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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 122

A fine Victorian gold C.B. group of seven awarded to Honorary Major-General F. E. Appleyard, 85th Foot, late 80th Regiment and 7th Royal Fusiliers, whose distinguished career is recounted in the pages of his two-volume Incidents and Occurrences during My Thirty-Four Years Active Service

Having cut his teeth as a member of the storming party at the capture of the Great Dagon Pagoda in Burma in April 1852, he gained a 'mention' and the brevet of Major for his deeds in the Crimea, where he was wounded at the Battle of Alma and in the assault on the Redan in June 1855

He added three further 'mentions' to his accolades for his command of the 3rd Brigade in the 1st Division, Peshawar Valley Field Force in the Second Afghan War, when he was present at the storming and capture of Ali Musjid

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion's breast Badge, 22 ct. gold and enamel, hallmarks for London, 1872, with swivel-ring suspension and silver-gilt riband buckle; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Lieut. F. Appleyard, 80th Regt.); Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Capt. F. E. Appleyard, 7th Rl. Fusrs.), contemporary engraved naming; Afghanistan 1878-80, 1 clasp, Ali Musjid (Col. F. E. Appleyard, C.B., 85th Foot); Turkey, Ottoman, Order of Medjidie, 5th Class breast Badge, gold, silver and enamel; France, Legion of Honour, Knight's breast Badge, silver and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian die, the second and third with contact marks and polished, good fine, the Legion of Honour severely damaged, otherwise very fine or better (7)

Provenance:
Glendining's, November 1996.

C.B. London Gazette 29 May 1875.

French Legion of Honour, Knight London Gazette 4 August 1856.

Frederick Ernest Appleyard was born in Surrey on 6 June 1829 and was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey, and on the Continent. Appointed an Ensign in the 80th Regiment in June 1850, he was advanced to Lieutenant in October 1852, in which year he served in the Pegu operations. Hence his part in the capture of Martaban and the operations before Rangoon on 12-14 April, including service in the storming party at the capture of the Great Dagon Pagoda. He was also present at the taking of Prome.

Back home in June 1853, he transferred as a Lieutenant to the 7th Royal Fusiliers, in which capacity he witnessed extensive action in the Crimea. At the Battle of Alma the Regiment suffered terrible loss, fording the river with chest-high water under a galling fire. Appleyard was among the wounded, but he was back in action at Inkermann and during the siege and fall of Sebastopol. Hence his participation in the repulse of the sorties of 5 April and 9 May, the defence of the Quarries on 7 June and, finally, the assault on the Redan on 18 June 1855, in which latter action he was again wounded. He was mentioned in despatches and given the brevet of Major, in addition to being appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour and awarded the 5th Class of the Turkish Medjidie.

Having then been confirmed in the rank of Major in August 1858, Appleyard exchanged into the 85th Regiment in February 1861, in which he was advanced Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1867 and to Colonel in March 1872, and he was appointed C.B. in May 1875.

By October 1878, he was in command of the Regiment at Lucknow, and it was here that he received orders to hold his men in readiness for proceeding on active service in Afghanistan. Having then been entrained with his men for Amballa, he was ordered to Peshawar to assume command of 3rd Brigade in the 1st Division of the Peshawar Valley Field Force. And it was in that capacity that he took part in the assault and capture of Ali Musjid and in the Bazar Valley Expedition. In fact, he commanded the Ali Musjid Column in the latter expedition and the rear guard on its return march, prior to taking command at Jellalabad in April-June 1879. He was thrice mentioned in despatches.

Appleyard relinquished command of the 85th Regiment in March 1880 and, upon returning home from senior command in Mooltan, he was briefly appointed to the Lincolnshire Regiment. He was finally placed on the Retired List as an Honorary Major-General in June 1884.

His subsequent appointment as a Magistrate in Surrey aside, the General found time to pen two volumes of memoirs, in which recounted his experiences in the 7th Fusiliers in the Crimea and his subsequent active service career in India and Afghanistan.

He died in June 1911, aged 81.

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Sold for
£4,800

Starting price
£950