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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 125

The Boer War D.S.O. group of six awarded to Captain H. G. Bryant, Shropshire Light Infantry, of whom a fellow officer said, 'I never met a man so absolutely without fear'

And signs of that fearlessness are apparent in Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Colvile's despatch of 3 March 1900, in which he mentioned Bryant for 'a special act of gallantry' at Paardeberg in February 1900

So, too, in his final action near Ypres, when he was seriously wounded and taken prisoner after storming an enemy trench. Sadly, his wounds proved fatal, and he died five days later after having his right arm amputated

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg (Lieut. H. G. Bryant. 2/Shrop. L.I.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Cpt. H. G. Bryant. D.S.O., Shrop. L.I.); 1914-15 Star (Capt. H. G. Bryant. D.S.O., Shrops. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. G. Bryant.); together with a K.S.L.I. badge and two uniform buttons, the second and third with contact marks, very fine and better (9)

Provenance:
Dix Noonan Webb, 29 June 2006.

D.S.O. London Gazette 10 September 1901.

Henry Grenville Bryant was born in London on 5 June 1872, the eldest son of Henry Strickland Bryant of Torquay and a grandson of Major-General Sir Jeremiah Bryant, C.B. Educated at Eton, he was originally gazetted from the Militia into the Bedfordshire Regiment in June 1894, but he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry a month or two later. Having then been advanced to Lieutenant, he accompanied his battalion to South Africa in November 1899, where he remained on active service until July 1902, including a stint as a Brigade Signalling Officer from March 1900 to July 1901.

He saw plenty of action in the Orange Free State in February-May 1900, when he was present at the Battle of Paardeberg and in the engagements at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Houtnek, Vet River River and Zand River. But it was specific act of gallantry at Paardeberg in February 1900 for which Bryant received his mention in despatches. In those protracted operations, the battalion carried out a daring advance at night, seizing 200 yards of new ground. It also suffered casualties of eight killed and 41 wounded.

Afterwards appointed a Brigade Signalling Officer, Bryant served in the Transvaal in May-June 1900, when he was present at the actions near Johannesburg and Pretoria, in addition to Elands River during operations west of Pretoria in July-November 1900. And subsequently, in the Orange Free State in May-November 1900, when he was present in the engagement at Rhenostar River, in addition to the action at Bothwell in the Transvaal on 6 February 1901, in which he was slightly wounded. He was advanced to Captain and awarded the D.S.O.

Two tours of duty having ensued in the 2nd Battalion in India, Bryant was embarked for France in December 1914, where he was credited with doing 'good work' over the winter and Spring of 1915.

On 26 April 1915 - to use the words of his Commanding Officer - he 'gallantly' led a night attack of his company against a Saxon trench near Ypres. He was seen by his men, at whose head he charged, to reach the parapet and to be wounded by a grenade, as was later ascertained. Bryant was reported missing, but had in fact been taken prisoner by the Germans and was admitted to the Kriegs Lazarette at Roulers. There it was deemed necessary to amputate his right arm and following the operation he dictated a letter home, in which he explained how well he had been treated by the medical staff. Sadly, that good treatment was to no avail, for he died of heart failure on 1 May 1915.

Posthumously mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 31 May 1915, refers), Bryant left a widow, Phyllis, of Thirsk, Yorkshire. He was buried in the Roeselare Communal Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium; sold with an original group photograph of regimental officers and a file of comprehensive copied research.

For his dress miniatures, see Lot 156.

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Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2400