A CASED SET OF 3 COLDSTREAM GUARDS DRESS STUDS belonging to ...

Estimate

£1,000 - £1,200

A CASED SET OF 3 COLDSTREAM GUARDS DRESS STUDS belonging to Captain Alexander William Maxwell Clark-Kennedy, the father of Victoria Cross Winner, William Hew Clark-Kennedy

In velvet lined case, made by Phillips of 23 Cockspvr Street, London.

With a label For William Clark Kennedy on the bottom of the case. Buttons are not hallmarked but almost certainly gold. Alexander Clark - Kennedy served in the Grenadier Guards. He had attended Eton before embarking on his Military career; he also served with the Irish Guards for a time. On his death in 1894, he was described as 'The Patriotic Poet, Song Writer and Naturalist'

His son William Hew Clark-Kennedy commanded the 24th Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada), during the First World War, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He won the Victoria Cross for the following deed:

'On 27/28 August 1918, on the Fresnes-Rouvroy line, France, the brigade of which Lieutenant Colonel Clark-Kennedy's battalion was a central unit suffered heavy casualties. At this juncture, the Colonel encouraged his men and led them forward; then, by controlling the direction of neighbouring units and collecting stragglers, he enabled the whole brigade front to advance. The next day he was severely wounded, but despite intense pain and loss of blood, he refused to be evacuated until he had gained a position from which the advance could be resumed.

William Hew Clark-Kennedy passed away in Montreal, Quebec, in 1962. The buttons were recently uncovered in Montreal.