Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Captain R. H. Struben, who raised and commanded Struben’s Scouts during the Boer War, before becoming Intelligence Staff Officer to Douglas Haig; he later served with the Remount Depot during the Great War, and was Member of Parliament for Albany, Eastern Cape; only 13 Q.S.A.s were awarded to Struben’s Scouts, of whom Struben was the only Officer

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (Lieut. R. H. Struben. Struben’s Scouts.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt. R. H. Struben.); Jubilee 1935, first three mounted as worn, last in card box of issue, together with the related miniature awards, about extremely fine, the QSA unique to an officer in the unit (4) £2000-2400

O.B.E. London Gazette 5 June 1919.

Robert Henry Struben was born on 29 March 1876, the son of William Charles Struben, C.M.G., a veteran of both the Zulu and First Boer Wars, and was educated at Wadham College, Oxford. Returning to South Africa as a gentleman farmer, he served during the Boer War, first as Officer Commanding Struben’s Scouts, a unit of mainly local farmers that he raised himself in February 1900. The unit was disbanded at Pretoria in July 1900, and, having initially remained in service on General R. Pole-Carew’s Staff, Struben was subsequently posted as Intelligence Staff Officer to Colonel D. Haig in January 1901. For his services in South Africa during the Boer War he was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 16 April 1901).

Struben served during the Great War as a 1st Assistant Superintendent, Remount Service, Cavalry of the Line, first at the Romsey Remount Depot from 15 November 1916 until 13 June 1919, and then at the Remount Depot, Army of the Rhine, at Antwerp from 14 June to 16 July 1919, and at Cologne General Headquarters from 17 July to 30 October 1919, where he held the rank of Acting Major. For his services during the Great War he was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 25 March 1919). He relinquished his commission on 13 February 1920, retaining the rank of Captain, and returned to South Africa, where he served as Member of Parliament for Albany, Eastern Cape. He died on 28 February 1936.

Sold together with the bestowal Document for the O.B.E., named to ‘Temporary Captain Robert Henry Struben’ and dated 3 June 1919; Bestowal Document for the Jubilee Medal 1935, named to ‘R. H. Struben Esq., M.P., O.B.E.’; the recipient’s Record of Service Booklet; original letter from the recipient requesting a Medal Roll for Struben’s Scouts, and the resulting original Q.S.A. Roll for Stuben’s Scouts; the recipient’s letters of naturalization for the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, dated 28 June 1898; a portrait photograph of the recipient; and a group photograph of some of the ‘Struben’s Scouts’.

Approximately 13 Queen’s South Africa Medals awarded to Struben’s Scouts; Struben’s medal is the only one named to an officer.