Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (Capt. C. G. Slade, 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde. 1873-4) nearly extremely fine £300-350

Charles George Slade was born on 17 July 1837, the son of Sir Frederick William Slade, 2nd Bt. and Barbara Maria Mostyn. Educated at Westminster, he was gazetted an Ensign in the Rifle Brigade on 18 February 1855 and was promoted Lieutenant on 6 July 1855. With the 1st Battalion he served in the Crimea during January-June 1856. He was Instructor of Musketry from 1858 until October 1861 when he became a Captain by purchase and shortly afterwards he proceeded with the 1st Battalion to Canada. Two years later he exchanged to the 2nd Battalion and joined up with it at Meerut in March 1864. In 1867, upon the 2nd Battalion being ordered home, he again exchanged, this time to the 3rd Battalion based at Rawalpindi. He remained in India until invalided home in 1869. Posted to the 2nd Battalion at Dover in October 1870, he accompanied it to the Gold Coast in November 1873 and served in the Ashanti War. In November 1874, he proceeded to Gibraltar with the same battalion. In December 1874, for his services in the latter war he was awarded the brevet of Major. Promoted Major on 1 September 1878 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion in Dublin and on 1 July 1881 was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel (2nd in command) of the battalion. In May 1884, he was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion then based at the Curragh. Gaining the brevet of Colonel in July 1885, he was placed on Half Pay in July 1887. In January 1890 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army on being appointed Commandant of the School of Musketry at Hythe. He remained there until his retirement in July 1894. Colonel Slade died in London on 6 September 1897, aged 60 years, the Ashantee 1873-74 being the only medal of his military career. In the early 1890’s Colonel Slade was chiefly responsible for the formation of a collection of medals won by non-commissioned officers and men of the 2nd Battalion. He was also a one time member of the Small Arms Committee, which was instrumental in introducing a small-bore rifle - the Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle, into the service, and was also part inventor of the ‘Slade-Wallace’ equipment. Sold with a quantity of copied research.