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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 174

A Second Boer War D.S.O. group of four awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel G. S. C. Jenkinson, Imperial Yeomanry, late Derbyshire Regiment

A well-connected officer - a cousin of General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien and counting the likes of Colonel Lord William 'Bill' Beresford, V.C., K.C.I.E. amongst his friends - he first saw action in the Burma operations of 1887, in which he was severely wounded

Having then witnessed further action in the Lagos Hinterland in 1897-98 - when he was appointed Inspector-General of the Gold Coast Constabulary - he was awarded the D.S.O. for his services in the Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa


Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, complete with top riband Bar, this adapted for mounting, minor enamel damage to wreath; India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89 (Captain G. S. C. Jenkinson. 2d Bn. Derby. R.); East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, 1897-98 (Major C. Jenkinson. Derby. Rgt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (Major G. P. C. Jenkinson. 16/Impl. Yeo.), note initials on this last, nearly extremely fine (4)

D.S.O. London Gazette 27 September 1901.

George Seymour Charles Jenkinson was born on 18 February 1858, the son of J. A. Jenkinson of Ocklye, Crowborough, Sussex. Educated at Marlborough School, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment on 1 May 1878 and was promoted to Lieutenant in February 1879.
Well-connected - he was a cousin of General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, G.C.M.G., G.C.B., D.S.O. and counted the likes of Colonel Lord William 'Bill' Beresford, V.C., K.C.I.E. and 'Jack' Sherston, D.S.O., of the Rifle Brigade, among his friends - he spent much of his career in India, where he served as a Station Staff Officer and later as a Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General. But it was in Burma that he witnessed his first stint of active service, when, having been advanced to Captain, he was severely wounded on 9 August 1887 (Medal & 2 clasps).

Back in the U.K. at the time of his advancement to Major in June 1896, he maintained extensive stables with a fellow army officer, Major Dudley Althorp of the 19th Hussars. Between them they kept a large stud for racing and polo purposes, sometimes as many as 30 horses and ponies, and brought off several notable wins on the Turf. In the circumstances, why Jenkinson made his next career move remains a puzzle, but possibly he was bored with garrison duties on the home establishment or, perhaps, had run into monetary trouble.

Either way, in May 1897 he was appointed Deputy Inspector-General of the Gold Coast Constabulary on an annual salary of £500, with additional allowances. And he remained likewise employed until the summer of 1898, in which period he witnessed active service in the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast, where among other duties, he oversaw operations against the Binduris (Medal & clasp). He also rose to be Inspector-General upon Sir Francis Scott being transferred to Trinidad in March 1898, and presided at a Court of Enquiry to consider charges against Captain A. L. M. Mitchell, the Inspector-General of the Lagos Hausa Force; see Lot 103.

Having then been placed on the Reserve of Officers, Jenkinson returned to duty on the outbreak of the Boer War, when he served as a Major in the 15th (Northumberland) and latterly the 16th (Worcestershire) Imperial Yeomanry. He is believed to have been captured by the Boers while serving in the 15th Company, but was later released, and was mentioned in despatches and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, which latter distinction he received from hands of The King on 29 October 1901.

Appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and commanding officer of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry in 1903, Jenkinson died at Lamport Grange, Northamptonshire on 27 September 1907, aged just 49. He had married Ada, daughter of Caesar Czarnikow of Effingham Hill and Eaton Square, and left a young son. His widow married Sir Charles Frederick, 8th Baronet and became Lady Ada Frederick of Lamport Grange.

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Estimate
£2,400 to £2,800

Starting price
£2000