Boer War and WW1 Medal Group of Six – Brigadier General J.A. Bell-Smyth, Commanding Officer, 1st Dragoon Guards (Awarded the C.M.G. for the Battle of Chateau Hooge)

A Boer War and Great War medal group of six to Brigadier General John Ambard Bell-Smyth, CB, CMG, Commanding Officer, 1st
Dragoon Guards, who was awarded the C.M.G. for the Battle of Chateau Hooge. 

Queen’s South Africa Medal (6 Clasps – Relief of Mafeking, Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901) named to Capt. & Bt: Maj: J.A. Bell-Smyth. 1/ Drgn: Gds. 
1914 Mons Star named to Lt.Col: J.A. Bell-Smyth. 1/ D.Gds. 
British War Medal named to Brig. Gen. J.A. Bell-Smyth. 
WW1 Victory Medal (with M.I.D. oak leaf emblem) named to Brig. Gen. J.A. Bell-Smyth. 
1902 Coronation Medal unnamed as issued 
Austria, Order of the Iron, 3rd Class in gold, with Rothe hallmark, early issue. 

The medals are in good condition. The first five being swing mounted on modern ribbons. 

C.B. London Gazette 3 June 1919
C.M.G. London Gazette 14 January 1916
M.I.D. (x 4) London Gazette 16 April 1901, 1 January 1916, 11 December 1917, and 5 July 1919
Brevet Colonel London Gazette 1 January 1918  

John Ambard Bell-Smyth was born on 6 December 1868 in Trinidad and commissioned into the
King’s Dragoon Guards on 21 December 1887. He served as Adjutant in the regiment from 1890
to 1893. In 1896, Queen Victoria appointed Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria to be Colonel-inChief on the regiment. Bell-Smyth was one of three officers who traveled to Vienna to present
the Emperor with the old regimental standard. For this service, Bell-Smyth was awarded the
Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class, which he was granted unrestricted permission to wear. 

Bell-Smyth served as Aide de Camp to Lord Methuen during first several months of the Boer
War, being present at Belmont, Modder River, and Magersfontein. Bell-Smyth next appointments
were as Adjutant of the Kimberley Mounted Corps on 4 March 1900 and Brigade Major of the
Mafeking Relief Column on 1 May 1900. Bell-Smyth was present at the relief of Mafeking on 17
May 1900. Bell-Smyth served as Second in Command, Brabant’s Horse from 20 November
1900, and as Commandant, Middleburg from 2 January to 5 February 1901 before rejoining his
regiment as Adjutant upon their arrival in South Africa. Bell-Smyth departed for England on 8
October 1901. For his Boer War service, Bell-Smyth was breveted Major, mentioned in
despatches, and awarded the Order of Leopold, 3rd Class by the Emperor Franz Joseph. 

Between wars, Bell-Smyth led the contingent representing the King’s Dragoon Guards at the
Coronation of King Edward VII on 9 August 1902. He attended the wedding of Prince Alexander
George of Teck (whom he met during the relief of Mafeking) at Windsor Castle on 10 February
1904. He served on the staff on the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from 1 January 1908 to 21
January 1911. After completing his appointment at Sandhurst, Bell-Smyth passed through Staff
College, Camberley, 1911-12. 

Bell-Smyth was appointed Commanding Officer, King’s Dragoon Guards on 14 June 1914. The
regimental history states that he received the G.M.G. for distinguished service while sub-sector
leader during the battle of Chateau Hooge, 1-2 June 1915. He was promoted Brigadier General in
command of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade on 16 October 1915 and remained in that position for the rest
of the War.

In addition to the C.M.G., Bell-Smyth received the C.B., was breveted Colonel, and mentioned in despatches three times for his Great War services. He retired on 12 May 1920 and died on 24
March 1922.  

The group comes with research including an article about Bell-Smyth from The Journal of the Orders and
Medals Society of America, copies of a group photograph of the officers in the Mafeking Relief
Column, and a photocopy of a painting of Bell-Smyth retained by the family

Regiment: 1st King's Dragoon Guards

Era: Boer War and WW1