Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Great War Illuminated Memorial Scroll, mounted on card, 268 x 162mm., named to ‘Col. Francis William Panzera, C.M.G., Commandant of Detention Camp, Isle of Man’, good condition (3) £100-150

Sold with a fine portrait photograph of Colonel Panzera, in uniform, wearing the British South Africa Company Medal, Queen’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps and King’s South Africa Medal with 2 clasps. The photograph mounted on card and signed, ‘F. W. Panzera, 1906’. Also sold with a letter to Miss Mary K. Panzera, dated 8th October 1917, from Clive Wigram of York Cottage, Sandringham, Norfolk, which reads,

‘Dear Madam, I have laid before the King [your] letter of the 30th September together with that from Mr Hepworth reporting the death of his son. His Majesty was most interested to read of his career, and how having started in His Majesty’s Regiment, the 1st Life Guards, had kept up the reputation made there during the later years of his life until he fell nobly doing his duty with the Australian Contingent. I have received the King’s commands to send the father’s letter to the Officer Commanding the Depot, 1st Life Guards, London. His Majesty well remembers meeting your father, Colonel Panzera on his return from Bechuanaland, and much regrets that he was not spared longer to enjoy his well-earned retirement from official life.’

Francis William Panzera was born in 1851 at Canford, Dorset. His military career spanning many years was spent mainly in South Africa and adjoining territories. During the Matabele War 1893-4, he commanded the base at Macloustie and the southern line of communications under Colonel Goold-Adams. For his services he was awarded the B.S.A. Company Medal and promoted to Major in the Reserve of Officers. In later years he was the Expert to the Treasury in the Jameson trial of 1896 and Special Commissioner for Ngamiland 1898-99. During the Boer War he served in the defence of Mafeking and was afterwards employed on the Staff. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 8 February 1901) and received the Queen’s medal with two clasps and King’s medal with two clasps. Pazera was created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (London Gazette 2 January 1911) as Resident Commissioner, Bechuanaland Protectorate. During the Great War Colonel Panzera was Commandant of the Prisoner of War Camp at Knockaloe, Isle of Man. Designed to hold 5,000 prisoners, it eventually came to hold 23,000 - the largest in Europe. On 4 June 1917 Colonel Panzera was inspecting a part of the camp which was up a steep gradient. With the exertion he fell down dead having suffered a heart attack.

Sold with a quantity of copied research on the recipient and the Knockaloe Camp.