Picture courtesy of DNW
The Royal Victorian Order, CVO, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘C724’;
IGS 1895 (1) Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Captn. G. J. Fitzgerald Ryl. Horse Gds:);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (Capt. G. J. Fitz-Gerald, R.H. Gds:);
Coronation 1902, silver;
Coronation 1911;
Union of South Africa Medal 1910, unnamed as issued
Provenance: Major Flatow Collection, Spink, November 1998.
CVO LG 6 July 1918: ‘Commanded Royal Horse Guards on the Occasion of Their Majesty’s Silver Wedding.’
MVO., 4th Class LG 28 November 1910: ‘Assistant Military Secretary, South Africa. On the occasion of the visit of Field Marshal His Royal Highness The Duke of Connaught to represent His Majesty at the opening of the first Parliament of the Union of South Africa.’
Gerald James Fitzgerald was born on 26 March 1869, educated at Wellington, and entered the Royal Horse Guards in 1889, being promoted to Lieutenant on 24 September 1890, and to Lieutenant and Adjutant on 9 September 1891. He was promoted to Captain on 6 February 1895, and served on the North West Frontier of India between 1897-98 as Extra Orderly Officer to Major-General Sir Bindon Blood, G.O.C. of the Malakand Field Force. He commanded the Royal Horse Guards Squadron in South Africa in 1900, on the Orange River and in the Transvaal, including the action at Elands River. Promoted to Major on 16 June 1906, he was appointed Assistant Military Secretary to Lord Methuen, G.O.C.-in-Chief, South Africa, from 4 April 1908, a post he held until 1911, thus qualifying for the Union Medal. In addition, he was appointed an MVO. on the occasion of the Duke of Connaught opening the first Parliament of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Soon promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel, he commanded not only the Royal Horse Guards, from 1915-19, but also the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment at Home from November 1914 until May 1919 prior to his retirement.
He died on 15 June 1944.