Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval Brigades in the Boer War: a well executed illuminated testimonial to ‘Lieutenant Algernon Walker Heneage, R.N., H.M.S. Powerful’, commemorating his service as a member of the Powerful’s Naval Brigade during the siege of Ladysmith, from the inhabitants of Compton Bassett, dated 3 May 1900, this framed and glazed, 65.5 x 41.5cm. (approx.); a contemporary photograph of an illuminated testimonial to Captain The Hon. Hedworth Lambton, C.B. and the officers and men of the Naval Brigade of H.M.S. Powerful, from the inhabitants of Simons Town, South Africa; a match holder and striker in the form of a barrel, on a base bearing a metal plate reading, ‘From the teak of H.M.S. Terrible whose guns relieved Ladysmith’, very good condition (3)

Algernon Walker Heneage was born on 4 February 1871, the third son of Major Clement Walker Heneage V.C., 8th Hussars. He assumed the surname ‘Walker-Heneage-Vivian in 1921 in order to inherit estates from his mother’s family. He entered the Royal Navy in 1886 and served in the Boer War, being second-in-command of the Naval Contingent in the defence of Ladysmith, for which he was mentioned in depatches. He later commanded the 1st Squadron of minelayers and at the start of the Great War was in command of the battleship Albion in the South Atlantic and Dardanelles, for which he was twice mentioned in despatches. He was then Commodore commanding small vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean, 1915-16; Commodore 1st Class commanding the allied barrage in the Straits of Otranto, 1917, becoming Senior British Naval Officer in Italy and Rear Admiral in 1918. Retiring from the Royal Navy in 1920, he was promoted Vice-Admiral in 1923 and Admiral in 1927. He was awarded the C.B. in 1916, the M.V.O. in 1904 and was in possession of the French Legion of Honour 4th Class, Italian Order of the Crown, 2nd Class and Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class. Post-war he was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorgan, High Sheriff of Glamorganshire, Chairman of Vivian & Sons Ltd. and Chairman of South West Wales Savings Bank. Admiral Walker-Heneage-Vivian died on 26 February 1952.

The testimonial also makes mention of Algernon Walker Heneage’s father - Major Clement Walker Heneage, 8th Hussars, who rode in the charge of the Light Brigade and was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in Gwalior, 17 June 1858. Also mentioned is his brother, Major Godfey Clement Walker Heneage, who saw service with the Grenadier Guards in the Boer War and went on to win the D.S.O. in 1917 and was five times mentioned in despatches.

Three Naval Brigades had been formed from the depot at Simonstown. The one which defended ladysmith in the siege was commanded by Captain Lambton of the Powerful with Heneage as Second--in-Command. They had at their disposal two 4.7 inch guns (named “Lady Anne’ and ‘Bloody Mary”) and four 12 pounders. The brigade lost three officers and 30 other ranks in the siege.