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Auction: 14035 - Postal History, Autographs and Historical Documents
Lot: 3083

Historical Documents
A Book of Signatures of Recipients of Medals
A leather bound ledger with its original leather case, created by Lt. Col Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker. Each medal, whether for honour, gallantry or a campaign is identified with a piece of the medal ribbon, details or illustrations of each medal and as many signatures of the recipients as could be acquired. It appears that this book was carried to suitable events or was sent to different recipients to be signed, representing a long and dedicated passion for this subject. Although those who have signed this book tend to be from the higher ranks of the army and navy, with countless generals and many field marshals and admirals, there are also several members of the royal family and other foreign recipients.

The book commences with Order of the Garter
The Order of the Garter is the most senior and the oldest British Order of Chivalry and was founded by Edward III in 1348. The Order, consisting of the King and twenty-five knights, honours those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.
Signatures include Queen "Alexandra", King "George V", Prince "George" (Duke of Kent), Prince "Arthur" Duke of Connaught, Prince "Arthur" of Connaught, "Wellington", Earl "Roberts F.M.", Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes "Crewe", Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice "Lansdowne", John Campbell "Argyll", Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound "Minto", Henry Percy "Northumberland", Henry Fitzalan-Howard "Norfolk", Herbrand Russell "Bedford", Augustus Fitzroy "Grafton", George "Cadogan", William Palmer "Selbourne", Charles "Hardinge of Penshurst", "Montgomery of Alamein"

Order of the Thistle with King George V and others

Order of St Patrick with King George V, and others including Wolseley F.M. and Roberts F.M.

Order of the Bath
The Order of Bath is mainly awarded to officers of the Armed Services, as well as to a small number of civil servants. Numbers may be increased in times of war or in the event of any military or civil action or service which merits 'peculiar honour or reward'.
Seven pages including Wolseley F.M., Evelyn Wood F.M., D.M. Probyn Gen., Geo S. White F.M., E.R.G.R. Evans (Scott Expedition), Col. Edward Thackeray VC, Montgomery of Alamein, Roberts F.M., Hardinge of Penshurst, Claude M. Macdonald, Earl Grey, Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Robert Baden Powell (Lt.Gen.), Douglas Haig, Alex Godley Colonel, D.M. Probyn Gen., C.H. Brownlow F.M., Lt. General Baron Y. Fukoshima Vice Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Baron M. Saito I.J.N. (later Governor of Korea and prime minister of Japan), Marquis Katsura Prime Minister

Order of the Star of India including Roberts F.M., Geo S. White F.M., Lansdowne, Curzon of Kedleston, D.M. Probyn gGen., Minto, Harding of Penshurst, Ganga Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, Hardinge of Penshurst, Francis Younghusband, H.M. Durand

Order of St. Michael and St. George
The Order of St Michael and St George is awarded to men and women of high office, or who render extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country. It can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.
Signatures include Frowd Walker (himself), Argyll, George White F.M., Minto, Marquis Matzukata, Wolseley F.M., Geo S. Milner F.M., Evelyn Wood, J.D.P. French F.M., Clarendon, Gleichen Col., Sydenham of Combe, Cromer, Knutsford, Landsdown.

Order of the Indian Empire including Roberts F.M., Minto, Ganga Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, Hardinge of Penshurst, Minto, Lansdowne, Douglas Haig

Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is given by The Queen to people who have served her or the Monarchy in a personal way. These may include officials of the Royal Household, family members or perhaps British Ambassadors who have helped organise a State Visit to a particular country.
Signatures include Prince "Arthur", Prince "George", Prince "Christian", Wellington, Argyll, Redesdale, Hardinge of Penshurst, Douglas Haig, Gleichen, Norfolk, David Beatty, Robert Baden Powell.

St. John of Jerusalem including Princess Helena, Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Roberts F.M., Hardinge of Penshurst, George Milne F.M., Sydenham of Combe

Royal Red Cross including Princess Helena, Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Lady Roberts

Distinguished Service Order including Montgomery of Alamein, E.R.G.R. Evans, Webb Gillman, Arch W McDonald 1st Lovat Scouts

Order of Victoria and Albert signed by Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Princess Helena, Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Patricia of Connaught

Order of the Crown of India signed by Nora Roberts (wife of F.M. Roberts), Mary (4th countess of) Minto, Lady Napier of Magdala, Princess Helena, Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein

