A well-documented C.M.G. group of seven to Lt-Col Charles Wa...

Hammer

£7,600

A well-documented C.M.G. group of seven to Lt-Col Charles Walter Tribe, 41st Dogras: the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s badge, January 1st 1916 ‘for services rendered in connexion with Military Operations in the Field’; India General Service 1854-95 with Waziristan 1894-5 clasp (Lt.); the India Medal with three clasps: Malakand 1897, Punjab Frontier 1887-88 and Waziristan 1901-2 (Lt.); the China War Medal 1900; the 1914 Star with 5th August – 22nd Nov 1914 clasp; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. All seven and their corresponding miniatures in two red-leather fitted easel cases.

Agra-born Lt-Col Charles Walter Tribe CMG (1868-1916) was the eldest son of the Venerable W. H. Tribe (1832-1909) Archdeacon of Lahore, and the brother of Mary Duchess of Bedford (1865-1937). Educated at the United Services College, he was commissioned into the Royal Marine Light Infantry in September 1887. In October 1890 he transferred as a lieutenant to the Indian Staff Corps and first saw service in the Waziristan Expedition (1894-1895) and on the North-West Frontier he took part in the defence and relief of Malakand, the relief of Chakdara and in operations in Bajaur and in the Mamund country. Promoted captain in September 1898 he served with the 38th Dogras in the China Relief Expedition of 1900 and from June 1901 to July 1902 as Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General, South Africa. In 1903 he married Alice Seaton Massy, daughter of Lt-Col Charles Francis Massy, Indian Army. In September 1905 he was promoted major and from January 1906 to October 1908 he was Commandant of the Mounted Infantry School, India. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in October 1912 and appointed commandant of the 41st Dogra Regiment who landed at Marseilles in October 1914. He was severely wounded by a shell-splinter in the chest, whilst watching No. 2 company going over the parapet to lead the assault on Richebourg l’Avoué in May 1915, mentioned in Sir John French’s last despatches. For his servicesin France he was made a Companion of St. Michael and St. George in January 1916. News of the award reached the Dogras, now in Mesopotamia, hours after he was killed in action on January 13th 1916. He was 47 and buried at the Amara War Cemetry.  Vol 1 The Story of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 41st Dogras (1923) records that:

‘The Regiment had good cause to mourn its losses on this day. Lt-Col CW Tribe, who had commanded since 1912 had earned the greatest admiration and respect on account of his gallantry. Celebrated for his contempt of danger, he instilled a large measure of his courage into his battalion. Apart from the example he set his Regiment in the field, his able administration of it in peace had laid it under a deep debt of gratitude.