British Miniature Groups with Japanese Orders and Medals

2nd class Rising Sun order awarded in 1917 to Admiral William Oswald Story

Currently in the collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Badge. Breast star (note how deformed its rays). Gazetted on August 29, 1917.

asiamedals.info

 

3rd class Order of the Sacred Treasure awarded in 1919 to Paymaster Rear Admiral Frederick Arthur Frith Banbury

3rd class Sacred Treasure order from the collection of National Maritime Museum. Banbury's medal bar. He was a staff paymaster serving on HMS Minerva in the Mediterranean at the time of the Messina earthquake in December 1908. He was awarded with Italian medal and order on 16 March 1911. He...

asiamedals.info

 

Group of eight miniatures made by Spink&Son that belong to Admiral Vivian Henry Gerald Bernard.

Gold, silver, enamel.

The Most Honorable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s Badge; 1914-15 Star; British War Medal, 7 clasps, Narrow Seas 1914, Mediterranean 1915, Gallipoli, North Sea 1915, Jutland 31 May 16, North Sea 1917, Belgian Coast; Victory Medal, M.I.D. oak leaves; Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown; France, Republic, Legion of Honor; Russia, Order of St. Anne with Swords; Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure.
​

C.B. (Military) London Gazette 1 January 1918.

Italian Order of the Crown 3rd Class London Gazette 8 August 1916.

French Legion of Honour 4th Class London Gazette 15 September 1916.

Russian Order of St Anne 2nd Class London Gazette 5 June 1917 (Jutland) https://asiamedals.info/threads/ord...-made-in-gold-by-eduard-vd.26754/#post-365100

Japanese Order of Sacred Treasure 2nd Class London Gazette 11 August 1919.

Vivian Henry Gerald Bernard was born on 30 August 1868 at Simon's Town, Cape of Good Hope, son of Inspector-General John Bernard. Educated at Stubbington House School, young Bernard became a Naval Cadet on 15 July 1882 and was made Midshipman on 15 January 1884. Promoted Sub-Lieutenant, 25 February 1888, Lieutenant, 25 February 1889, he qualified as a Gunnery Lieutenant in 1893, trained at Excellent. Advanced Commander on 30 June 1901, he spent a spell in the Department of Naval Intelligence, being made Captain on 26 June 1906, in command of the cruiser Topaze. By August 1907 he took command of Argonaut and then Revenge a year later. His final appointments before the Great War included command of the Gunnery School, Devonport from 1910-12 and of Argyll, May 1912-June 1914.

Belgian operations - first 'mention'

Upon the commencement of hostilities, Bernard was given command of the battleship Venerable, which played a notable role in the bombardment of the Belgian coast in the early stages of the operations. The report of Assistant Paymaster J. S. Foster (original copy included in the Lot), who accompanied Bernard upon the Bridge during the actions gives a fine official account of the operations of 27-31 October 1914. Venerable left Dover at 0139hrs on 27 October, with Admiral Hood flying his colours from her first fired on Lovie at 0745hrs that same morning, before unloading into Mannekensvere an hour later, the Mohawk also engaging a nearby enemy submarine that patrolled the waters. The day continued with a further bombardment of Lombartzyde which drew a shore signal:

'Your fire is splendid. Suggest you economise ammunition as there is now a lull here. German balloon apparently over Pierre Capelle.'

Firing on Polder at 1430hrs, the Germans gave their reply soonafter, also firing on the Rinaldo which had assisted Venerable. Their first day of work closed just after 1700hrs, returning to Dunkirk to prepare for more. The following morning the Belgian Minister of Marine gave encouragement:

'Your shells have had great effect, whole villages have been blown into the air and the Germans have today ceased altogether to trouble us. Herewith some gossip for tomorrow. Hope you are enjoying these aquatic sports. We are still holding on tight and I think the attack is broken. Your help is invaluable!'

The Admiralty gave their weight:

'You have all done very well and on land the line has been maintained, keep it up. Husband ammunition till good targets show, but risks must be run. Allies left must be supported without fail by the Navy.'

