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Auction: 4014 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 117

A Scarce Boer War D.S.O., and Great War Second Award Bar Group of Seven to Lieutenant Colonel J.H. Prior, Royal Engineers a) Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with Second Award Bar b) Queen's South Africa, four clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Capt. J.H. Prior D.S.O. R.E. (Mil)) c) 1914-15 Star (Major); d) British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.), MID Oakleaves; Defence Medal; e) France, Legion of Honour, Knight's breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, minor enamel damage, otherwise the group good very fine, mounted as worn f)Related group of seven miniature awards including gold D.S.O. g) Commission of Appointment as Captain, Royal Engineers, to Special Reserve of Officers, 14.7.1908; M.I.D. certificates (3); D.S.O. Warrant; Officer's Certificate of Musketry, named and dated 6.10.1896; War Department Pass, 24.2.1942 h) Envelope dated 1900, addressed to Lieutenant Prior at Plymouth, forwarded to Pretoria, showing U.S. Consulate Arms hand stamp and British and Boer Censor Cachets i)Large pencil and pastel framed full-length caricature portrait of Prior, by 'PIP', 1.6.1905, 72cm. x 55cm. (framed by Harris & Sons, Plymouth) j) Portrait photograph of recipient; copy of Colonel G.M. Bullock's letter concerning the action at Honingspruit, and another concerning the presentation of the Legion of Honour to Prior k) Royal Engineers Badges (2), pin missing on Cap Badge; A frieze of ' 'A' Field Company on the March', Christmas, 1917, 152.5cm in length; personal scrap book; a copy of the 'Malton Parish Magazine', dated August 1918, mentioning Prior's second D.S.O.; l) Free Mason Investiture document, contemporary newspaper cuttings etc. Estimate £ 2,400-2,800 D.S.O. London Gazette 27.9.1901 John Harvey Prior, Lieut., Plymouth Division, Royal Engineers, Submarine Miners (Militia) 'In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.' D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 16.9.1918 John Harvey Prior, D.S.O. Major, Royal Engineers, Special Reserve 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action, when he volunteered to attach himself and his company to a battalion which was threatened by an outflanking movement. By his personal courage and excellent handling of his company he was successful in holding the enemy and in assisting the battalion to withdraw at a very critical moment.' Legion of Honour, 21.7.1918 MID London Gazette 7.11.1917 MID London Gazette 8.11.1918 MID London Gazette 16.3.1919 Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey Prior D.S.O., born 1871, Bridgewater, Somerset; 2nd Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion Welsh Regiment, 1890; Lieutenant, Plymouth Division, Royal Engineers, Submarine Miners (Militia), 1895; served with the Regiment in South Africa 1899-1901; present at operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange River, 1899-1900, including the actions at Colesburg 1.1.-12.2.1900; Station Staff Officer, 1901; Captain 1901; we have an insight into Prior's gallant conduct during his service in South Africa from an extract taken from Colonel G.M. Bullock's (Commanding Officer at Honingspruit and Serfontein) letter to his wife: 'I told you in my last that I had just sent out a party from here of 14 to try and catch 4 Boers - also one had gone out from Honingspruit. The party from Honingspruit was under Prior (whose wife you know). He with about half a dozen men pursued the 4 Boers, and opened fire on them - and they wounded or killed one - the rest fled, and Prior and his party pursued, when they came suddenly on 200 Boers! They at once pulled back, but very pluckily held their ground at a farm not far off, and the Boers did not come on. You can tell Mrs. Prior if you know her address, that her husband displayed great gallantry, and probably saved Honingspruit Station from being burnt and looted. I am very much annoyed with myself because in my first telegram I only had heard of the latter part of the fight and wired it in not mentioning Prior's name - and that account appeared in the intelligence Reports. I have specially, and personally reported to the G.O.C. about Prior - but I should have done so at first but did not know then what his share in the fight was.' Served in the Great War, from 5.8.1914 as Major, Commanding 1/1 Devon Fortress Company Royal Engineers, Gibraltar; served in France and Belgium June 1915-November 1918; Officer Commanding 567 Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers, June - August 1915; Senior Works Officer, Dieppe, August 1915 - September 1916; Officer Commanding, 103 Field Company, Royal Engineers, July 1917 - 31.3.1918; Commanding Royal Engineers 24th Division (Lieutenant Colonel), 1.4.1918 - 23.3.1919; Commanding Royal Engineers VI Corps Troops, 24.3.1919 - 24.3.1920; Acting Chief Engineer VI Corps September 1919 - April 1920; retired, Lieutenant Colonel 16.9.1920; Reserve of Officers, Royal Engineers, 13.4.1921; appointed Officer Commanding Devon (F), Royal Engineers 14.4.1921

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