Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The rare ‘Bechuanaland Expedition 1884-85’ C.M.G. group of four awarded to Colonel F. G. S. Curtis, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, late 6th Dragoon Guards

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge, gold and enamels, complete with swivel-ring bar suspension and gold ribbon buckle, in a later Garrard & Co. Ltd. case of issue; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Cornet F. G. S. Curtis, 6th Dragn. Gds) contemporary engraved naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Delhi (Capt. Geo. S. Curtis, 6th Dragn. Gds.); Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, plugged and fitted with narrow Crimea type suspension, the last three with matching ornate silver ribbon buckles, the campaign medals with edge bruising and contact marks, therefore good fine, the first nearly extremely fine (4) £2,000-£2,600

C.M.G. London Gazette 27 January 1886.

Francis George Savage Curtis was born at Teignmouth, Devon, on 8 July 1836. He was educated at Eton and was commissioned as Cornet in the 6th Dragoon Guards on 15 December 1854. He embarked for the Crimea on 21 July 1855, and disembarked at Balaclava on 14th August. He was present at the battle of the Tchernya on 16 August, where the 6th Dragoon Guards covered a battery of howitzers at Mount Hosfort, and also at the siege and capture of Sebastopol in August and September of 1855.

Curtis was stationed at Meerut with the 6th Dragoon Guards at the outbreak of the Mutiny and was present at the parade on 9 May 1857, when the mutineers of the 3rd Bengal Native Cavalry were shackled and sentence to transportation for refusing to bite the cartridge for the new Enfield rifles. The remainder of the 3rd Bengal Cavalry and the other native troops mutinied on 10 May killing many of the European troops and civilians. The 6th Dragoon Guards, under Colonel Custance, were sent out after the mutineers, but did not make contact and did not come into action.

Lieutenant Curtis served with the Right Wing of the Regiment in Brigadier Archdale Wilson's Column in actions on the Hindun on the 30th and 31st of May and at the battle of Bundlekserai, six miles north of Delhi, on the 8th of June, where the 6th Dragoon Guards and the cavalry under Hope Grant attacked the rear of the enemy force. He afterwards served with his regiment in the advance on Delhi and the subsequent siege and capture of the city. He also took part in the operations under Brigadier Showers to the west and south-west of Delhi, capturing Rivari, Jijhar, & Kanauri, and returning to Delhi on 19 October. He also served with Colonel Gerrard's Column, 10-14 November, including the action at Narnul, where the 6th Dragoon Guards, under Captain Warlaw, and the Guides, were heavily engaged by superior numbers of the enemy. Promoted to Captain on 5 March 1858, he was in action at Mynpoorie that same month, and the action at Kukrowlie on 29-30 April, where the Regiment served with General Penny's Column. The Regiment participated in the capture of Bareilly on 5 May 1858, where the 6th Dragoon Guards formed part of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. Lieutenant Curtis also served with a wing of 6th Dragoon Guards in Brigadier Jones’ Column in May and June 1858, and in the relief of Shahjinpore, the advance on Mahundee, and the reduction of Shahabad.

Curtis exchanged as Captain into the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons on 15 November 1861, and served with this regiment for the remainder of his military career, becoming Major in January 1878 and Lieutenant-Colonel in July 1881. Having been stationed in the U.K. since April 1867, Curtis served in the Boer War of 1881, with the 6th Dragoons and in command of the cavalry of the column which re-garrisoned Pochefstroom.

During the Bechuanaland expedition of 1884-85, he commanded the 6th Dragoons in the force under Sir Charles Warren in an attempt to stop Boer infiltration. For his services on this occasion he was mentioned in despatches and made a Companion of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.), 27 January 1886. He served in Zululand in 1888, as Chief of the Staff in the operations against Dinizulu in June and July, for which services he was again mentioned in despatches. He served as Deputy Adjutant-General in South Africa, September 1886 to October 1888; as Colonel on the Staff, October 1888 to September 1891; commanding Troops in Natal, 1891-93; and as Assistant Adjutant-General for Cavalry Horse Guards, January 1892 to 8 July 1893, when he retried. Colonel Curtis died on 30 June 1906.