Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Eight: Captain and Group Adjutant T. J. Higgins, City of London Rifle Volunteers, late Coldstream Guards, with whom he was mentioned in despatches for Gallipoli and awarded the Serbian Cross of Karageorge

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (7606 Corl. T. J. Higgins, Cldstm. Gds.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (7606 Serjt: T. J. Higgins. Coldstream Guards); 1914-15 Star (7606 C.S. Mjr. T. J. Higgins. C. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaves (7606 W.O. Cl. 2 T. J. Higgins. C. Gds.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (7606 C. Sjt. T. J. Higgins. Cldstm. Gds.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.S. Mjr. T. J. Higgins. C. Gds.); Serbia, Kingdom, Cross of Karageorge, 2nd Class, with swords, dated 1914-16, mounted for display, the first two with edge bruising, contact wear and polished, therefore good fine, the remainder very fine or better, the last extremely rare to a British recipient (8) £1,000-£1,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of David Lloyd.

View
Collection

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 July 1916 (Dardanelles).

M.S.M. Army Order 49 of 1939.

Cross of Karageorge, 2nd Class London Gazette 15 February 1917. The recommendation states:

‘On August 15th the battalion had been in action near One Tree entrenchment, Gallipoli, and had suffered heavy casualties both in officers and men through rifle and shrapnel fire. It was consequently in a dangerous condition. Sergeant-Major Higgins assisted in rallying the detached bodies and a further advance was subsequently made, he being with the right of the force. At nightfall an isolated position was taken up some 300 yards in advance of the rest of the line and was maintained until the evening of the following day when orders were received to retire. Sergeant-Major Higgins had charge of a portion of the line and did much to rouse men who were thoroughly exhausted to carry out work in making the position tenable.’

Only 82 1st Class and 89 2nd Class Crosses of Karageorge were awarded to the British Army.

Thomas Joseph Higgins was born in Sittingbourne, Kent and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in January 1889, aged 18 years. Having been advanced to Corporal in April 1899, he served out in South Africa between October of the same year and October 1902, winning the Queen’s Medal with six clasps and the King’s Medal with two clasps, in addition to gaining further promotion to Sergeant in September 1901. He subsequently gained appointment as Colour-Sergeant in August 1905 and received his L.S. & G.C. Medal in Army Order 270 of 1909, and in the following year was attached to the 10th (Hackney) Battalion, London Regiment as a Permanent Staff Instructor.

On the outbreak of war in 1914, he was employed as Regimental Sergeant-Major to the 1/10th Battalion (County of London) Regiment, and after a period of training embarked for services in the East. He served in the Gallipoli Peninsula and throughout the evacuation, being mentioned in Sir Charles Munro’s despatches and awarded the Serbian Cross of Karageorge with Swords, 2nd Class. He was commissioned in 1916, and promoted to Captain and Group Adjutant, London Volunteers.