The Gallantry Gazette January 2015 The magazine for Victoria Cross collectors Issue 6 VCP034 £395 Our choice of handwritten letter with address of Sandringham, Norfolk signed by Sir Dighton Probyn VC. General Sir Dighton Macnaughton Probyn VC, VCP034A £495 GCB, GCSI, Envelope addressed to Mr. Bathe, has GCVO, ISO signature of Dighton Probyn VC. (21 January 1833 - 20 June Probyn was 24 years old, and a captain in the 2nd in credit at the bank. Probyn had difficulty hiding the 1924) Punjab Cavalry, Bengal Army during the Indian Mutiny King’s extravagance; and which the minister Charles when the following deeds took place for which he was Hobhouse refused to defend in the Commons. awarded the VC: Probyn continued in this role throughout the King’s rule Probyn was “Has been distinguished for gallantry and daring and right up to his death. throughout this campaign. At the battle of Agra, when Probyn was totally devoted to the Princess, then Queen- an English his squadron charged the rebel infantry, he was some Empress, building gardens for her at Windsor Castle and time separated from his men, and surrounded by five or Sandringham House. The Queen returned the devotion, recipient of the six sepoys. He defended himself from the various cuts carrying round a knife with her to cut open his collar made at him, and before his own men had joined him when he occasionally had seizures. Victoria Cross, had cut down two of his assailants. At another time, Sir Dighton had an impressive appearance in old age the highest and in single combat with a sepoy, he was wounded in the with a very long white beard reaching down to his navel wrist, by the bayonet, and his horse also was slightly which concealed his VC on ceremonial occasions. most prestigious wounded; but, though the sepoy fought desperately, he Sir Dighton was appointed an Extra Equerry to King cut him down. The same day he singled out a standard Edward VII. award for bearer, and, in the presence of a number of the enemy, Probyn married, in 1872, Letitia Maria Thellusson, killed him and captured the standard. These are only daughter of Thomas Robarts Thellusson. Lady Probyn gallantry in a few of the gallant deeds of this brave young officer.” died at Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk, on 17 the face of the Despatch from Major-General James Hope Grant, January 1900. K.C.B., dated 10th January, 1858. The 5th King Edward’s Own Probyn’s Horse popularly enemy that can Later Sir Dighton achieved the rank of general. He was called Probyn’s Horse, a regiment of the British Indian a councillor of the Oxford Military College in Cowley, Army, was named after him; it is now part of the be awarded to Oxfordshire from 1876-1896. Pakistan Army and officially designated as 5 Horse. He was in later life an ornament of the Victorian age, Probynabad, a town in Punjab province of Pakistan with British and being Keeper of the Privy Purse, a court sinecure large farmlands owned by the regiment is also named position as well as Secretary to the Prince of Wales and after him. Commonwealth Comptroller of the Household. This was an important The VC earned by General Sir Dighton MacNaughton forces. position as the Prince and Princess were both profligate Probyn, according to the London Times, was bought at in spending and Sir Dighton had a hard job to keep auction 24 September 2005 for £160,000. Details of the them solvent. Testimony to his success was the fact purchaser were not given. that, when the Prince acceded at last in 1901, he was Information from www.wikipedia.org VCC018A £50 1981 Leonard Cheshire Foundation, International Year of Disabled People FDI cover signed by Leonard Cheshire VC. VCC073A £75 A.R. Cutler VC (Sir Roden), signed mount with newspaper clipping 4.5 x 3.5. VCF020F £65 1990 Distinguished Service Medal cover signed by Ian Fraser VC + Lt Cdr C Kingsmill DSO, Cdr E Lee DSO, Donald Bunce CGM, Capt M Howarth CBE,Capt A Sutton CBE, Lt Cdr Ben Rice DSM, Lt Cdr Alan Pollard DSC. Want to spread VCP010B £100 the payments on 1997 Royal Star & Garter Home these amazing cover signed by Pat Porteous VC covers? Don’t forget to ask plus 10 Battle of Britain pilots & others. Total of 18 signatures about Flexi Pay! Call 01303 on the cover. 278137 for full details. VCP030F £175 1976 75th Anniversary of Launch of First Submarine cover signed by VCR030F £175 Godfrey Place VC. Also signed by Lieutenant Commander RLT Jones Robert E Ryder VC, signed 1982 40th Anniversary ‘Operation Chariot’ Commanding Officer of HMS Onyx. St. Nazaire cover. VCZ019B £195 1987 70th Ann of the sinking of U83 cover signed by Ian Fraser VC & VCU001B £200 Godfrey Place VC. Also signed by Vice Admiral Sir Robert Gerken & 1985 40th Ann of VE Day cover signed by Charles Upham VC. Commodore N Kettlewell. 