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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 199

Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

A very fine R.H.S. Bronze and Russian Order of St Anne group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel G. H. G. Mockler, Indian Army

A talented linguist, Mockler cut his teeth in Burma before rising to prominence during the China 1900 campaign, gaining a Brevet Majority and a 'mention', besides an attempted assassination whilst discharging his duties as the Chief of Police at Tientsin - also notably taking the Provisional Government Medal in Gold

After a posting on Intelligence duties at Simla, he raised the Indian Porter Corps for campaigning Somaliland, before representing Great Britain as Military Attache Observer during the Russo-Japanese War; once again returned to the fold, during the Great War Mockler commanded the 46th Punjabis on the North-West Frontier in 1915-16

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1889-92 (Lieut. G. H. G. Mockler 30/5th Burma Bn. M.I.), minor official correction to unit; China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Major G. H. G. Mockler 30 (5th. Burma Bn.) M.I.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Major G. H. G. Mockler 90th Punjabis.); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. G. H. G. Mockler, 46/Punjabis.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col. G. H. G. Mockler.); Delhi Durbar 1911 (Major G. H. G. Mockler 33rd Punjabis), privately engraved naming; Russia, Imperial, Russo-Japanese War Medal 1904-05, bronze (Major G. H. G. Mockler. British Attache), privately engraved naming; Royal Humane Society, Small Bronze Medal (Successful) (Capt. G. H. G. Mockler Sep: 25: 1900); Russia, Imperial, Order of St Anne, Military Division, Commander's neck Badge with Swords, 48mm, gold and enamel, gold marks to suspension loop and ring, mounted as worn where applicable, this last with enamel damage to reverse arms, very fine and better (10)

R.H.S. Case No. 31033:

'On the 25th September 1900, a Chinese girl jumped from a boat into the Peiho River, at Tientsin, China. There was a strong current, and the night dark. Mockler, at great risk, jumped in, caught the girl, and swam with her to the bank.'

Guy Henry Gaston Mockler was born on 9 September 1866 at Rathdown, Ireland and was commissioned into the Dorsetshire Regiment on 14 September 1887. Transferred to the Indian Army, he served with the 30th Regiment (5th Burma Battalion) of Madras Infantry in Burma (Medal & clasp), having been advanced Lieutenant in February 1888. Made Captain in September 1898, Mockler gained a 1st Class Russian qualification in April 1893, he would once again serve with his unit in the China Campaign, being present at the Relief of Pekin (Medal & clasp).

It was whilst in China that Mockler played a significant roll in the Provisional Government of Tientsin. Seven of the members of the Eight-Nation Alliance (Russia, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, the United States, and Italy) established the Tianjin Provisional Government on 30 July 1900. The Government was first known as the Viceroy's Government and was renamed the Tianjin Provisional Government on 14 August 1900. Tianjin, Chinghai, Ningho and some other regions, with 8 subordinate executive organizations came under their control and it existed until 1902. It was whilst in Tientsin that he was rewarded with a Brevet Majority in November 1900 and further 'mentioned' (London Gazette 14 May 1901, refers):

'...has done excellent service in the Civil Administration of Tientsin, as Chief of Police.'

Such a lofty position and his achievements did not go without notice, as recalled in The Englishman:

'Owing, in the first instance, to his extraordinary gift of languages, Major Mockler was appointed Chief of Police at Tien-tsin. At that time the settlement was overrun not only by ruffians of every nationality, but was garrisoned by troops belonging to various armies, large numbers of whom had got quite out of hand owing to the excesses they had been permitted to indulge in on landing.

Major (then Captain) Mockler took the settlement very strongly in hand. He organised a police force, and presently law-breakers found they got a very short shrift. For a few weeks the Chief of Police was in daily danger of his life. One attempt at assassination nearly succeeded, but in the course of a month or two, while the rest of Northern China was still in an uproar, Tien-tsin became a model town. The officers of the foreign Powers found some difficulty in believing that the terrible Chief of Police was a mere Captain in the Indian Army.'

Recovered from the attempt on his life, Mockler added the rare accolade of the Provisional Government Medal in Gold to add to his laurels (see Lot 200), one of just a dozen of these issued.

Returned to India, he went up to Simla and was attached to the Intelligence Branch, before raising the Indian Porter Corps (Coolie Corps). Mockler would take them on campaign to Somaliland (Medal & clasp).

With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in February 1904, the need for those with language skills to join the party of Military Observers and Attaches sent to oversee the conflict. No surprise, Mockler was posted to the Russian side and together with Captain Herbert Campbell Holman, the War Office published The Russo-Japanese War for them in 1908. A copy is held in the British Library (IOR/L/MIL/17/20/20, refers). He gained the Bronze War Medal and the Order of St Anne to add to his laurels.

Having also attended the 1911 Durbar with the 33rd Punjabis, he was to lead the 46th Punjabis during the Great War. The Regiment initially served on the North-West Frontier and took part in the Mohmand Blockade of 1915-16. They also served in the operations against the Mahsuds in Waziristan in 1917 and went to Egypt by War's end. His Medals were issued by the Government of India.

Having married Edith Jane Ringrose at Torquay in 1894, he had issue of a daughter and three sons, of whom Gerald Ringrose Mockler earned a D.S.O. during the Second World War (see Lot 169). Mockler died at Newton Abbot, Devon on 7 December 1948.

Please see Lot 361 for his miniature dress Medals.

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Sold for
£7,000

Starting price
£1600