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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 443

The mounted K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G. group of twelve miniature dress medals worn by Brigadier-General Sir W. C. Ross of Cromarty, 1st Highland Brigade, late Durham Light Infantry

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, Knight Commander's (K.B.E.) Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion's (C.B.) Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St, George, Companion's (C.M.G.) Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Afghanistan 1878-80; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeburg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, South Africa 1901; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals with M.I.D. oak leaves; Coronation 1902; Greece, Kingdom, Order of the Redeemer, gilt and enamel, with rosette; Romania, Kingdom, Order of the Star, gilt and enamel, with rosette; Greece, Kingdom, Medal of Military Merit 1916-17, with silver wreath on riband, mounted court-style by Spink & Son as worn, very fine and better (12)

K.B.E. London Gazette 14 October 1919.

C.B. London Gazette 19 April 1901.

C.M.G. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

Sir Walter Charteris Ross of Cromarty was born on 5 August 1857, the third son of Colonel George William Holmes Ross of Cromarty. His military career began at the age of twenty when he was commissioned Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry on 29 September 1877. He served with his unit abroad in Afghanistan and India, where he served as a Staff Officer, before returning home on leave in 1887 shortly after his brother's death and his own subsequent succession to the Cromarty estate.

While at home, Ross was married to May Stewart (daughter of General Sir Donald Stewart) at St. Stephen's Church in South Kensington on 8 June. They had issue of one daughter prior to May's death in India in June 1891. He found a second wife in Gertrude May Gathorne, whom he married in August 1897 and the couple went on to have two sons and three daughters.

Ross was badly wounded while on active service in South Africa during the Boer War, where he was serving as a Major in Major-General Hector MacDonald's Highland Brigade. During a suprise attack at Bothaville on 6 November 1900 whilst in command of the 8th Mounted Infantry Ross recieved a bullet to the face, destroying part of his lower jaw and nearly killing him. Following a period of recovery he was given command of training units and later retired as a Colonel in November 1908.

Upon the outbreak of the Great War, Ross was brought out of retirement at the age of 57 to command the 1st Highland Brigade at the Western Front, including at Festubert and Givenchy. He was replaced on the eve of the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and went on to command the 228th Brigade at Salonika for the remainder of the war. Ross returned to Cromarty after the war where he served as Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace. He died there aged 70 on 9 February 1928 and was interred at Cromarty Cemetery with a commemorative plaque on the wall of the church; sold together with copied research including London Gazette entries.

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Estimate
£300 to £500

Starting price
£240