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Auction: 17001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 177

(x) Four: Colour-Sergeant C. Fox, King's Royal Rifle Corps

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (1115 Cpl. C. Fox, 3/60th Foot); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Tel-el-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb (1115 L. Cpl. C. Fox, 3/K.R. Rif. C.), possible erasure between 'L.' and 'Cpl.' in rank; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue (1115 Cr. Sgt. C. Fox, K.R. Rif. C.); Khedive's Star 1882, clasp to first with slightly dented reverse, contact marks and edge bruising overall, fine and better (4)

Charles Fox was born at St. Helier, Jersey in August 1858 and enlisted in the 60th Royal Rifles in September 1876. Drafted to the 3rd Battalion, he was advanced to Lance-Corporal in August 1877 and to Corporal in August 1878.

In February 1879, 3/60th was ordered to South Africa, where it crossed the Tugela at the end of March. Hotly engaged at the battle of Ginginhlovo on 2 April, the Battalion suffered a number of casualties, including Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel F. V. Northey, who was mortally wounded. Having then established Fort Chelmsford and undertaken much convoy work to Fort Pearson, the Battalion encamped at Ulundi to assist in the search for King Cetewayo; a party was also detached to Isandhlwana on burial duties under the Rev. J. M. Richie. Fox, meanwhile, had faced a Regimental Court Marshal for absence from duty and was reduced to Private.

In December 1880, with the advent of the First Anglo-Boer War, 3/60th was mobilised in General Sir George Colley's force and were present in the costly actions at Laing's Nek and Ingogo in January 1881; two companies of the Battalion were also present in the disastrous action at Majuba. The Battalion was subsequently embarked for Malta, Fox having acquired a Lance-Corporal's stripe.

He next witnessed active service in the Egypt operations of 1882, including the actions at Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir, and was advanced to Corporal in April 1883; so, too, in the Suakin operations of 1884, including the action at El-Teb (Medal & 3 clasps; Khedive's Star). Fox received rapid promotion in the same period, probably as a result of the battle casualties sustained by 3/60th. He became Lance-Sergeant in December 1884 and Sergeant in January 1885.

Subsequently employed on garrison duty at Gibraltar, Fox returned to England in late 1890, where he was posted as an instructor to the 8th (Militia) Battalion, K.R.R.C. It was in this capacity that he was promoted to Colour-Sergeant and awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in AO 10 of 1 January 1896. Later still he was recommended for the M.S.M. with annuity but, owing to his death in 1928, he never received the award.

On being discharged in September 1898, Fox had returned to St. Helier, Jersey, where he found employment as an antique dealer; sold with an extensive file of copied research, from which the above biographical entry has been taken.


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Sold for
£1,400