Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Victorian C.B. group of three to Major-General F. J. Caldecott, Royal Artillery, who was the inventor of many improvements in gunpowder and its ingredients

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, hallmarked London 1894, complete with ribbon buckle; Abyssinia 1867(Lieut., Rl. Horse Arty.); Afghanistan 1878-80, 1 clasp, Kandahar (Major, R.A.) the second rare to the regiment, good very fine (3) £1000-1200

C.B. (Military) London Gazette 26 May 1894.

Francis James Caldecott was born on 29 April 1842, and educated at Cheltenham College. He was nominated for a Cadetship in the H.E.I.C., passed and examined on 2 December 1858, and entered Addiscombe shortly afterwards. He joined the Bombay Artillery as a Lieutenant in June 1860, being posted to the 18th Brigade 1860-61 , and to the 21st Brigade 1862-65.

Caldecott was posted to “B” Battery, “E” Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, in 1866, and served during the Abyssinian campaign, attached to the Transport Train, September 1867 to May 1868, and commanded a Division of the Train during the latter half of the campaign. He was mentioned in despatches by the Director of Land Transport for the ‘ability, energy and zeal’ he had brought to bear on his work (London Gazette 10 July 1868).

Promoted to Captain in December 1872, and to Major in April 1880, Caldecott served during the Afghanistan campaign of 1878-80, being present throughout the siege and defence of Kandahar, the attacks on the villages of Khairabad and Deh Khoja, and at the battle of Kandahar on 1 September 1880. For his services during the campaign he was mentioned in despatches by Lieutenant-General J. M. Primrose, C.S.I. (London Gazette 3 December 1880), and awarded the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, with seniority of 2 March 1881.

Appointed as Superintendent of the Indian Government Gunpowder and Experimental Explosives Factory at Kirkee in 1881, Caldecott was the inventor of many improvements in the manufacture of gunpowder and its ingredients. He held this appointment until April 1894, was rewarded with the C.B. shortly afterwards, and retired in October 1897.

Major-General Caldecott was a well known cricketer and Rugby footballer in England in the 1860s, and then as a sculler and a leading cricketer in India for many years. He died in London on 30 January 1926. Sold with full research and three copy portrait photographs.