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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 332

The rare Boer War D.S.O. group of five awarded to Colonel T. H. C. Nunn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, who was twice wounded and thrice 'mentioned' on active service, Nunn also returned to the fold with the Local Defence Volunteers at Blairgowrie and was a Section Commander with the Perthshire Home Guard - he notably earned one of just two D.S.O.'s awarded to his Regiment for the Boer War

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with top riband bar adapted for mounting; Queen's South Africa, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt. T. H. C. Nunn. 2/R. W. Kent. Regt), minor official correction to rank; 1914-15 Star (Major T. H. C. Nunn. R. W. Kent R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major T. H. C. Nunn.), mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (5)

Just 2 D.S.O.s were awarded to the Royal West Kent Regiment for the Boer War, the other example awarded to Captain Buckle resides in the Regimental Museum at Maidstone, Kent.

Provenance:
Glendinning's, May 1986 (Lot 41).

D.S.O. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

M.I.D. London Gazette 29 July 1902, 1 January 1916 & 15 June 1916.

Thomas Henry Clayton Nunn was born on 11 August 1873 in London, the son of The Rev. John Bridges Nunn. Nunn was commissioned in the Glamorgan Artillery Militia on 11 February 1891, transferring to the Royal West Kent Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant on 2 June 1894.

He embarked with the 2nd Battalion landing at Port Elizabeth on 9 April 1900, subsequently being posted to the Mounted Infantry for service in South Africa during which time he was wounded and repatriated home on the P&O troopship Assaye on 10 April 1902. For the campaign he would earn his D.S.O. and the first of his 'mentions'. The recommendation states:

'A most able officer and avuncular adjutant. He has fine tact and industry and would make an excellent staff officer. Has been posted to Egypt as Corps Mounted infantry.'

Nunn had the distinction of commanding the Royal West Kent Regimental detachment which lined the route at Hamilton Place, Piccadilly for Queen Victoria's funeral. His next appointment was Adjutant of the Mounted Infantry School in Egypt from May 1902-May 1905. He was Brigade Major, Southern Mounted Infantry Brigade, Southern Command when the Great War was declared, landing in France in March 1915. Advanced to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 3 June 1916, he was a home-based staff officer initially with the 46th Division and later the 58th Division before commanding a Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment in France from June-August 1917.

He later commanded the 4th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment from 19 April-12 May 1918 during which time he was wounded in the Nieppe Forest. Twice 'mentioned', his final appointment was commanding the Royal West Kent Regimental depot in late 1920, being retired on 8 December 1920.

In 1902, he married firstly Aileen Sybil Tatham, daughter of Major John Tatham, RHA who he divorced in May 1922.

In October 1924 after the much-publicised and no doubt embarrassing divorce from his first wife, he married Aline Mary Nancy Lilias Hill-Whitson, the daughter of Colonel Thomas Hill-Whitson 14th Hussars. His first wife, Aileen Sybil Tatham, subsequently married Commander Basil Richard Poe, Royal Navy, the man she was having an affair with.

Relocating to Blairgowrie, Scotland with Aline, he managed the Parkhill Fruit Farm from 1925-36, living at Parkhill, Blairgowrie, now a nursing home.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the old soldier returned to the fold. An obituary in the Blairgowrie Advertiser recalls:

'Nunn joined the Local Defence Volunteers on inception in May 1940, later the Home Guard and for the first month acted as Section Leader at Blairgowrie. In June 1940 he was given the post of section commander for the eastern district of Perthshire. He relinquished his post in August 1941 through ill health and was presented with a silver salver.

He was devoted to racing and hunting and had a reputation as a point-to-point rider in the English shires. Before the outbreak of the war Nunn was a member of the Strathtay Aero club and had almost completed his training as an A pilot, quite a feat at the age of 67.

A man of outstanding ability and distinctive personality he was highly esteemed by all those who came into touch with him and will be greatly missed.'

The Colonel died suddenly at Blairgowrie on 25 September 1944; sold together with a bound book of research, including various photographs of the Colonel.


Sold together with a comprehensive buckram bound folder of research including photographs of Nunn and a book, 'More Old Blairgowrie and Rattray'.



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Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2800