A 'North Russia 1919 Operations' D.S.O., Great War 'Western Front' M.C. group of nine...

A ‘North Russia 1919 Operations’ D.S.O., Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of nine awarded to Major W. O. 'Snapper' White, Royal Canadian Regiment, late 2nd (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Battalion, Canadian Infantry Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, lacking integral top riband bar, with obverse centre slightly depressed; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (8592 R.S. Mjr. W. O. White, 2/Can. Inf.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Maj. W. O. White) both officially re-impressed; Coronation 1911, unnamed as issued; Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Second Class neck Badge, with Swords, gilt and enamel, with neck riband; Order of St. Anne, Third Class breast Badge, with Swords, gilt and enamel; Order of St. Stanislas, Second Class neck Badge, with Swords, gilt and enamel, with neck badge, the Russian awards all base metal copies of Western European manufacture, the breast awards mounted court-style for wear, the mounted group all heavily lacquered, very fine and better (9) £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.O. London Gazette 3 February 1920: ‘For distinguished service in connection with military operations in Archangel, North Russia, dated 11 November 1919.’ M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He set a fine example throughout a very heavy bombardment, dressed the wounds of several men, and dug-out others who had been buried by shell fire. As Adjutant, he has always been of the greatest assistance to his C.O. and has displayed great coolness and courage.’ Wilfred Ormonde White was born in Milton, Ontario, on 13 December 1887, and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment July 1905, in which capacity, as a Sergeant, he accompanied the regiment’s Coronation Contingent to England in 1911. Mobilised on the outbreak of hostilities, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Valcartier in September 1914 and was appointed the first Regimental Sergeant-Major in the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry. Embarked for France in February 1915, White was commissioned as a Lieutenant that September, and was advanced to Captain and appointed Adjutant of the Battalion in June 1916, shortly after which, on 29 July, he was slightly wounded in the left leg and was awarded the Military Cross. Having then served back in England, he returned to France as a Staff Officer in 5th Canadian Division in early 1917, and was appointed Brigade Major to the 14th Canadian Infantry Brigade that March. Once more, however, he returned to England, in order to attend a Staff College Course at Cambridge, following which he went back to France as a Staff Captain in the 10th Infantry Brigade in September 1918 and was similarly employed at the cessation of hostilities. Seconded to the North Russian Expeditionary Force in March 1919, for his services in Archangel White was appointed a companion of the Distinguished Order, as well as being awarded the Russian Orders of St. Anne and St. Stanislas (Russian Army (Northern Region) Command Orders of September 1919 refer). Subsequently appointed to the Royal Canadian Regiment, White was finally discharged from the C.E.F. in May 1920, and later settled in South Africa. Sold with an embroidered Staff cap badge on red band.