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The QSA to Major Boultbee sold just now for a hammer price of GBP 900. Totals: GBP 1,181. R 26,800. AUD 2,180. NZD 2,360. CAD 1,980. USD 1,440. EUR 1,330.

Pictures courtesy of Noonan's

KCB (Military) b/s and n/b;
CMG n/b;
QSA (4) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, clasp carriage ‘flattened’ for mounting purposes (Capt & Adjt. H. L. Croker. Leic: Regt.) engraved naming;
KSA (2) carriage ‘flattened’ for mounting purposes (Maj. & Adjt. H. L. Croker. Leic: Rgt.) engraved naming;
1914 Star, with clasp (Lt. Col: H. L. Croker. Leic: R.);
British War and Victory Medals, with MID (Maj. Gen. H. L. Croker.);
Coronation 1911, unnamed as issued;
Greece, Kingdom, Order of the Redeemer, 2nd type, Grand Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse central medallion missing, with section of neck riband for display purposes, and breast Star, silver, silver-gilt, and enamel, unmarked, with original retaining pin, lacking hook, with two additional retaining hooks, traces of adhesive to reverses of both;
Serbia, Kingdom, Order of the White Eagle, Military Division, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, unmarked, with section of neck riband for display purposes, reverse central ‘1882’ missing with resultant red enamel damage to reverse central medallion, significant blue enamel damage to pendelia and crown suspension detached but present;
Greece, Kingdom, War Cross 1916-17, silver, with silver star on riband;
France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated 1914-1918, with bronze palm on riband

KCB London Gazette 3 July 1926.
CB London Gazette 2 March 1915.
CMG London Gazette 4 June 1917.
MID London Gazettes 8 February 1901; 10 September 1901; 29 July 1902 (these all South Africa); 17 February 1915; 1 January 1916 (these two both France); 6 December 1916; 21 July 1917; 28 November 1917; and 30 January 1919 (these last four all Salonika).
Greek Order of the Redeemer Second Class London Gazette 9 November 1918.
Serbian Order of the White Eagle Third Class with Swords London Gazette 7 June 1919.
Greek War Cross London Gazette 21 July 1919.
French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 21 July 1919.

Sir Henry Leycester Croker was born in Cheltenham on 17 October 1864, the son of Captain Edward Croker, 17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot, and the grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel William Croker, 17th (Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot, and was educated at Cheltenham College. He was commissioned Lieutenant in the 4th (Militia) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, on 30 January 1884, and transferred to the Regular Army as a Lieutenant in his family Regiment, the Leicestershire Regiment, on 28 April 1886. He served with the 1st Battalion in the West Indies and North America during the 1890s, and was promoted Captain on 5 February 1894.

Appointed Adjutant of the 1st Battalion on 25 November 1899, Croker served with the Regiment in South Africa during the Boer War, and took part in the operations in Natal in 1899-1900, including the action at Talana, the march from Dundee to Ladysmith, the engagement at Lombard’s Kop, and the Defence of Ladysmith, and is one of those officers who was depicted in Dickinson’s and Foster’s famous painting The Defenders of Ladysmith. Present at the action at Laing’s Nek from 6 to 9 June 1900, in the subsequent advance under Sir Redvers Buller through Northern Natal into the Transvaal he took part in the engagements at Armesfoort, Ermelo, Geluk’s Farm, Bergendal, and Badfontein, and was present at the actions at Belfast on 26-27 August 1900, and at Lydenberg from 5 to 8 September 1900. He saw further service in the operations under Sir John French in the Eastern Transvaal and on the Swaziland border, and under Major General W. Kitchener at Blood River Valley, South Eastern Transvaal, and Ilangapies. For his services in South Africa he was three times Mentioned in Despatches and was promoted Brevet Major on 22 August 1902.

Confirmed in the rank of Major on 31 May 1904, Croker was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 1 November 1910, and served during the Great War in command of the 1st Battalion on the Western Front from 7 September 1914 to 18 March 1915. Promoted Major-General, he commanded the 81st Infantry Brigade in France from 21 March 1915 to 20 May 1916, and the 28th Division in Salonika from 21 May 1916 to the cessation of hostilities. Wounded, for his services during the Great War he appointed a Companion of both the Orders of the Bath and of St. Michael and St. George; was six times Mentioned in Despatches; and was honoured by the Governments of Greece, Serbia, and France.

Croker married Mabel Tedlie in London on 1 June 1897, and together they had two daughters, including Phyllis Marian Croker. He retired with the rank of Major-General in 1923, and was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1926. He died in Kensington on 20 August 1938, and is buried in Leicester Cathedral. His obituary in the Regimental Journal gave the following personal tribute:

‘Croker was a man who inspired in both his superiors and subordinates feelings of affection, respect, and admiration. He was essentially a regimental officer who identified himself in every way with the Regiment, whose welfare and prestige were very near his heart. One can understand his feelings of loyalty and love of the Regiment when one realises what a long connection his family maintained with the 17th Foot. Not only was his father in the Regiment, but his grandfather commanded it with great distinction at the storming of Khelat in India in 1839. Every officer and man who served with him will mourn his loss.’

QSA (6) Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Colony (3829, Serjt. C. J. Jordan, 18/Hrs.) clasps mounted in order listed;
KSA (2) (3829 Serjt: C. Jordan. 18th Hussars)

C Squadron. Invalided 23 May 00. Also served Transvaal Town Police. To Army Reserve, 3 August 1902.

Not entitled to Laing's Nek.

The group to Major General Croker sold for a hammer price of GBP 28,000. Total GBP 36,064. R 791,200. AUD 65,980. NZD 71,770. CAD 60,140. USD 43,960. EUR 41,030

The other Talana pair, to Sgt C J Jordan, 18th Hussars, sold for a hammer price of GBP 380. Totals: GBP 489. R 10,740. AUD 900. NZD 970. CAD 820. USD 600. EUR 560

We have seen these before but they are worth repeating.


Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

CB (Military);
Afghanistan (0);
IGS 1854 (1) Burma 1889-92;
IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-8, Tirah 1897-8;
QSA (1) Talana, mounted as worn.

Brigadier-General James Herbert Yule was commissioned as an Ensign in the 11th (North Devonshire) Regiment on 1 December 1865. Serving during the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879, he then took part in suppressing the Burmese resistance movement in 1891. Present in India during the Tirah campaign in 1897, Yule later served during the Second Anglo-Boer War and was given command of a Brigade in the newly-formed 4th Division in Northern Natal in September 1899. He was then given a new command with orders to defend Glencoe in October 1899. The Division, under the command of Major-General Sir William Penn Symons, launched a frontal attack on the enemy during the Battle of Glencoe on 20 October 1899. However, Symons was seriously wounded, and Yule temporarily took over command of the Division. Yule managed to secure the target of the attack, Talana Hill, but after finding it impossible to keep possession of the hill, withdrew to Ladysmith where it became part of the besieged garrison on 26 October 1899. Yule died on 7 May 1920.

Ex Spink, 21 July 2022.