An Exceptional & Outstandingly Desirable EGYPT (SUAKIN 1885), INDIA GENERAL SERVICE (BURMA 1885-7)-(BURMA 1887-89)& KHEDIVE’S STAR (1884-86).

To:

Lieutt. Herman Bonham-Carter.
10th Coy, R.E. & 2d Coy Bl Sappers & Miners.

[A MILITARY & LATER SHOW BUSINESS FAMILY]
Lt Herman Bonham-Carter was an earlier ancestor of the now famous actress, Helena Bonham-Carter. The family has produced several army officers, Colonel Alfred Bonham-Carter C.B. and Lt Guy Bonham-Carter who was Killed-in Action in France on 15th May 1915 while serving with 19th Hussars.

[BIOGRAPHY]
Herman Bonham-Carter was baptised in Marylebone, London, on 20 April 1863, and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 28 July 1883. He served with the Engineers in Egypt and the Sudan in the Suakin Expedition in 1885, and in Burma from 1886-88. He married Margaret Louisa Wathen in Dartford, Kent in 1886. He was promoted Captain on 2 December 1891 and Major on 14 April 1900, and then to his final rank of Lieut-Colonel on 1 August 1908. He retired on 30th January 1910, and is seen in April 1911 living at Lodge Lane, Westerham, Kent, England He died on 11th December 1945 age 82.

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THE NAMING ON THIS GROUP
(Please read!) This is a tutorial on non-standard but totally correct medal naming.

This exceptional group which is now reunited with its correctly dated (1884-6)Khedive’s Star and suspended on some lovely original Victorian cotton ribbons was recently & seriously mis-described by a main London auction house.

The group was erroneously described as being ‘re-engraved’ in contemporary style!

This is totally, completely and utterly incorrect.....absolute rubbish !....frankly, it makes me angry .....and points to just how little some of these so called ‘auction experts’ know about medals. We were selling medals when most of these people were still at school.....They should get out more !!

So, to avoid any further confusion, let’s now get this right !



Both the named medals in the trio have 100% totally original naming which was in BOTH CASES clearly executed in the classic “Madras, running script with flourishes” style which was the norm, particularly for the IGS with these two clasps.

The Egypt medal is however rather unusual in that it was issued to him slightly late (and in India) and was thus locally named in the same running script Madras style and at the same time (and clearly by the same engraver)as his IGS.

We have seen this situation on a number of occasions on other similar medals....even including some totally correct but late issue Crimea medals to men who relocated to India after 1854.

Thus, BOTH the medals to Lt Bonham-Carter were clearly and most obviously named at the Indian medal office and presented to him while he was serving with the Madras Sappers & Miners at Bombay in India.

(*see officer’s pre-issue locations on confirming medal distribution roll, WO/100/64.)


BOTH medals are TOTALLY correct, and are NOT re-engraved.

Both planchettes are completely full size, uncut and are totally original having remained unaltered since the time of their original production and naming. Indeed, the unit naming at the three ‘o’ clock position on the IGS displays totally confirming originality and exhibits the quite normal and expected light softening of definition due to regular wearing contact with the Khedive’s Star.

Hence a superb and highly desirable group to an officer from a now famous theatrical family.

About EF on Original Victorian Cotton Stock Ribbons.£1550