The rare Defence of Legations group of seven awarded to Colour-Sergeant A. S. Roberts,...

The rare Defence of Legations group of seven awarded to Colour-Sergeant A. S. Roberts, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who was commended by the Admiralty for his part in the famous siege; afterwards engaged with the R.M. Brigade in the Royal Naval Division, he was present at Ostend and at the defence of Antwerp in 1914, and was wounded by a gunshot to his left arm in Gallipoli in May 1915 China 1900, 1 clasp, Defence of Legations (Pvte. A. S. Roberts, R.M.L.I.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (A. S. Roberts, Corpl., R.M. H.M.S. Partridge); 1914 Star, with clasp (PLY.8649 Sergt. A. S. Roberts, R.M. Brigade.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (PLY. 8649 Cr. Sgt. A. S. Roberts. R.M.L.I.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (PLY.8649 A. S. Roberts, Clr. Sgt., R.M.L.I.) light contact marks, otherwise very fine or better (7) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- 78 Medals with ‘Defence of Legation’ clasps were awarded to the Royal Marines, the above example likely forming a unique set of awards to the Corps. Alfred Shaftsbury Roberts was born in Brighton, Sussex, on 24 September 1878, and joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry in London in June 1897. Following recruit training at Walmer, he was posted to the Plymouth Division and embarked in H.M.S. Centurion in September 1898. Coming ashore to Wei Hei Wei on the China station in January 1900, he served as a member of the Legation Guard at Pekin throughout the famous siege of the Foreign Legations by Chinese troops in June-August 1900. And he clearly distinguished himself in one form or another, his service record noting that he was commended by Their Lordships of the Admiralty in a letter dated 6 December 1900. He was, moreover, advanced to Corporal in April 1901. Having then returned to the U.K., Roberts joined the Partridge in April 1902 and served off the coast of South Africa during the closing stages of the Boer War, the commencement of a flurry of seagoing appointments in the period leading up to the Great War. He was advanced to Sergeant in July 1907. In August 1914, he was embarked for Ostend, followed by a tour of duty in the R.M. Brigade at the defence of Antwerp in September-October 1914. Next embarked for the Dardanelles, he was wounded by a gunshot to his left arm in Gallipoli on 3 May 1915, but he was back in action with the 63rd Royal Naval Division in France in the following year, where he was advanced to Colour-Sergeant in July 1916. Thereafter, Roberts served in the battleship Albion and remained likewise employed until September 1918, having in the interim, having completed 20 years, transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve. Demobilised in February 1919, he continued to serve in the R.F.R. until transferred to the Coast Guard in January 1920, following which he received his L.S. & G.C. Medal in August 1921; the lateness of the award was occasioned by a poor character assessment whilst serving in the Monarch back in 1903. He died in September 1950. Sold with copied record of service and other research.