A collection of military and court apparel and equipage, comprising: the levee-weight 1854 pattern

A collection of military and court apparel and equipage, comprising: the levee-weight 1854 pattern Foot Guards officer's sword of Lieutenant Colonel George Neville Clive Wigram, M.C., Grenadier Guards, 2nd Baron Wigram, blade etched with battle honours and the owner's initials, nickel-plated steel hilt with flaming grenade to the cartouche, with plated steel scabbard and leather covered field scabbard and in a chamois sword bag; the same officer's sword belt and aiguillettes; a pair of officer's ankle boots with two pairs of spurs and complete with articulated wooden trees; a pair of white dress gauntlets, and an Elizabeth II Royal Household evening tailcoat.

By descent.

The 2nd Baron Wigram was born in 1915 and educated at Winchester College and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he joined the OTC. He was commissioned in the Grenadier Guards in 1937, served in the British Expeditionary Force in France, and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. He returned to the European theatre as a Captain in the Normandy Landing in June 1944. Serving in the Guards Armoured Division he earned the immediate award of the Military Cross for his gallant and skillful leadership of a squadron of the 2nd Armoured Battalion, Grenadier Guards - part of the 5th Guards Armoured Brigade. On the 30th of March 1945, by now a Major, he seized the town of Aalten on the line of advance North from the Rhine, in the face of fierce opposition, securing bridges, taking prisoners, and enabling the Brigade to continue its advance. His sword and aiguillettes were also worn by his son Andrew, 3rd Baron Wigram, who followed him into the Grenadier Guards. See also lot 268 and 294.