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Pair: Lieutenant W. Ellis, Liverpool Regiment British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.) extremely fine (2) £40-60 Attributed to 2nd Lieutenant William Ellis, 7th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, who was killed in action on 29 July 1918, aged 26 years. He was buried in the Bienvillers Military Cemetery. He was the son of Edward Ellis of Great Homer Street, Liverpool. Note: there are several officers with this surname and initial in the 1918 Army List.

Bates family group: Three: Captain F. Bates, Merchant Navy British War and Mercantile Marine Medals (Frederick Bates); France, Medal of Honour, Ministry of Marine, 2nd class, gold (F. Bates, 1915), complete with wire embroidered ribbon, in case of issue; Memorial Plaque (Frederick Bates) Pair: Telegraphist W. F. Bates, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve British War and Victory Medals (M.Z.223 Tel., R.N.V.R.) Pair: Forewoman E. Bates, Queen Marys Army Auxiliary Corps British War and Victory Medals (16065 Fwn, Q.M.A.A.C.) Pair: Gunner J. D. Dickens, Royal Artillery British War and Victory Medals (168876 Gnr., R.A.) very fine and better (lot) £600-700 Frederick Bates was born in Liverpool in 1861 and educated at the Brunswick School, Erskine Street, Liverpool and at the Liverpool Institute. He entered the Merchant Navy as an apprentice in 1876, learning his trade on the Indefatigable. In 1887 he entered service with the Moss Line as a Third Officer and in 1896 was appointed to the command of the steamer Sphynx. He subsequently commanded the Moss Line ships Osiris, Osmanli, Tabor, Menes, Seti and Mero‘. He came to public notice in 1915, when as Captain of the S.S. Mero‘, he was instrumental in rescuing over 200 passengers and crew from the torpedoed French liner Ville de la Ciotat. The ship was in the Mediterranean, en route from Japan to Marseilles, when on 24 December 1915 she was torpedoed by an Austrian submarine off Crete. The stricken liner sank quickly. Of the 135 passengers and 181 crew on board, 35 passengers and 45 crew were either killed in the explosion or drowned. Most of the survivors were picked up by the Mero‘ which bravely cruised around for about an hour and a half, finally landing 208 persons at Malta. The remainder were rescued by other vessels. For his services in rescuing a large number of passengers and crew with an enemy submarine known to be in the vicinity, he was awarded a French Medal of Honour and received a Testimonial from the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society. The attack and rescue was widely reported in the newspapers. On 2 November 1916 the Mero‘ was sunk by a German submarine. A newspaper report states that Bates suffered severely from shell shock and exposure, being in an open boat for some 36 hours before being recovered and taken into Gibraltar. The details of the loss are few but it was recorded, somewhat ungenerously, in the Digest of Admiralty In-Letters, 1916 that the ship was was prematurely abandoned by the Master who did not take the best steps to save his vessel. However, as a result of the privations he endured in the loss of his vessel, Bates began to suffer from a growing paralysis to his spine, which led progressively to his death on 17 February 1919. He was buried in Eccleston (St. Thomas) Churchyard Extension. William Frederick Bates was the son of Frederick and Maud Elizabeth Bates, born c.1895. Following his fathers profession, he served two years as a Cadet on H.M. Training Ship Conway and in 1911 began his naval apprenticeship on Messrs. Hogarths Baron Steamers. Circa 1916 he entered the R.N.V.R. The medals to Captain F. Bates sold with a number of original documents, including the recipients Certificate of Competency as Master, dated 14 February 1891; a Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Testimonial mounted on card, to Captain Frederick Bates, S.S. "Mero‘" for Praiseworthy and Humane Service in rescuing 238 Passengers and Crew of the French S.S. "Ville de la Ciotat", torpedoed in the Mediterranean on December 24th 1915; also with Certificate of Award for the French Medal of Honour, Ministry of Marine, 2nd Class in gold, for the same event, dated 2 March 1916; two photograph albums, pre-war, containing photographs of family and places visited, one album inscribed to Maud E. Bates (wife of Captain F. Bates); several loose portrait photographs and two sketches of the recipient; plus a quantity of newspaper clippings relating to the rescue, his naval service and death. The medals to William Frederick Bates sold with his original Ordinary Apprentices Indenture (Scotland), dated Glasgow, 14 August 1911, and several postcard photographs of the recipient and the ships on which he served. Medals to Emmie Bates sold with two Q.M.A.A.C. metal badges, a cloth W.A.A.C. badge, and several postcard photographs of the recipient. In addition to the above are sundry medal card boxes of issue, lockets and badges, the booklet, To Egypt by Moss Line S.S. Mero‘; together with copied research. An impressive medal group and archive.