Order of Merit a special honour awarded to individuals of great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning, literature and science. This page with W. Holman Hunt, S. Alma Tadema, Kitchener, Cromer (Evelyn Baring), Roberts F.M., E.H. Seymour Admiral of the Fleet, George S. White F.M., J. Smuts, Admiral Count H. Togo, Prince "Oyama" Iwao with note "Field Marshal Commander Japanese Army in Russia War"

Victoria Cross for the Navy with "Israel Harding, H.M.S. Alexandra" (1882) and "Chas D Lucas Rear Admiral. Inscription on Cross 'HMS Hecla 21st June 1854'. This is prior to all other dates CDL"

Victoria Cross for the Army with Percy S. Marling (1884), H.H. Lyster Lt. Gen., (1857), Lord Roberts F.M. (1858), A.S. Cobbe (1903), H.L. Reed (1899), George S. White F.M. (1879), J.E. Gough Col. (1857), HND Prendergast, general (1857), W.A. Kerr, July 1857, Mahratta Horse (1857), Evelyn Wood F.M. (1858), D.M. Probyn Gen. (1862), John Watson (1848), Alfred S Jones the first C E (1857), Anthony D. Home Surgeon Gen. (1857), Edward Pemberton Leach General R.E. (1879), Frederick William Bell 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards (1901), Luke O'Connor (Late R.W. Fusiliers) (1856), T. Cadell, Colonel (1857), J. Hills-Johnes 23 years (1857), E.J. Phipps-Hornby (1900), A.J. Hammond Col. (1879), Henry T. Sylvester, late asst. surgeon, 25 RWF (1856), Henry M. Jones (1857), Edward J. Thackeray Col. (1857), J. Manners Smith Lt. Col. (1892), W. Babtie (1900), O'M Creagh Genl. (1879) and P.A. Kenna Br. Gen. (1898)

Imperial Service Order

Imperial Medal of India including Roberts F.M., Geo S. White F.M., B. Blood Gen.

Kaisar-I-Hind. Hind Medal with Mary Minto, Ganga Singh, Marahrajah of Bokaner, Francis Younghusband

The Albert Medal with E.R.G.R. Evans

Diamond Jubilee Medal with numerous signatures including Prince Arthur, Wolseley F.M., E.H. Seymour Admiral of the Fleet, Minto, Roberts F.M., Hardinge of Penshurst, Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Cromer, Roberts

Delhi Durbar including G.H. Younghusband, General Oku, Curzon of Kedleston, Francis Younghusband

King's Coronation with numerous signatures including Evelyn Wood F.M., Minto, Wolseley F.M., Richmond & Gordon, Arthur Lyttelton-Annesley, Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Hardinge of Penshurst, Roberts F.M., Cromer, Waldegrave, Prince Arthur, W. Baptie, Ganga Singh, Waldegrave, Cementi Smith, Robert Baden Powell, French Gen.

Order of the Black Eagle signed by Prince Arthur and Roberts F.M.

The Legion of Honour including S. Alma Tadema, Evelyn Wood F.M., Wolseley F.M., Hardinge of Penshurst, Geo. F. Milne F.M., E.R.G.R. Evans

Order of the Rising Sun and Order of the Chrysanthemum including Prince Yorihito, Prince Oyama, Admiral Count H. Togo

Order of the Medjidj including Minto, Wolseley F.M. Evelyn Wood F.M., Luke O'Connor V.C. C.B., C.C.P. Fitzgerald Admiral,

Order of the Osmanie including Wolseley F.M., E.H. Seymour Admiral of the Fleet, Claude M. Macdonald Col., N.G. Lyttleton Gen., Harry H Rawson Admiral 1882, Chas C. Drury Admiral

The Scinde and Jellalabad medals with accompanying letters and notes plus other Indian campaigns

Various Crimea medals including French and Turkish, Baltic, Sardinian and Conspicuous Gallantry

Indian Mutiny 1857-58, China 1857-60, Abyssinia 1867-68, New Zealand (1845-46), West Africa (1873), South Africa (1834-79) with Cape General Service (1880-97), Afghanistan (1878-80), Robert's Star (1880), Egypt (1882-89), Khedive's Star (1882-91), Canada (1885) including T Bland Strange Major General com. Alberta Field Force, Canadian General Service (1899), Eastern and Central Africa (1891-95), Matabeleland (1893-97) including Earl Grey, Baden Powell, Ashanti Star (1895-96), Indian Medal (1895-98), East and Central Africa (1897-98), British Soudan (1899) including Douglas Haig, Khedive Soudan, numerous signatures for South Africa (1900) and King's South Africa (1902), Kimberley Star (1897-1900), Order of Murmat (1893), Ashantee (1900), West Africa (1900), East African General Service (1900), Indian General Service (1908), Tibet (1904), Order of the Red Eagle including Prince Arthur.

