*The Campaign Group of Five awarded to Captain Osmond Donald Blunt, Connaught Rangers, who served in the Sudan during the Dongola Expedition of 1896 and then during the expedition against Chief Mpezeni in 1898, and who was wounded in action at Gaberones on 12 February 1900 during the Boer War while serving with ‘B’ Squadron of the Rhodesia Regiment, comprising: Queen’s Sudan, 1896-97, in silver (Lt. O. D. Blunt, 2/ Con: Rang:); Central Africa, 1891-98, single clasp, Central Africa 1894-98 with bar suspension (Lieut: O. D. Blunt, Conn: Rangers); Queen’s South Africa, 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Rhodesia, Relief of Mafeking, Transvaal (Capt: O. D. Blunt, Lanc: Fus:); Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, Fourth Class breast badge in gold, silver and enamels, reverse engraved (Lieutenant O. D. Blunt. Connaught Rangers. 1896); Khedive’s Sudan, 1896-1908, 2 clasps, Firket, Hakir (Lieut. O. D. Blunt. Connaught Rangers. 1896.); The group unmounted and lightly toned, a rare combination, extremely fine and lustrous (5). Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie: London Gazette: 2 March, 1897 – ‘in recognition of active and distinguished service before the enemy during the recent expedition to Dongola’. Captain Osmond Donald Blunt (1870-1915) was born 17 November 1870, the son of Sir John Elijah Blunt, H.M. Consular Service, and Lady Fanny Janet (née Sandison). He was educated at Oxford University, and received his first commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers on 22 March 1890. He transferred to the Connaught Rangers on 15 March 1893, and served in the Sudan during the Dongola Campaign of 1896, for which he received a Fourth Class Order of the Medjidie from the Khedive of Egypt. In January and February 1898 he took part in the expedition against the Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni tribe, which defeated the Chief and his son near Fort Jameson in North-Eastern Rhodesia, and during the Boer War he served with Colonel Plumer’s Force (medal roll states that he was seconded to ‘B’ Squadron of the Rhodesia Regiment, hence his rare Rhodesia clasp) and was wounded in action at Gaberones on 12 February 1900. He later joined the Lancashire Fusiliers for a time as Captain, and then served in the 5th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as Captain, and died 20 March 1915 at Floriana, Malta, where he was afterwards interred with his father. For awards to his father, see lot 726; for his relating miniatures, see the following lot.
Estimate: £2500-£3000