2 Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent Ct19 4Bf GG06 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] VCZ020U £60 1983 Regimental Museums cover signed by Keith Payne VC & Philip Gardner VC. Also signed by Brigadier Alastair Pearson, Major Crookenden, General Sir John Hackett & Brigadier James Hill. VCZ020T £100 1983 British Army cover signed by VC winners Philip Gardner & Eric Wilson + others, Maj Gen John Frost, Gen Sir John Hackett, Brig James Hill, Major Crookenden & Brig Alastair Pearson. VCZ020V £195 1974 Centenary of Sir Winston Churchill cover signed by Ian Fraser VC and Godfrey Place VC. VCZ020W £195 1977 35th Ann Lt Cdr Eugene Esmonde’s VC against the German ships ‘Scharnhorst & Gneisenau’ cover signed by VC winners Ian Fraser & Godfrey Place. Also signed by Adm Sir Derek Empson, Lt Cmdr Kingsmill + Edgar Lee. Don’t miss out on an RAF signed cover, see the RAF Auction or sign up for regular emails www.buckinghamcovers.com/family VCZ020X £195 www.buckinghamcovers.com/auctions 1980 65th Ann of Slt Sub Lt R.A.J. Warnford’s Victoria Cross cover signed by VC winners Ian Fraser & Godfrey Place. Also signed by Ben Travers CBE & Jeanne Dodington (sister of R. Warnford). VCZ031A £150 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers signed by VC winners Richard Burton, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Commander G Bunn MBE. VCZ050A £150 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, Henry Foote, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. www.buckinghamcovers.com 3 VCR050E £195 Typed letter dated 8 October 1914 signed by The Rt Hon Earl Roberts VC. (30 September 1832 - 14 November 1914) was a British soldier who was one of the most successful commanders of the 19th century. He served in Field Marshal the Indian rebellion, the Expedition to Abyssinia Frederick Sleigh and the Second Anglo- Roberts, 1st Earl Afghan War before leading British Forces to success Roberts VC, KG, in the Second Boer War. He also became the last KP, GCB, OM, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces before the post was GCSI, GCIE, abolished in 1904. KStJ, VD, PC VCC043 £25 John Cruickshank VC, signed cover our choice. VCE030 £75 Sir Hughie Edwards VC, signed 60th Anniversary of Qantas cover. VCJ001 £50 Norman Jackson VC, signed 1982 Bomber series cover to commemorate the first VC awarded to Airman. VCK002A £35 1990 The Last Royal Flight in the Andover, signed by Edward Kenna VC, plus George Cross winners Eynon Hawkins, Harry Flintoff and Ken Farrow. www.buckinghamcovers.com/family | www.buckinghamcovers.com/mags 4 Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent Ct19 4Bf GG06 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] VCZ050C £50 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, Eric Wilson, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. VCZ050B £50 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, Thomas Gould, Rod Learoyd VCZ050D £75 & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, David Jamieson, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. VCZ050F £50 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Tasker Watkins, Ian Fraser, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. VCZ050E £125 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, Quentin Smythe, Rod Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. VCZ058R £100 1990 Battle of Britain cover VCZ050G £50 signed by VC winners Bill 1984 Award of the Victoria Cross to Airmen covers, Reid, Rod Learoyd & signed by VC winners Ian Fraser, Keith Payne, Rod Ian Fraser + signed by 9 Learoyd & Bill Reid plus Wing Cmdr G Bunn MBE. others including Group Capt Dennis ‘Hurricane’ David DFE, & Air Vice Marshal Harold ‘Birdie’ Bird-Wilson. VCZ058T £60 1990 Queen Mother 90th Birthday cover signed by Edward Kenna VC, John Kenneally VC & Rod Learoyd VC. Also signed by 11 GC winners including John Bridge, Ken Farrow, Daphne Pearson, Phillip May etc. VCZ058S £60 1990 Queen Mother 90th Birthday signed by John 01303 278137 Kenneally VC, Edward Kenna VC & Rod Learoyd EMAIL: [email protected] VC. Also signed by 10 GC winners including Daphne Pearson, Ken Farrow, F. Fairfax etc. www.buckinghamcovers.com 5 VCZ062R £200 1990 50th Ann Battle of Britain cover signed by VC winners John VCZ058U £325 ‘Jack’ Hinton, Rod Learoyd, Edward Kenna & Tommy Gould plus 1985 45th Ann of HMS Glowworm’s attack on the Admiral Hipper cover signed by 2 GC winners.