A letter from Able Seamen Mason and Jones to old schoolmates and published in the Ledbury Guardian gives first hand insight:

'It is with the greatest pleasure that I write you these few lines to thank you for your most welcome letter and postcards of dear old Bosbury. Well, we have had some exciting times, for the fighting Venerable has been in action on the coast of Belgium. Our ship had the honour of being the first battleship to be in action, the other ships have been cruisers, destroyers, and monitors. On account of the Germans bringing up their heavy guns it was necessary to send a heavy gunship to cope with them, so we joined up with Admiral Hood's Squadron on the morning of the 27th October at early dawn. I went on deck at six o'clock, and the first thing I saw was one of our monitors shelling a position on the east side of Nieuport, and the Allied artillery ashore was firing also. Their position was on the west side. At 7.45am the Venerable fired her first shot, and the shell fell right in the enemy's trench. Then we brought our 12-inch guns into play, each of which weigh 30 tons. Just fancy that striking a Uhlan in the watch pocket and on exploding scattering 'seeds of kindness' for a radius of about seven or eight hundred yards.

The Venerable simply raked their trenches fore and aft - it was unmerciful. The enemy replied with vigour, but each time we found their fire our guns would sweep their batteries. On the second day of the bombardment we had a proper exciting time. I was told off as upper deck patrol, in case of fire breaking out. I was standing in the starboard upperdeck battery, when a shell screamed about 30 feet above my head, passing between the two funnels. I went forward, portside, and saw one of my chums watching the result of the shell fire, and I spoke to him. At that instant another shell swept over our heads just missing our foretopmast. Their shells were falling all about us, but we were not stuck once. The enemy's submarines were very active indeed on the second and third day and they tried their utmost to get at the Venerable. A torpedo on one occasion just missed our stern by a few feet. We opened fire on the submarine, and she disappeared, but I would not say that she was stuck. On the third day one of our destroyers tried to ram a German submarine. Several of our small ships were struck by the shells from the coast guns.

It was amusing to see the sloop Vestal thumping along after she was hit - she was in the wake of the Venerable, a little on our starboard quarter. The shells were falling very fast and the enemy ceased firing on the Venerable and concentrated their fire on the weaker ship (the Vestal). I saw the sport. Shells dropped all round her, and then one went clean through her foretop mast, unshipping her wireless. She put on a spurt, and at the same time swung round to the starboard and held that course for about a cable's length, then swung to port again. She was banging away for all she was worth, as much as to say "Now try your luck". The destroyers did magnificent work in repelling the attacks of submarines.

The Venerable was having a 'breather' when your most welcome letter arrived. I pictured dear old Bosbury when I was looking on the town of Nieuport. It was a flourishing town a few months ago, and now it is deserted. Not a soul is there except a few Germans watching the movements of our warships. On the east side, near the pier, the River Yser runs into the sea. The large buildings of the town were burning, set on fire by our shells. We had to fire in that direction because the German heavy guns were cleverly concealed in that locality. A terrible battle must have been waging on land, for we could hear the thunder of the guns that must have been several miles inland. I shall never forget the part we played in the bombardment. Poor Belgium. But there is one thing, the Venerable played the greatest part in avenging Louvain. We are all very proud of our ship, and so far as I am concerned, I would not be anywhere else for the world. And now I must close, as Tom is waiting to 'censor' this letter.'

In those five short days, Venerable fired a total of 962 shells, 249 12-inch and 713 six-inch. Bernard was duly 'mentioned' (London Gazette 13 April 1915 refers) for his part.

Venerable was returned to home waters and posted to defend Sheerness in November should a seabourne invasion follow. She shared in the action once again when called to bombard German positions near Westende on 11 March 1915 - a daring attempt to divert attention from the attack at Neuve Chapelle.

Gallipoli - brace

Bernard steamed Venerable to the Mediterranean and onto the Dardanelles in May 1915 in order to replace Queen Elizabeth, sharing in the attacks in mid August and using her experience gained during the early days of the war. With the weather meaning observation was almost impossible by 21 August, the attacks on Suvla Bay were scaled back, leaving the theatre to Gibraltar in October. Bernard duly added a second mention (London Gazette 14 March 1916 refers). In early 1916, Bernard took command of Neptune for a cruise of the North Sea which would be used to probe and test the German Naval position by Jellicoe whilst the inevitability of an epic battle rose to fever pitch.

