his services as Lieutenant-Governor in 1925. His final appointment was as Special Commissioner to the Solomon Islands in 1928. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Harry Moorhouse died on 16 December 1934.