Lieutenant-Colonel William Richard Bigsby Chamberlain was born at Retford, Nottinghamshire in 1839 and entered the Army as an Ensign in 1858. Promoted to Lieutenant in 1859 and to Captain in 1865, he served in the Kaffir War of 1877-8, in which he was injured and received the Brevet of Major. In the Zulu War of 1879, he served as Commandant of Fort Napier at Pietermaritzburg, his earlier injuries preventing him taking a more active role in the Campaign. He was, however, made Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and retired in the same year; see Lot 46 for related Helmet Plate.