GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 32


A scarce and well documented Great War ‘cavalry’ D.S.O. group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. J. Williams, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and 1/1 Worcestershire Yeomanry. A veteran of the Boer War, he was taken prisoner at Hammilfontein 14 February 1901, before being appointed Regimental Aide de Camp to Emperor Franz Joseph - Colonel in Chief of the KDG. During the Great War Williams commanded the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, in France, October 1915 - May 1916; and 1/1 Worcestershire Yeomanry, over the desert and mountains of Palestine, September 1916 - October 1918. After the War he commanded the KDG in Iraq, 1919-21, during which time he compiled and edited the Regimental History


DISTINGUISHED SERVICEORDER, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt. H. J. Williams, 1/Drgn: Gds) last two clasps, contemporary tailor’s copies; 1914 STAR (Major H. J. Williams. 1/D. Gds.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORY MEDALS, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Lt. Col. H. J. Williams.); GENERAL SERVICE 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (Lt. Col. H. J. Williams.) partially officially corrected; DELHI DURBAR 1911, unnamed as issued; Austria, Empire, ORDER OF THE IRON CROWN, 3rd Class breast badge by Rothe, Vienna, gold and enamel, lacking iron crown insert, with blue enamel damage; ORDER OF FRANZ JOSEPH, Civil Division, 3rd Class neck badge by Winc Mayer’s Söne, Vienna, gold and enamel; FRANZ JOSEPH JUBILEEMEDAL 1908, silver, minor edge bruising, otherwise very fine or better, unless otherwise stated (10)


£3400-3800


D.S.O. London Gazette 4 June 1917. M.I.D. London Gazette 6 July 1917 and 12 January 1918.


Henry John Williams was born in 1870, and was the second son of E. A. G. Williams. He was educated at Uppingham, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, in March 1891. He advanced to Lieutenant in March 1893, and Captain in September 1898. Williams served with the Regiment during the Second Boer War, and was present in operations in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Cape Colony.


The 1st King’s Dragoon Guards arrived in South Africa in January 1901, and Williams was taken prisoner of war at Hammilfontein during the pursuit of De Wet, 14 February 1901, ‘it [1 KDG] formed part of the column concentrated at Naaupoort, O.F.S. under the command of Colonel E. C. Bethune, and was occupied in pursuit of De Wet, who laagered at De-Put on the 13th February, 1901, where late in the afternoon he was unearthed by Plumer. The rain continued to fall all that night and next day - both sides halted knee deep in water.


On the 14th Plumer attacked the Burghers, being contained in front by the King’s Dragoon Guards and Imperial Light Horse. The position was turned westwards, the Boers followed their transport around to Bas-Berg, pursuit being shortly foiled by another storm which laid tracks two feet deep in mud.’ (1st King’s Dragoon Guards 1685-1920 - compiled and edited by the recipient, refers).


After the Boer War, Williams served as Regimental Aide de Camp to Emperor Franz Joseph (who was appointed Colonel of the 1st KDG in 1896), at his Court in Vienna (Order of the Iron Crown 1904; Order of Franz Joseph 1907). During his time at Court he struck up a friendship with Archduke Franz Ferdinand. He was promoted Major in June 1906, and served during the Great War with the Regiment in the French theatre of war from November 1914. The 1st King’s Dragoon Guards served as part of the Lucknow Cavalry Brigade, and on 9 January 1915 they served in the trenches at Festubert, ‘the Regiment took over trenches from the 17th Lancers about midnight, holding front line and support trenches with two squadrons, the remaining two squadrons being kept in reserve in the village.


The trenches were in most places flooded breast high and the communication trenches were under water. The enemy’s trenches were from 70 to 150 yards distant. On the 11th January at 4am, the evacuation of the front line trenches was ordered, the water being by then up to the men’s armpits, and many men having become exhausted from long exposure.


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