Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Victorian General Officer’s Warrant appointing John Lawrence, 17th Lancers, a Major-General in Command of a Brigade.

Warrant appointing John Lawrence, Esquire, to the temporary rank of Major-General while in command of a Brigade, from 24 July 1856, dated St. James’s 12 August 1856, folded with some consequent minor tearing, therefore reasonable condition £200-£240

John Lawrenson commanded the 17th Lancers in the Crimea 1854-55, including the cavalry affair of Bulganac and at the Battle of the Alma, 20 September 1854, but missed the famous Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava by only two days as a result of illness. He was appointed to the Command of the Heavy Brigade in July 1855, with the rank of Brigadier-General, and commanded the Heavy Brigade at the Battle of Tchernaya. He succeeded Sir James Scarlett in December 1855 to the command of the British Cavalry in the East, and held that command until the return of the army from the Crimea the following year.

Sold with two (unrelated) Bestowal Documents for the Tunisian Order of Nichan-Iftikhar (the original Arabic document, and the French translation); and copied research.