Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Crimean War C.B. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-General J. W. Armstrong, 49th Regiment, who was severely wounded whilst commanding the Left Column of the storming party at the assault on the Quarries, later Inspector General of Auxiliary Forces

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1856, complete with wide swivel-ring suspension but lacking gold ribbon buckle, suspension rod replaced and a little bent; Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Majr. of Brigade, J. W. Armstrong, 49th Regt.) contemporary engraved naming; Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver, gold and enamels, damaged; Order of the Medjidie, 4th class breast badge, silver, gold and enamels; Turkish Crimea, British issue, unnamed, together with a large quantity of letters (40+), mostly congratulatory 1868-72, the majority with covers, and the Order of the Medjidie 3rd Class neck badge awarded to his son, Captain Edgar Herbert Armstrong, the last with bent suspension loop, otherwise generally good very fine (6) £1200-1500

James Wells Armstrong was a son of James Armstrong, Esq., of the Bengal Civil Service and a nephew of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Armstrong. He was first commissioned as Ensign in the 49th Regiment on 18 August 1843, becoming Lieutenant in November 1844, and Captain in January 1851. He served in the Eastern campaign of 1854-55, during 1854 as a Major of Brigade in the 2nd Division, and was present at the battles of Alma, Balaklava, and Inkermann (horse killed), the siege of Sebastopol, and sortie of the 26th October (horse shot). He commanded the Left Column of the storming party at the assault and capture of the Quarries, and was twice severely wounded, first by a grape-shot in the thigh, and afterwards by the explosion of a Fougass (Medal with four clasps, Brevets of Major and Lieutenant-Colonel, Knight of the Legion of Honour, 4th class of the Medjidie and Turkish Medal). Awarded the C.B. for his services during the Crimea, Armstrong subsequently commanded No. 4 Depot Battalion from October 1855 until October 1860, when he was placed on half-pay. He was promoted to Major-General in March 1868, served as Deputy Adjutant General from November 1871 until November 1876, when he was appointed Inspector General of Auxiliary Forces, which position he held until his death. Armstrong was promoted to Lieutenant-General in October 1877, and died in London on 12 April 1880.

Edgar Herbert Armstrong was born in 1868, the son of Lieutenant-General James Wells Armstrong, C.B., 49th Regiment. He was commissioned into the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1889, and was attached to the Egyptian Army from 1901 with the rank of Kaimakam. In 1903 Captain Armstrong was in command of a patrol to the Zande country, while serving as an Inspector in the Bahr El Ghazal Province, in the course of which he was killed by an elephant on 23rd February. The patrol was brought back safely by Colour-Sergeant Boardman, of the King’s Liverpool Regiment and 15th Sudanese Battalion, despite coming under continuous attack from hostile tribesmen, an exploit which gained for him the Distinguished Conduct Medal.