Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A C.B. group of nine to Colonel Sir Arthur Davidson, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., King’s Royal Rifle Corps

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, some damage and loss to obverse and reverse central motif, with silver-gilt buckle on ribbon; Jubilee 1897, silver; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911, silver; Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar (Lieut., 2/60th Foot); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (Lieut., 2/60 Foot); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-el-Kebir (Lieut., 2 K.R. Rif. C.); Turkey, Order of Medjidie, 5th Class, silver, gold and enamel, slight enamel damage to crescent suspension; Khedive’s Star 1882, last with additional fitting on reverse, mounted as worn, generally very fine (9) £2000-2500

Arthur Davidson was born on 12 November 1856, the son of W. Davidson of Welwyn, Hertfordshire, and was educated privately and at Petersham. He joined the 60th Rifles in 1876 and served with the 2nd Battalion in the Afghanistan War from October 1878 to November 1880. There he took part in the advance on and occupation of Kandahar and Kelat-i-Ghilzie, and was present at the engagements at Ahmed Khel and Urzoo near Ghuznee, for which he was mentioned in despatches. He then served as Aide de Camp to Sir Donald Stewart at Kabul, and accompanied Sir Frederick Roberts in the march to Kandahar as Aide de Camp to Major-General Ross, and present at the battle of Kandahar, for which he was again mentioned in despatches.

He then served in the Marri Expedition under General MacGregor and was in the first Boer War 1881 with the Natal Field Force. In the Egyptian War of 1882 he was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir and was awarded the Turkish Order of Medjidie 5th Class. He next served in the Bechuanaland Expedition of 1884-85 under Sir Charles Warren, for which he was mentioned in despatches. Davidson was appointed A.D.C. to H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, 1890-95, Groom-in-Waiting to the Queen, 1895-96, and Equerry-in-Waiting, 1896-1901. As Equerry and Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Assistant Private Secretary to King Edward VII, 1901-10, he was awarded the C.B. in 1902, K.C.V.O. in 1908 and K.C.B. in 1910. Later appointed Extra Equerry to the King and Equerry to Queen Alexandra, he was awarded the G.C.V.O. in 1921 and was in receipt of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog, Japanese Orders of the Rising Sun and Sacred Treasure and Greek Order of the Redeemer. Sir Arthur Davidson died on 16 October 1922.