Pair: Captain R. V. Trengrouse, Gloucestershire Regiment, attached 4th Nigeria Regiment in the Cameroons campaign, where he was wounded in October 1915

British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt. R. V. Trengrouse.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Nigeria 1918 (Lieut. R. V. Trengrouse. Glouc. R.) extremely fine (2) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Gloucestershire Regiment.

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Richard Vyvyan Trengrouse was born in London on 7 August 1887, a great-grandson of Henry Trengrouse, inventor of the rocket apparatus and ‘bosun’s chair’ for rescuing people from ships. Educated at Uppingham, he was commissioned into the 11th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment as Temporary 2nd Lieutenant on 6 March 1915. He was seconded to the West African Frontier Force on 14 July 1915, and disembarked at Duala on 4 August 1915, where he was posted to the 4th Nigeria Regiment. For the Cameroons campaign, two composite regiments were formed, with ‘A’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ Companies of the 4th Nigeria Regiment becoming part of No. 2 Battalion, Nigeria Regiment. This included 2nd Lieutenant Trengrouse’s Company. On 9 October 1915, he was wounded in an attack by the 2nd Nigerians at Wum Biagas, by a slight wound to the right ankle and a more severe wound from a bullet which entered his chest and exited through the outer side of his left arm. He was admitted to Base Hospital at Duala, where he also had a bout of malarial fever, and on 15 December 1915 he embarked for England on sick leave.

Returning to Lagos in June 1916, he rejoined the 4th Nigerians and in November 1916 sailed for East Africa, disembarking at Daar-es-Salaam on 20 December to join the campaign against Von Lettow. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917, and commanded a Company in the field 1-31 July and from 20 December 1917 to 4 March 1918, serving in Portuguese East Africa during January and February 1918. He returned to the U.K. on leave in March 1918. He was appointed Temporary Captain, 4th Nigeria Regiment (West Africa Service Brigade) on 1 June 1918, shortly afterwards embarked for West Africa and arrived at Lagos on 13 July and took part in the Egba Expedition (Medal with clasp). He is also entitled to the 1915-15 Star and Victory Medal.