Orders, Decorations and Medals

India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (2nd Lieut. W. B. C. Bridge, 2 High. L.I.) minor edge bruising and contact marks, very fine £350-400

D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1917.

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 July 1916 and 4 January 1917.

William Basil Charles Bridge was born on 24 September 1874, the eldest son of Colonel W. A. Bridge, Royal Scots Fusiliers, and was educated at Wellington College. He joined the H.L.I. Militia in 1894 and was commssioned into the H.L.I. in March 1897. With the 2nd Battalion H.L I. he served with the Malakand and Buner Field Forces and was present at the attack and capture of the Tanga Pass. During the Boer War he was employed in Mounted Infantry operations in the Transvaal, October-December 1901 and February-May 1902; in operations in the Orange River Colony, January 1902 and in the Cape Colony, April 1902 - for which services he was awarded the Queen’s medal with five clasps. Later employed with the Egyptian Army, he retired as a Captain in the H.L.I. in 1907. Employed as Adjutant with the Volunteers and Territorial Force in the years prior to 1914, he was recalled for duty in the Great War, being appointed a Major in the H.L.I. Reserve of Officers in September 1915 and was later promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. He entered the Gallipoli theatre of war in August 1915 and later served in France; was mentioned in despatches and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. Sold with some copied research, including m.i.c. which records that Lieutenant-Colonel Bridge was a Kings messenger.