Jutland - hat trick and Russian 'gong'

By the close of May 1916, it was clear a huge engagement between the German High Seas Fleet and the British Grand Fleet was in the offing. It would decide who held naval superiority in the North Sea. Neptune was the nineteenth ship from the head and early on she fired two salvos from her main guns at a barely visible battleship at 1840hrs. Around the time that the High Seas Fleet had reversed course, Neptune fired one salvo at the crippled light cruiser Wiesbaden. After the turn the ships of the 1st BS were the closest to the German line and at 1910hrs, she fired four salvos at the Derfflinger, claiming two hits. Shortly afterwards, the ship fired her main and secondary guns at enemy destroyers without result and then had to turn away to dodge three torpedoes. During the battle she fired 48 twelve-inch shells (21 high explosive and 27 common pointed, capped) and 48 shells from her four-inch guns.

Neptune had been sent to sea by Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Duchess of Albany, who kept in regular contact with her Captain, including one on 17 June following the battle:

'Dear Captain Bernard,

Your letter has given me intense delight and has deeply touched me. On hearing of the sea-fight my first thought was for the "Neptune" hoping she might be in it and the long months of weary waiting be rewarded. I send you and all under your command my warmest congratulations. I am indeed proud and delighted that you went into action flying my flag, which I always hoped would be the case and that it would bring you good luck, as I spent many a month stitching it and working into it every possible good wish for the ship and those who man her that an English heart can imagine for our Navy! I am deeply touched to see the value in which you hold my gift.

When I was working the Ensign whilst visiting abroad a Prussian General and his staff were quartered where I was staying - seeing me working at a carefully protected piece of work he inquired what it was. I told him "a battle Ensign for a ship", and had great satisfaction in spreading it out before his eyes the Union Jack - "Oh, it is English" was his remark to which I could only answer with: "What else?" Nothing more was said. Such a pity they were land-lubbers and could not see the finished Ensign flying!

I am thankful the "Neptune" came off without a scratch but have all on board had the same luck?

I wonder which German ships received your iron greetings?

Once again I wish you God Speed. Believe me.'

Bernard was rewarded with a third mention (London Gazette 15 September 1916 refers) and his Russian Order of St. Anne.

Further campaigns

Bernard remained in command of Neptune until 15 October 1917. In that time he was also appointed as Aide-de-Camp to the King on 3 July 1917 and promoted Rear Admiral on 26 September 1917. Made Captain of Portland Harbour thereafter, he finished the war with the C.B., the Italian Order of the Crown and the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure. He retired as Vice-Admiral in 1922 and was advanced Admiral in 1927.​

 

Twelve miniatures with Rising Sun order of a very interesting workmanship. Thanks to Steve Brown this group was attributed to General Sir Charles Monro.

Silver, gold, enamel.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s badge, gold and enamel; The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, C.S.I., Companion’s badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with a central onyx cameo of a youthful Queen Victoria, with integral silver-gilt riband bar, gilding somewhat rubbed; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s badge, gold ands enamel; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer‘s (Brother’s) badge, silver and enamel, heraldic beasts in angles; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein; 1914 Star, with clasp; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; India General Service 1908-35 with clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honor, Officer’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband; Japan, Order of the Rising Sun.​

General Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, 1st Baronet (15 June 1860 – 7 December 1929), was a British Army General in the First World War. He held the post of Commander-in-Chief, India, in 1916–1920. From 1923 to 1928 he was the Governor of Gibraltar.

General Sir Charles Carmichael Monro was given permission to accept and wear the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on May 17, 1919.

Charles Carmichael Monro was born on 15th June 1860 and was gazetted from Sandhurst to the 2nd Foot, The Queen’s, in August 1879.

He joined the 1st Battalion at Colchester in July 1881, was appointed Adjutant, and remained in the post until July 1886. Having passed the Staff College in December 1890, he later joined the 1st Queen’s in India where he served with the Malakand Field Force, the expedition into the Mohmand country, and later the Tirah Expeditionary Force.

Promoted Major in February 1898, he was appointed Brigade Major at Gibraltar in October of the same year. After only six months in the station he was appointed DAAG in Guernsey and again six months later was transferred to a similar appointment at Aldershot.

