South Africa 1877-79, 1 bar 1879 CAPT: C.W. MURRAY 61st FOOT;

This unique SAG to the regiment group is currently on sale. I only checked Shadbolt for AZW service and the SAGS roll for the medal. Both pan out. The group is fairly well priced but given the uniqueness someone might be interested.

Rgds

SergioD


The impressive & unique group of awards to Colonel Sir Wyndham Murray, K.C.B., Grand Cross St.John of Jerusalem, Gloucestershire Regiment, Military King's Messenger in France 1915-16, British Red Cross Society & Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a Member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, & Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod in the Order of the Bath.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Civil) Knight Commander's set of insignia comprising silver-gilt neck badge, hallmarked London 1912, & breast star in silver & gilt; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Bailiff Grand Cross set of insignia comprising sash badge & breast star, silver-gilt & enamels, with section of full dress sash; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Justice, 1st type set of insignia comprising neck badge & breast star, silver-gilt & enamels; South Africa 1877-79, 1 bar 1879 CAPT: C.W. MURRAY 61st FOOT; Afghanistan 1878-80, no bar CAPT: & BT. MAJ: C.W. MURRAY. 61st FOOT; Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, 1 bar Tel-el-Kebir MAJ: C.W. MURRAY. 1/GLOUC: R.; 1914-15 Star COL. SIR C.W. MURRAY.; British War & Victory Medal both COL. SIR C.W. MURRAY. the Star & Victory Medal identically named in small impressed capitals (see note below) Jubilee 1897, silver Col: W. Murray. M.P., Royal Body Guard; Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Khedive's Star 1882; Order of Osmanieh, 4th class breast badge, silver-gilt & enamels, damage to green enamel; Japan, Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class neck badge, silver-gilt & enamels; Japan, Red Cross Order of Merit, with rosette on ribbon & related lapel rosette; Japan, Red Cross Membership Medal, with related lapel rosette; Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy, silver-gilt & enamels; together with 17 miniature medals representing the above awards.

The first two campaign medals are unique to the 61st Regiment. There were 7 bars for Tel-el-Kebir to the Gloucestershire Regiment including two to Officers the O.R.'s were Signallers.

Charles Wyndham Murray born 22.2.1844, the son of Rev. Thomas Boyles Murray & Helen Douglas, educated at Marlborough College. He entered the Army as an Ensign in the 61st South Gloucestershire Regiment in November 1862, & was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1865. He passed Staff College in 1872 & served as Deputy Assistant & Quartermaster-General at Cork 1875 & then the Intelligence Dept., Dublin, was promoted to Captain in October 1877, Military Attaché in Turkey 1878. In March 1879 he proceeded to Zululand as Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Crealock, & in May was appointed D.A.Q.M.G. to the 1st Division. He made surveys of the routes to be taken by the column & selected camping-grounds, etc. On the breaking up of the Division he was appointed reconnoitring officer, with rank of D.A.Q.M.G., to Clarke's Flying Column, & was attached to the Mounted Infantry under Major Barrow. He surveyed & reported on the whole route followed by the Column to the Black Umvolosi, beyond Ulundi. He was afterwards present during the search for the King, & selected the route to be followed by the Column to the Middle Drift (Despatches, Medal with Clasp, Brevet of Major).

In the Spring of 1880 he was attached for duty to the 72nd Highlanders at Kabul. He was appointed Orderly Officer to Brigadier-General Baker & accompanied his column, in that capacity, in the expedition into the Logar Valley in May - June, 1880; & served as Provost-Marshal & D.A.Q.M.G. Quetta Division (Medal). He served also as Staff Officer, Pishin Outposts, Afghanistan 1881 (Despatches).

In 1882 Murray served with the Egyptian Expedition, as Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster-General on the base & lines of communication, & was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (Despatches London Gazette 2.11.1882, Medal with bar, Bronze Star, Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th class Osmanieh). He also served with the Bechuanaland Expedition of 1884-85, as D.A.A. & Q.M.G. (Honourably mentioned). Murray retired from the service in 1890 & was appointed a Member of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms 1891.

He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Bath from 1892 to 1906, and was Chairman of the Japan Society from 1913 to 1918 (3rd class of the Rising Sun of Japan). He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1902 (C.B.), Knighted in 1905 & advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1917 (K.C.B.). From 1913 until his death in 1928 he held the Office of Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod in the Order of the Bath. During the Great War (aged 72) he served in France in 1915 with the British Red Cross Society, & as a Military King's Messenger, 1915-16. For many years a Knight of Justice of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, he was made Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order in 1927. Colonel Sir Wyndham Murray died on 1.11.1928.

Note:- the Medal Index Cards show that Sir Wyndham Murray was entitled to the British War Medal for his services as a Military King's Messenger in 1915-16 but he was ineligible for the 1914-15 Star or Victory Medal for these services. However, he went to France on Special Service with the B.R.C.S. & O.St.J.J. in August 1915 and is on the roll for that unit as being entitled to the 1914-15 Star trio. Consequently his British War Medal was issued off the first roll in April 1921, with the Star & Victory Medal off the latter roll in April 1925. Wrote the book “A Varied Life” in 1925. The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, established in 1725, to date there has been just 20 holding this post.

1928 Obituary Colonel Sir C. Wyndham-Murray, KCB, died in London, October 1928, at the age of 84 years, joining the Gloucester Regiment in 1862, the late Col. Murray had a distinguished career as a soldier, the campaigns he took part in being as follows: South African War 1879, where he received the Brevet of Major, was MID & awarded the medal with clasp. The Afghan War of 1880-81, expedition to Logar Valley, where he served as DAQMG, Quetta Division, awarded medal. Egyptian Expedition of 1882, served as DAA and QMG present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, Brevet of Lieut-Col., MID, awarded medal with clasp, Khedives Bronze Star, 4th class Osmanieh. Bechuanaland Expedition 1884-5, served as DAA and QMG, MID. On leaving the service the late Sir C.W. Murray took up politics & sat as MP for Bath, on the outbreak of war he at once offered his services and was awarded the 1914-15 star, British War & Victory medals for this campaign. In addition he possessed the Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) & was Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod in the Order of the Bath, also a Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John. Many members who were serving with the 28th will no doubt remember him visiting the Battalion in the line at Festubert, in the early days of the war, he was then 72 years of age. As a Vice-President & Life Member of the Regimental Association he took a very keen interest in all Regimental matters, & his death is mourned by all members. Generally good very fine or better. All mounted in two old gilt frames for display with ivorine name

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I realized I hadn't put where it was for sale!!

Nice group but rather suprisingly failed to meet its £8,000 reserve at DNW a few days ago so went unsold. Guess its probably just got too many Awards with it display wise.

Justin

"Captain Murray served in the Zulu war of 1879, first as Aide de Camp to Major General Crealock, commanding the 1st Division, and afterwards as Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General in the Intelligence Branch of the Division ; was finally attached in this capacity to Clarke's Column, reconnoitred the country beyond Ulundi as far as the Ngome region, and made a reconnaissance of the route to be traversed by the column from Ulundi to the Middle Drift of the Tugela River."