Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Matabeleland 1893, 1 clasp, Rhodesia 1896 (1535 Troopr. W. V. Banks-Wright. B.B. Police.) unit officially corrected, toned, nearly extremely fine £500-£700

William Vere Banks-Wright was born in Cheltenham, the son of Catherine and Henry Banks-Wright, of Lansdowne Lodge, Cheltenham. He served as a Trooper in the Bechuanaland Border Police in 1893, and later as a Sub-Lieutenant with the Bulawayo Field Force in 1896. He died from Malaria at Bulawayo Hospital on 15 January 1897, the following account of his last journey and death being prepared by the Intelligence Department in answer to an enquiry from Major-General Sir Frederick Carrington:

‘The deceased left Bulawayo about September last in company with Capt. Reid, and Messrs McCrery and Jones, for the Zambesi, which they reached allright, and then proceeded on their return journey to Bulawayo. All went well until they reached the banks of the Shangani, at which place the deceased, Messrs McCrery and Jones were attacked by fever, and after great difficulty managed to reach Inyati. Runners were then sent in to Bulawayo with the news, upon receipt of which Mr. C. Elliot Hutchinson immediately inspanned his donkeys to a wagon, and accompanied by Mr. A. E. Harris, took out a cartel and bed to bring the sick men in. They returned to town on the 12th January, on which date the deceased was admitted into Hospital, where, on the 15th January his death took place, cause of death being Malarial fever, accompanied by old Cardiac mischief (Aortic valves). The deceased lost consciousness at Inyati, and did not regain same up to the time of his death, except for a few moments on his reaching the Hospital, when he just recognised Mother Jacoba and Sister Francis, and relapsed again into unconsciousness.’