The turning point of his career was the outbreak of the South African War in 1899. Appointed to the 6th Division on the commencement of its mobilization in England, he partook in various actions including Paardeberg, Driefontein and Pretoria. He was promoted Brevet Lieutenant Colonel for his services. Returning home he became Chief Instructor of the School of Musketry, Hythe, in February 1901 and subsequently in 1903 Commandant. During his time from 1901 to 1907 Monro introduced the concept of fire and movement and the need for rapid aimed fire. The latter was the significant factor in halting the German Army in the early stages of the First World War - they thought they were being met with machine gun fire.

After Hythe and Brigade Command he became Major General in command of the 2nd London Territorial Division in 1911. He transferred in August 1914 to take command of the 2nd Division of the BEF, from that rising to command the 1st Army Corps at the end of December and then in July 1915 the newly formed 3rd Army. In October he was appointed to the command in the Mediterranean, his first responsibility being to recommend to the Cabinet on the problem of Gallipoli. He immediately assessed the situation as having no future and maintained this view against strong political opposition. When this was accepted he supervised the withdrawal with success - there were no casualties.

General Monro returned to France in January 1916 to command 1st Army, but in October was appointed Commander-in-Chief in India. This involved considerable administrative and recruiting duties, as the Indian Army reorganized on to a modern footing, as well as responsibility for Mesopotamia and the North West Frontier, the latter involving after the War the 3rd Afghan (or Wazisristan) War. His successful command in India was marred at its end by the controversy over the killing of some 400 unarmed Indian civilians and the wounding of 1000 more, which was ordered at Amritsar by Brigadier General Dyer. While civil unrest was rife in India at the time, General Monro was unable eventually to support General Dyer’s actions and in effect ended his career. General Monro, unfairly, received some harsh criticism for his stance.

On leaving India in 1920, besides other honors he received a Baronetcy and was appointed Bath, King of Arms. He then succeeded Sir Horace Smith - Dorrien as Governor of Gibraltar in 1923 and so successful was he in this post that the Chamber of Commerce even petitioned the Secretary of State for an extension of his five year term of office, but this was unfortunately refused. He returned home in 1928 and was appointed a trustee of the Imperial War Museum in succession to Earl Haig. He also became Chairman of SSAFA and Governor of the Church Lads Brigade.

He died on December 7, 1929.​

 

WW1 British group of miniatures with a Sacred Treasure order.

Silver, gilt, bronze, enamel.

 

Group of miniatures mounted by Hunt & Roskell.

Silver, gilt, bronze, enamel.

The Most Excellent Order of the Bath, Military Division; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg; King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914 Star, clasp; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Russian Order of St. Stanislaus with swords; France, Republic, Legion of Honour; Portugal, Order of St. Avis; Military Order of Christ; 4th class Order of the Sacred Treasure; French Criox De Guerre, with Palm.

Presumably this group of miniatures belonged to Lieutenant General Sir Warren Hastings Anderson (attribution of Steve Brown).

Sir Warren Hastings Anderson was given permission to accept and wear order of the Sacred Treasure 2nd class on January 21, 1921.

Lieutenant General Sir Warren Hastings Anderson, KCB (9 January 1872 – 11 December 1930) was educated at Marlborough College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Anderson was commissioned into the Cheshire Regiment as a second lieutenant on 8 October 1890, and promoted to lieutenant on 9 January 1894.

Sir Douglas Haig with his army commanders and their chiefs of staff, November 1918. Front row, left to right: Sir Herbert Plumer, Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Henry Rawlinson. Middle row, left to right: Sir Julian Byng, Sir William Birdwood, Sir Henry Horne. Back row, left to right: Sir Herbert Lawrence, Sir Charles Kavanagh, Brudenell White, Percy, Louis Vaughan, Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd, Hastings Anderson.
Anderson was promoted to captain on 18 December 1899, as he left for South Africa and the Second Boer War. Serving first in a staff position in 1900 as deputy assistant adjutant general on the staff of the military governor in Johannesburg, he returned to his regiment to become adjutant of the 2nd Battalion on 21 April 1901. The battalion served in South Africa throughout the war, which ended in June 1902. Anderson returned home with other officers and men of the battalion on the SS St. Andrew leaving Cape Town in early October 1902, and was subsequently stationed at Aldershot.

