Auction Catalogue

7 December 2005

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 421

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7 December 2005

Hammer Price:
£1,600

The Boer War and Great War medals to Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Armstrong, commanding 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, killed in action at the battle of Loos 1915

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902
, 3 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Transvaal (Capt. C. A. Armstrong, North’d Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Maj. C. A. Armstrong, Nthld. Fus.); 1914-15 Star (Major, North’d Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.); Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt and enamels, in its Bertrand case of issue with note that it was conferred by President Courbet at Dover in 1910, the first two mounted as worn together with related miniatures, extremely fine (8) £800-1000

Charles Arthur Armstrong was born on 5 May 1873, only son of Major-General Charles Armstrong, Bengal Staff Corps. He was educated at R.M.C. Sandhurst, and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant to the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers on 10 October 1894, and promoted Lieutenant, December 1895; Captain, May 1900; Brevet Major, June 1902. He served throughout the South African War 1899-1902; was Commandant at Kraipan from 27 February 1901, and Adjutant 5th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry, June 1901 to May 1902; he took part in the operations in the Transvaal, February 1901 to May 1902, and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 17 June 1902).

Returning to England, Armstrong was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, with which he served until October 1913, when he was appointed Adjutant of the Officers’ Training Corps, Belfast (attached General Staff), a post he held until the outbreak of war. Confirmed in the rank of Major on 14 October 1914, he was then appointed to train the 8th Service Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion in June 1915, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and immediately went out to France. After being at the front for four months, Lieutenant-Colonel Armstrong was killed in action at the battle of Loos, 1 October 1915, and buried in the British Cemetery at Vermelles.