An Impressive Inter-War C.B., Great War C.I.E., Mesopotamia Operations D.S.O. Group of Thirteen to Major-General R.S. St. John, Indian Army, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion's (C.B.), Military Division, neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Companion's (C.I.E.) neck Badge, gold and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; India General Service 1895-1902, one clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Lieut., 40th Bl. Infy.), minor official correction; China 1900, no clasp (Lieutt., 40th Punjab Infy.), minor official correction; 1914-15 Star (Maj., 20/Infy.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf (Lt. Col.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Delhi Durbar 1911; Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fifth Class breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with usual cabochons; Serbia, Order of Karageorge, Military Division, Fourth Class breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; United States of America, Military Order of the Dragon 1900, the reverse engraved, 'Lieut. R.S. St. John, 40th Pathans, No. 727', complete with 'pagoda' brooch-bar and original embroidered riband, enamel work and cabochons chipped in places, otherwise good very fine and better, mounted Court-style as worn where appropriate (13)

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An Impressive Inter-War C.B., Great War C.I.E., Mesopotamia Operations D.S.O. Group of Thirteen to Major-General R.S. St. John, Indian Army, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion's (C.B.), Military Division, neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Companion's (C.I.E.) neck Badge, gold and enamel; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; India General Service 1895-1902, one clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (Lieut., 40th Bl. Infy.), minor official correction; China 1900, no clasp (Lieutt., 40th Punjab Infy.), minor official correction; 1914-15 Star (Maj., 20/Infy.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf (Lt. Col.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Delhi Durbar 1911; Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fifth Class breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with usual cabochons; Serbia, Order of Karageorge, Military Division, Fourth Class breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; United States of America, Military Order of the Dragon 1900, the reverse engraved, 'Lieut. R.S. St. John, 40th Pathans, No. 727', complete with 'pagoda' brooch-bar and original embroidered riband, enamel work and cabochons chipped in places, otherwise good very fine and better, mounted Court-style as worn where appropriate
(13)

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Lot Essay

C.B. London Gazette 3.6.1927.

C.I.E. London Gazette 1.1.1919.

D.S.O. London Gazette 25.8.1917.

Mention in Despatches London Gazettes 5.4.1916 (thrice); 19.10.1916 and 15.8.1917.

Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure circa 1904.

Serbian Order of Karageorge London Gazette 15.2.1917.

Major-General Richard Stukeley St. John, C.B., C.I.E., D.S.O., was born in January 1876 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the Unattached List in January 1896. Appointed to the 40th Pathan Regiment, Bengal Infantry, as an Officiating Wing Officer, in August of the following year, he quickly witnessed active service on the North West Frontier. Advanced to Lieutenant in April 1898, St. John was next actively employed in the Boxer Rebellion 1900-01, serving as a Double Company Officer, 40th Bengal Infantry, attached 20th Punjab Infantry, and from September 1901 to July 1903 on the Staff of the China Field Force as an Intelligence Officer and latterly an A.D.C., permission being granted for him to wear the insignia of the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure in April 1904. Advanced to Captain in January 1905, he was serving as Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter-Master General to the Karachi Brigade on the eve of the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

Initially employed as a Brigade Major and Temporary Commandant of the 20th Bengal Infantry, St. John was appointed to the Indian Expeditionary Force as Assistant Quarter-Master General in March 1916 and gained advancement to Lieutenant-Colonel in June of the same year. Thus employed until June 1917, he witnessed extensive action in the Mespotamia operations, not least in the assorted attempts to relieve Kut. Thrice Mentioned in Despatches by General Sir John Nixon, he went on to win similar approbation from Lieutenant-Generals Lake and Maude and, in June 1917, was awarded the D.S.O. and granted the rank of Temporary Brigadier-General.

Reverting to the substantive rank of Colonel in June 1919, shortly after being gazetted for his C.I.E., St. John went on to attain Senior Command in India between the Wars, firstly as C.O. of Lahore Brigade Area 1922-1926 and latterly as Deputy Assistant and Quarter-Master General, Northern Command. Advanced to Major-General in March 1926, he was created a C.B. in the following year and was placed on the Retired List in 1929. The General retired to the West Country and died there in June 1959.