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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 265

Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

The Victory Medal awarded to Colonel A. P. Westlake, Madras Lancers who was awarded a rare gold D.S.O. for his service in Burma prior to the Third Anglo-Burma War

Victory Medal 1914-1919 (Bt. Col. A. P. Westlake.), good very fine

[D.S.O.] London Gazette 25 November 1887.

M.I.D. London Gazette 2 September 1887.

Almond Paul Westlake was born at Calstock, Cornwall on 13 June 1858, the son of Thomas and Eleanor Westlake and was educated at King’s College, London. Commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 29 November 1876 with the 3rd Dragoon Guards he transferred to the 70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot.

Further advanced Lieutenant on 29 November 1877 he was posted to the Madras Staff Corps and embarked to India and seeing service Afghanistan the next year. After the war he was seconded to the 1st Madras Lancers in Burma as tensions within the country rose in the run up to the Third Anglo-Burmese War. His actions saw him mentioned in General White’s dispatch of 10 March 1887 which states:

‘Lieutenant Armytage, Liverpool Regiment, and Lieutenant Westlake, 1st Madras Lancers, have distinguished themselves by energetic and successful expeditions against the dakait [SIC] and rebel leaders in the district.

(Englishman’s Overland Mail, 25 June 1887, refers)

Several newspapers provide further detail, with one stating:

‘On the 14th instant a troop of the Madras Lancers under Lieutenant Westlake dispersed a band of dakaits [dacoits] near Leghairn, killing ten and capturing two. The report that the Chins have killed Boh Shoay is believed in well informed quarters’

(Englishman’s Overland Mail, 22 March 1887, refers)

Serving through the Third Anglo-Burmese War and the Chin Hills insurrection Westlake was advanced Captain on 29 November 1888 and Major on 29 November 1897. Appointed Superintendent of the Army Re-mounted Depot at Hapur, a role he served in for several years. Given command of the 26th (King George’s Own) Light Cavalry on 9 August 1902 he was further advanced Brevet Colonel on 29 November 1903.

Returning to Britain Westlake was appointed to command the Hounslow Horse Depot on 5 August 1914 before being posted to Ormskirk, Lancashire at the end of the year. He entered the war in France as commander of the Remounts Base Depot in France on 23 June 1916 a role he was to hold for the duration of the war. Westlake retired in 1919 and died at Fleet, Hampshire in 1927. He was survived by his sister Lady Alice Agnes Pauline Griffith (nee Westlake) who married Sir Ralph Griffith, the first Governor of the North-West Frontier Province.

Further entitled to the Distinguished Service Order, Afghanistan 1878-80, India General Service 1854-95 and British War Medal 1914-20.

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Sold for
£180

Starting price
£70