Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Eight: Lieutenant-Colonel J. D. L. de Wend-Fenton, 3rd Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps, late 14th Hussars

1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., 14/Hrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1937; 14th Hussars Medal, by Phillips, Aldershot, obv. regimental crest; rev. engraved, ‘Major J. D. L. de Wend Fenton, 14th/20th Hussars, in recognition of his valuable services to the regiment in all forms of mounted sport 1933’, 49mm., silver, fine, but mostly better (8) £220-260

James Douglas Leonard de Wend-Fenton was born on 15 October 1890 into an ancient Yorkshire family, and educated at Marlborough and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

He was commissioned into the 14th Hussars on 8 November 1911, and joined them in India, being promoted to Lieutenant in 1913. On leave on the outbreak of war, he was attached to the Royals, serving with them in France for the first of the war, rejoining his own regiment, in Mesopotamia at the end of 1915. He was promoted Captain in 1917. In 1922 his regiment amalgamated with the 20th Hussars. In 1930 he was granted the brevet of Major, being promoted to Major in the following year. A first class horseman, he played polo for his regiment and was a reserve for ‘the Army’. He was transferred to the 3rd Hussars as Commanding Officer in June 1936, and was responsible for the mechanization of the regiment, which was the first cavalry regiment to be equipped with tanks. He left the regiment in June 1939 and retired from the Army in August 1939.

He rejoined the Army in 1940, and was Commandant of a P.O.W. Camp when he died of a pulmonary embolism on 6 April 1942. He was buried in the Heliopolis War Cemetery, Egypt. Sold with a quantity of copied research.