Anderson also took part in the First World War, joining the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and serving with the 8th Division as its first general staff officer, grade 1 from 22 September 1914. In June 1915 he was made a brevet colonel. From October 1915, after being made a temporary brigadier general, he was BGGS with the XI Corps, then with the XV Corps and finally with the First Army of the BEF. In June 1915 he was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel. In February 1917 he was promoted to the temporary rank of major general and succeeded Major General George Barrow as major general, general staff of the First Army. As MGGS he was, effectively, chief of staff of the First Army, commanded by General Sir Henry Horne throughout Anderson's service with it, and it was his task to prepare for the assault on Vimy Ridge in April 1917. In June 1918 his rank of major general became substantive.

After the war, Anderson became commandant at the Staff College in Camberley until 1922 when he moved to army headquarters in India. He was appointed General Officer Commanding Baluchistan District in 1924 and became Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1927, when he was promoted to lieutenant general in March that year. He was also colonel of the Cheshire Regiment from 1928 to 1930.

Anderson died on 11 December 1930.​

 

Miniature group with 4th class Rising Sun order of John Meredith Hultons.

Collection of Steve Brown. Photo courtesy of the owner.

John Meredith Hulton CBE DSO (8 January 1882 – 13 July 1942) was born in January 1882 at Whalley Range, Lancashire and was educated at Charterhouse School. After completing his education, Hulton chose a career in the military. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the 5th (Royal Westminster Militia) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, in September 1900. He immediately served in the Second Boer War, during which he was promoted to lieutenant in May 1901. Following the war Hulton transferred to the Royal Sussex Regiment in July 1903; because he was transferring from a militia battalion, he entered the Royal Sussex Regiment as a second lieutenant. Having returned to England, Hulton played three first-class cricket matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1903 and 1905, playing against London County in 1903, and in 1905 Kent and Leicestershire. His three matches yielded him 127 runs, with a highest score of 65 against Kent at Lord's.

He gained promotion to lieutenant in September 1906, before gaining the temporary rank of captain while seconded as an adjutant in the Territorial Force in November 1912. Hulton served with the Royal Sussex Regiment in the First World War. In the first year of the conflict he gained the full rank of captain in November 1914. He later served in the Gallipoli campaign, seeing action during the Landing at Suvla Bay in August 1915 and the subsequent Battle of Scimitar Hill on 21 August with the 1/4 Royal Sussex Regiment, where he testified to confusion in the midst of the battle and the retreating wounded soldiers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. By July 1916, he was seconded to headquarters as a brigade-major, but had returned to the Royal Sussex Regiment by January 1917, when he was promoted to major. Two months later he was appointed to the general staff, with secondment to the Welch Regiment following later in 1917. He was appointed to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel in September 1917 while commanding a battalion, but relinquished the rank in November 1917 upon him ceasing to be in command of a battalion. His relinquishment was short-lived, as the following month he was reinserted into the temporary rank while once again commanding a battalion. Hulton was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1918 Birthday Honours for valuable services rendered in connection with military operations in Egypt, in addition to being decorated by Egypt with the Order of the Nile, 3rd Class.

Shortly after being wounded at the Battle of Beersheba, Hulton volunteered for General Alfred Knox's mission to Eastern Russia during the Russian Civil War. There he commanded a training school on Russky Island and fought against General Radola Gajda's coup attempt in November 1919. For his services during the Russian Civil War he was made a CBE and was additionally decorated in August 1921 by the Empire of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class. He was made a brevet lieutenant colonel in January 1923 and transferred to the Tank Corps in July 1923. Hulton transferred to the Tank Corps in July 1923. He was the chief instructor at the Royal Corps Central Schools at Bovington Camp from 1931 to 1935. He retired from active service in May 1935, at which point he held the rank of colonel. Hulton died at Poole in July 1942.​

 

Interesting WW1 group of miniatures with Rising Sun order. Most likely it was made by Spink, London.

Gold, silver, gilt, enamel.