Other foreign medals include Russia Order of St. Anne signed by Webb Gillman B.G., The Star of Roumania signed by Geo. F. Milne F.M., Serbia Order of the White Eagle, Order of Naval Merit (Spain), Order of Merit Pyrmont-Waldeck signed by Alban Wilson 8th Gurkha Rifles, Order of the Crown of Italy, Order of the Crown (Belgium), Order of Leopold including S. Alma Tadema, Order of the Redeemer (Greece) including Prince Arthur, Hardinge of Penshurst, Aberconway of Bodnant,

Royal Humane Society and the Stanhope Gold Medal, Transport, Artic Medal, King's Coronation (1911) includes Princess Helena,

Military Cross (1915) and numerous signatures for the Great War, France Croix de Guerre, Belgium Croix de guerre.

The final page is of the British rowing eight in the 1908 Olympic Games gold medal team and signed by A.A. Gladstone, F.S. Kelley, B.C. Johnstone, Guy Nickalls, D.C. Burnell, R.H. Sanderson, R.R. Etherington-Smith, H.C. Bucknall and cox G. Maclagan.

Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker (1850-1917)
He went to the Royal Military College Sandhurst where he excelled at sport, representing the college at athletics in 1869 and 1870 and for the Cricket XI in 1869 becoming their Captain the following year. On his graduation from Sandhurst he was awarded the Sword of Honour which was presented to him by the Duke of Cambridge.

He was a keen footballer and, on leaving Sandhurst, joined Clapham Rovers Football Club and later Wanderers Football Club. In November 1870 he was selected to play for England against Scotland where he scored the only goal in England's 1-0 victory. On the 25th of February 1871 he again played for England against Scotland in a 1-1 draw, again scoring England's only goal. On the 18th of November 1871 he scored twice for England in their 2-1 victory over Scotland. He was also selected to play for the England Rugby XV against Scotland in the test match of 1873 but in the event he didn't play in the match.

He was commissioned as an Ensign in the 28th Regiment of Foot (Gloucester Regiment) on the 28th of October 1871. In December 1872 he was promoted to Lieutenant with effect from the 28th of October 1871. He served in Gibraltar and Malta with his regiment.

In 1874 he was posted to Perak in Malaya but later transferred to Hong Kong. In 1878 he moved on to Singapore where he was Aide-de-Camp to Sir William Robertson, Governor of the Straits Settlement.

In early 1879 he entered the service of the Federated Malay States, becoming Deputy Commissioner of the Perak Armed Police in 1880. He was promoted to Captain in 1881 and by 1884 he was Commandant of the 1st Battalion of Perak Sikhs with the local rank of Major.

On the 1st of July 1888 he was promoted to Major. On the 27th of November 1889 he was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel while with the Perak Police. In 1896 the Perak and Sengalor Police Forces were merged into the Malay States Guides and Walker was appointed as their first commandant.

He had the reputation of being something of a disciplinarian with a fierce temper, and was known to the local Malays as the "Black Panther". He has been described as "at the best of times very much a martinet" and "a difficult man to work with".

He was made a Companion of St Michael and St George in the King's New Years Honours List of the 1st of January 1901 and has placed his signature in this volume. On the 3rd of May 1902 he was granted the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel on his appointment as Commandant of the Malay States Guides.

In 1907 he married Beatrice (nee Ireland) the widow of Colonel Richard George Bolford Bolton, Royal Horse Guards.

He retired from the army on the grounds of ill health in 1910 and returned to the UK, living at Scott's Lodge, Knockholt in Kent.

On his retirement a bronze statue of him was erected outside the Perak Museum in Taiping which was paid for by public subscription of the Sultans of Perak and Johore, friends of the principal Chinese Towkays and by the officers and men of the Regiment of Malay State Guides.

The inscription reads, "For his hospitality and encouragement of all branches of sport and his success in raising the Regiment of Malay States Guides to the highest excellence this statue will serve as a continued remembrance."

He rejoined the army during the Great War when he was appointed as Commandant of the prisoner of war camp at Alexandra Palace where German and Austrian nationals were interned from March 1915.

He died from prostate cancer and is commemorated on the war memorial at Knockholt.

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Estimate
£15,000 to £20,000