The interesting Boer War Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal operations, Jubilee 1935 and Coronation 1937 group awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sir Stanley Somerset Wreford Paddon, 3rd Dragoon Guards, later 36th Jacob’s Horse, Indian Army who would see service on the Imperial General Staff during the Great War being awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne and Mentioned in Despatches for his service as Staff officer attached to the Military Department of the Indian Office. He would later be appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in the London Gazette of 1st January 1919. He would be made a Knight Bachelor in the London Gazette of 1st January 1932 for his services as Director General of the India Store Department, this being conferred upon him by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 25th February 1932.
Group of 3: Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 5 Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; the two top bars contemporary tailor’s copies, officially engraved naming (Lieut S.S.W. PADDON. 3/Dgn:Gds) Jubilee Medal 1935, Coronation Medal 1937.
Condition: rhodium plated, Good Very Fine
Along with warrant for a Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire to Major (Temporary Lieutenant Colonel) Stanley Somerset Wreford Paddon.
Official letter from the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, St. James’s Palace dated 26th July 1973
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Stanley Somerset Wreford Paddon was born in 1881 and educated at Wellington College, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Oxfordshire Light Infantry on 8th April 1900, before transferring to the 3rd Dragoon Guards as a Second Lieutenant on 15th August 1900, subsequently serving with them in South Africa during the Boer War where he would take part in the operations in Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal being the only officer of the regiment not to be killed or invalided home.,
Transferring to the Indian Army in 1904, he was posted to 36th Jacob’s Horse, Indian Cavalry and was promoted to Captain on 15th August 1909.
Paddon served during the Great War on the Imperial General Staff and for his services would be awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne was mentioned in despatches and for his services as Staff Officer attached to the Military Department of the India Office was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in the New Year’s Honours List of 1919. He does not appear to have been issued any Great War campaign medals.
Subsequently attached to the India Store Department, for his services as Director General he was made a Knight Bachelor, having his Knighthood conferred upon him by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 25th February 1932.
He would later retire in 1940 and would emigrate to California, United States dying on 5th December 1963.
Sir Stanley’s father Cecil Hohn Somerset Wreford Paddon was a godson of Cecil Rhodes, and fought in two wars being wounded three times, during the Zule War and later in the Boer War where he left the battlefield only after being dangerously wounded. Cecil himself was not especially close to Cecil Rhodes but his father and Stanley’s grandfather was a personal friend.