Order of the Bath; Victorian Order; 1914-1918 War Medal; Victory Medal; A French Legion D'Honneur; An Italian Crown Order; Japanese Order of the Rising Sun; American Distinguished Service Medal.

Details.

 

The group of twelve miniatures /mounted by Spink, London/ of Major-General F. S. G. Piggott, Royal Engineers.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s badge, gilt and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; France, Third Republic , Legion of Honor, Officer, gilt and enamel; Belgium, Kingdom, Order of Leopold, Officer, silvered and enamel; France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, with two bronze palm emblems on riband; Belgium, Kingdom, Croix de Guerre, bronze, with bronze palm emblem on riband; Japan, Empire , Order of the Rising Sun, gilt and enamel; Order of the Sacred Treasure, gilt and enamel, with rosette with two gold flashes on riband.​

1st class Rising Sun order /ribbon doesn't have a rosette; paulownia suspension that is used for 5th/6th class orders is also incorrect - it has 11 petals instead of the correct 17/ and 1st class Sacred Treasure order miniatures.

Silver, gilt, enamel.

Francis Stewart Gilderoy Piggott was born in London on 18 March 1883, and was educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in 1901, and was promoted Lieutenant in 1904; Captain in 1911; Major in 1916; Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1919; Colonel in 1923; and Major-General in 1935. He was specially employed in Tokyo during Russo-Japanese War, 1904-6, and was attached to H.M. Embassy, Tokyo, 1910-13; qualifying at a 1st Class Interpreter in Japanese. Posted to the War Office on the General Staff in 1914, he served during the Great War in Egypt and on the Western Front (D.S.O., Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, five times Mentioned in Despatches, Third Class of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun; Officer of the French Legion of Honour; Officer of the Belgian Order of Leopold; Third Class of the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure; French Croix de Guerre; and Belgian Croix de Guerre). He graduated Staff College, Camberley, in 1919, and was attached to Crown Prince of Japan during his visit to England in 1921.

Major-General Piggott retired in 1939, and was subsequently a Senior Lecturer in Japanese at School of Oriental Studies, London; he accompanied the Crown Prince of Japan during 6 weeks’ visit to Britain in 1953, and visited Japan as the Foreign Minister's guest in 1955 (awarded Grand Cordon of the Japanese Order of Sacred Treasure, 1955, and the Grand Cordon of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun in 1961). He died in Surrey on 26 April 1966.​

Interestingly long before the post-war era of Japanese Grand Crosses he was awarded 4th class Rising Sun order /1918/ and 3rd class Sacred Treasure order /1921/.

 

The group of fifteen miniatures /almost certainly made by Spink, London/ of Lieutenant-General Sir W. P. Pulteney, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O., Scots Guards later G.O.C. 3rd Army Corps.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Badge, gold and enamel; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Royal Victorian Order, Badge, silver and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir; Central Africa 1891-98, with ring suspension; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast; King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914 Star; Coronation 1911; France, Republic, Legion of Honour, silver-gilt and enamel; Belgium, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, silver-gilt and enamel; Japan, Empire, Order of the Rising Sun, silver-gilt and enamel; Belgium, Kingdom, Criox De Guerre; Khedive's Star.​

K.C.B. London Gazette 18 February 1915.

K.C.M.G. London Gazette, 1 January 1917.

G.C.V.O. London Gazette, 3 June 1930.

D.S.O. London Gazette 3 November 1891: "In recognition of services in the recent operations against slave-trading Arabs in the Uganda Protectorate."

Legion D'Honour, London Gazette 19 March 1915.

Order of the Crown, London Gazette 24 February 1916.

Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class, London Gazette 21 July 1919.

Croix De Guerre, London Gazette 11 March 1918.

William Pulteney Pulteney was born at Rectory House, Ashley, near Market Harborough on 18 May 1861. His father, Reverend Richard Pulteney was the Rector of Ashley while his mother, Emma Pulteney, was the daughter of Maximilian Dalison of Hamptons, Kent. The young Pulteney was the sixth child and, after attending Eton between 1875-77, he took the traditional route for the younger children of the gentry by taking a commission with the Militia in October 1878. Entering the Scots Guards with the rank of Second Lieutenant from the Militia on 23 April 1881 he was soon promoted Lieutenant on 1 July.

