Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Sierra Leone C.M.G. and Boer War D.S.O. group of four awarded to Major Alexander Tarbet, Lagos Hausa Force and South Lancashire Regiment

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, complete with swivel-ring suspension but lacking ribbon buckle; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., lacking top suspension brooch; East & West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, 1892, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (Asst. Inspr. A. F. Tarbet, Lagos Hausa Force) officially engraved naming; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State (Major A. F. Tarbet, C.M.G., S/Lanc. Rgt.) officially engraved naming, medals cleaned and lacquered, some chipping to wreaths of the second, otherwise good very fine (4) £3000-3500

Alexander Francis Tarbet was born on 29 December 1860, son of William Tarbet, of Bedford. He was educated at Wellington College, and joined the 4th Royal Lancashire Militia in 1881. He served in Methuen’s Horse, with the Bechuanaland Field Force in 1885, and with the Lagos Hausa Force, 1887-94. He held the appointment as Private Secretary to the Governor of Lagos, Sir Gilbert Carter, K.C.M.G., from 1892-94, during which time he commanded the Lagos Hausas in the Jebu Expedition of 1892 (despatches London Gazette 1 July 1892; Medal with clasp).

In 1894, Tarbett was appointed Inspector-General to the Sierra Leone Frontier Force, and helped to quell the disturbances in Sierra Leone during 1897-99, when he commanded the Frontier Police on the Karene Expedition (despatches London Gazette 29 December 1899; Clasp; created C.M.G.). This was one of only three awards of the C.M.G. for the Sierra Leone campaign.

He served during the South Africa War 1900-01, as a Railway Staff Officer (graded as a D.A.A.G.), Lines of Communications, and afterwards as Commandant, Jagersfontein Road. He took part in operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 November 1900; in Cape Colony, south of Orange River, February to April 1900; and operations in Orange River Colony, November 1900 to July 1901 (despatches London Gazette 10 September 1901; Queen’s Medal with 3 clasps (sic); created D.S.O. London Gazette 27 September 1901, ‘in recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.’

Tarbet resigned his commission in 1907 but rejoined the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment as Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in 1914 and served with that regiment at Home until the end of the war.