The important Victorian K.C.B. group of nine awarded to General Sir Henry Tuson, Colonel...

The important Victorian K.C.B. group of nine awarded to General Sir Henry Tuson, Colonel Commandant, Royal Marine Artillery, who commanded the R.M.A. in Egypt in 1882, and all Marine Forces during the Sudan campaign at the battles of El-Teb and Tamaai The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Knight Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge in 18 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1881, and breast star in silver with gold and enamel centre, the star lacking one central crown fitment; China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Taku Forts 1860, Pekin 1860, unnamed as issued; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb_Tamaai (Lt. Col: H. B. Tuson. R.M.A.); Jubilee 1887, clasp, 1897, silver; Ottoman Empire, Order of Osmanie, 3rd Class neck badge, silver, gold and enamels, lacking cravat loop and mounted for display as a breast badge; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882; Germany, Sax-Coburg-Gotha, Silver Wedding Anniversary Medal 1899, these last six mounted for display; Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, 3rd class neck badge by Stopin, Paris, silver, gold and enamel, lacking tips of three points; Germany, Saxon Duchies, Ernestine House Order, 2nd type, Commander First Class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, gold and enamels, and breast star in silver with gold and enamel centre, some enamel damage to wreath in this, unless otherwise described, generally very fine or better (11) £10,000-£14,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Henry Brasnell Tuson was born at Boulogne in about 1836, son of Lieutenant James Tuson, R.N., and joined the Royal Marine Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant in April 1854. He served in China in 1858-60, and commanded a detachment on an expedition against pirates from 26 August to 5 September, 1858 (mentioned in despatches), and was present at the capture and destruction of 100 junks and 236 guns; was also present at the attack on the Peiho forts on 25 June 1859, the capture of the Taku Forts in 1860, and took possession of the forts and city of Tientsin; was employed in the Flotilla in September 1860 until the notification of the treaty and return of the Army to Tientsin. He commanded the Royal Marine Artillery of the Battalion of Royal Marines sent out to South Africa for special service in the Zulu war of 1879, but did not see active service. He served as Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the R.M.A. Battalion throughout the whole campaign in Egypt in 1882, and commanded a combined force of R.M.A. and R.M.L.I. at the reconnaissance in force at Mallaha Junction (mentioned in despatches). He afterwards commanded the R.M.A. Battalion in the actions at El Magfar, Mahsaneh, Kassassin 28th August (despatches), Kassassin 9th September, and Tel-el-Kebir, also at the occupation of Cairo and Aboukir Forts (C.B., Brevet of Colonel, extra ADC to the Queen, Medjidie 3rd class). He received his Egyptian medal and clasp from the Queen in person at Windsor Castle on 21 November 1882. Tuson commanded the Royal Marine forces of the Mediterranean, East Indian and China squadron during the naval and military operations in the Eastern Sudan, and at the battles of El-Teb and Tamaai, the advance on and relief of Tokar, and the advance on Tamanieb. He was twice mentioned in naval and military dispatches, his services officially acknowledged by the Lords of the Admiralty, and publicly made known at the Headquarters of the four Divisions of Royal Marines (Suakin and El-Teb-Tamaai clasps, Osmanieh 3rd class). Advanced to Colonel Commandant R.M. in November 1886, Major-General in May 1888, and Lieutenant-General in August 1893, he was promoted to K.C.B. in May 1895. His Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Duke of Edinburgh), being anxious to mark, upon his accession to the Duchies, his long association with the corps of Royal Marines, of which he was Honorary Colonel, conferred upon Tuson, as Deputy-Adjutant-General of the corps, the decoration of the Saxe-Ernestine Order, 1st Class, in November 1893. Tuson was placed on the retired list, on account of age, on 30 April 1901, and died at Kingston-upon-Thames on 21 December 1916.