The outbreak of Ahmed Urabi's revolt in Egypt precipitated a British intervention which included the Scots Guards: Pulteney was present for the Action at Mahuta and after that the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir. In this major engagement the Guards were on the British right and less heavily engaged than their compatriots in the Highland Brigade on the left.

Pulteney continued to serve, and after almost a decade of soldiering he got a chance to make his mark. Promoted Captain on 4 May 1892 he was seconded for service under the Foreign Office on 15 February 1895, and was sent to the nascent Uganda Protectorate as an officer in the Uganda Rifles; that same year was to earn his Central Africa Medal for his role in the Lnyoro Expedition. Again called to service, Pulteney was to win the D.S.O. for his actions during the first Nandi Expedition (1895-96) as one of the officers commanding a column of four hundred Ugandan troops. He was promoted Major for his services on 1 May 1897 and presented with his D.S.O. by Queen Victoria herself in an investiture at Windsor on 9 July 1897.

Given the role of Vice-Consul in the Congo Free State on 31 December 1898 Pulteney had not served here long when news of war threatening from South Africa brought him back to his old Regiment. Promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 11 November 1899 the Battalion saw appallingly bloody fighting at Belmont and Modder River. Lord Methuen's report on the former gives stark testament to their stoic advance under withering fire, stating:

'The Scots Guards carried out their instructions to the letter, and gained the heights at the point of the bayonet'

After the breakthrough in the New Year Pulteney was given command of the Battalion and led it through the rest of the fighting, being 'mentioned' three times in the course of the war. He commanded the unit throughout the guerrilla phase of the conflict, leading it through a number of notable actions and earning high praise from General French when the war was finally won. Promoted Brevet Colonel on 1 April 1904 he was awarded the C.B. on 30 June 1905 in the King's Birthday Honours List. He was further advanced Brigadier-General on 7 February 1908 while commanding 16th Brigade in Southern Ireland.

Again promoted - this time to Major-General - on 1 January 1909 Pulteney was given command of the 6th Division in Southern Ireland. In this role he was notably involved in planning the British show of force in Northern Ireland which eventually led to the Curragh Incident in March 1914. Despite his involvement in what was for everyone an embarrassing crisis, Pulteney's star continued to rise as he was promoted Lieutenant-General on 5 August 1914 and posted to command III Corps. This appointment raised no eyebrows at the time - however it would do so for generations to come as he had attended neither the Royal Military College, Sandhurst nor Staff College and apparently had little aptitude for staff work.

Pulteney's performance throughout the war was to prove poor: he was described as appearing like 'a peaceful country squire'. Indeed it was believed that his corps received a higher than normal crop of capable officers to make up for his failures. Serving as part of Rawlinson's Fourth Army during the Somme Offensive, Pulteney's unwillingness to properly manage his artillery is seen as one of the major causes for the high losses taken by III Corps in the fighting. Furthermore, he was behind the decision to support the attack on High Wood by the 47th (London Territorials) Division with tanks. This stopped the British from using heavy artillery near the tanks and prevented the vehicles from having a clear line of sight. Despite pleas from the Divisional commander to order the tanks to advance on either side of the wood, the attack went ahead with the wood falling only after 4,500 men became casualties.

In spite of this failure Pulteney remained in command of III Corps and led it through the Battle of Cambrai. The first massed tank offensive which the British launched here met with stunning success. However when warned of a German counter-attack Pulteney refused to act and the allied gains were swept aside by a massive offensive. Despite being officially cleared of blame he was removed from command, in the words of one historian: 'It is hard to see how he managed to survive for so long'. Post to XXIII Corps in Britain he remained with them until May 1919 when he was sent with Prince Arthur of Connaught on a Military Mission to Japan.

Retiring from the Military in January 1920 Pulteney served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Lords. He also put his time and efforts into several service organisations such as the Ypres League; despite his wartime record recent histories have started to re-examine his record and especially his genuine concern for the welfare of the men under his command. Pulteney died at Pines Hill, Stansted, Essex on 14 May 1941 and he was buried at Ashley, Northamptonshire.