Five: Captain P. B. Hewison, Merchant Navy, whose command, the S.S. Langleeford, was torpedoed off the Irish coast in February 1940: prior to departing the scene of his victory, the U-boat captain handed the survivors a sack containing medical and other supplies, all of which assisted them in making their way to the mainland in open boats - in point of fact the survivors agreed he was a very decent sort of chap British War and Mercantile Marine Medals 1914-18 (Percival B. Hewison); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, generally good very fine (5) £300-350 Percival Bolam Hewison was born in Newcastle in April 1897 and qualified as a 2nd Mate (Steamships) at South Shields in February 1918, during the course of his services in the Mercantile Marine in the Great War. Having then added to his qualifications with a 1st Mates Certificate in October 1919, and Masters Certificate in January 1922, he enjoyed command of several ships on the Atlantic run between the Wars and was serving as Master of the steam freighter S.S. Langleeford on the renewal of hostilities. But, as related in an official report submitted by his Chief Officer in February 1940, his latest command was to be short-lived, the Langleeford falling victim to the U-26, Kapitain Heinz Scheringer - he who was a very decent sort of chap - in convoy HX-18, off the west coast of Ireland, on 14 February 1940: I had been looking in the direction in which the explosion occurred not three seconds before it happened, and I came to the conclusion that the U-boat had been so close to us when it torpedoed us that the bubbles did not get to the surface. It seemed to me they had blown the bottom out of the ship, since nothing seemed to go up in the air at all. After the ship had completely sunk, the U-boat broke surface and came towards us. They signalled for the Captain [Hewison], but he refused to go towards them, but in answer to their question he told them that he had not used the wireless. The Captain now asked me to go instead, so I took my boat right alongside, two or three feet from the U-boat. When I got alongside the U-boat, the U-boat Commander, by means of an interpreter standing at his side, asked me the name of the ship, where we were from, what the cargo was, and if we had any provisions in our boats. I told him that we had the usual ships biscuits, water and condensed milk. The interpreter asked me if any men had been killed by the torpedo, and I said, "Yes, two." When the interpreter told the Commander he pulled a face as though to signify that it was a pity. When they asked me "Have you enough?", I replied that I thought so. "Have you any bandages?" I said "No". "Any tobacco?" I replied "No." There was a silence for a while, then the Commander hauled a sack out of the conning tower and told me that they were giving me some cigarettes. When we opened the sack afterwards, we found that it contained two bottles of rum, 200 cigarettes, six boxes of matches, a large package of bandages and a 10lb. box of ships biscuits ... The interpreter, who was not in naval uniform, but wore a sort of forage cap similar to that which our Army wears, asked me if I were the Captain, and when I told him I was not, he said "Tell your Captain we torpedoed you without warning because you had a gun" ... The U-boat Commander said nothing about the War, and expressed no political views of any sort. We decided amongst ourselves afterwards that he was a very decent sort of chap ... And of their subsequent journey in open boats to the Irish mainland: My Captain [Hewison] and I then held a discussion from our two boats - there were 18 men in his and 14 in mine - and divided up the German provisions between us. All these things bore German labels, even the rum, although it was Jamaica Rum, and good stuff at that. The cigarettes were a mixture of Turkish or Virginian, the matches bore a German label, also, but they werent much good. The bandage, wrapped in a watertight dressing, consisted of a piece of cotton wool with gauze on top and a length of bandage about 12 feet long. We used all this up on various minor injuries the men had sustained. We pulled the boats out and set off for Ireland ... We picked up the Captains boat about two miles away from us, and at about 10 oclock on Thursday morning we sighted land. The last we saw of the Captains boat was about 12.30 on Thursday, when it was about three miles astern of us. At that point we were heading for the West Coast of Ireland and were about 15 miles from land ... We had to bale the boat out in the morning and at intervals; I had expected to drift only three or four miles during the night, but in the morning we could see no land at all. The wind was E.S.E. We started again at 7 oclock and about 5.25 p.m. we landed at a little village called Ross, near Loop Head ... When I got ashore I thought the Captains boat had already been landed, but they told me he had not been reported along any of the coast of Ireland, so they sent out aircraft to look for the boat. They went out at 12.30 p.m. and returned at 5.00 p.m. when visibility had gone, but although they had searched 50 miles they had seen no sign of the boat. At 6 p.m. the police reported that a boat had landed at Ballyheige, with 14 men in it, and this, fortunately, proved to be the Captains boat ... Captain Hewison never returned to sea, and Kapitain Heinz Scheringer spent most of the remainder of the War as a P.O.W., the U-26 having been scuttled after being severely damaged by depth-charge attacks and a Sunderland of No. 10 Squadron in the following month. He was repatriated in May 1947.

Five: Captain A. P. Sutton, Merchant Navy, whose command, the railway steamship Archangel, was seriously damaged and beached as a result of three bomb hits off the East Coast of Scotland in May 1941: the enemy aircraft followed up with at least two machine-gun attacks, bringing the total casualties to 33 killed and 77 wounded - the latter including Sutton British War and Mercantile Marine Medals 1914-18 (Arthur P. Sutton); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (5) £250-300 Arthur Pearson Sutton was born at Alderburgh, Suffolk in August 1897 and qualified as a 2nd Mate (Steamships) in London in December 1917, during the course of his services in the Mercantile Marine in the Great War. Having then added to his qualifications with a 1st Mates Certificate in Calcutta in September 1921, and a Masters Certificate in London in September 1924, he enjoyed several seagoing commands in the intervening period before joining the L.N.E.Rs railway steamship Archangel in March 1941. In common with so many other Merchant officers, however, his period of command proved short-lived, the bare facts of the Archangels fate being covered in the following secret report to the Ministry of War Transport: I am sorry to inform you that the Archangel was attacked by enemy aircraft about midnight on 16 May 1941, while conveying troops from Kirkwall to Aberdeen. She was struck heavily amidships, the engine and boiler rooms being put out of action and the upper decks so badly damaged that there was no communication between the fore and aft of the ship. The Master, Captain A. P. Sutton, was seriously injured, and out of a crew of 75, 17 are dead or missing and 15 injured ... Casualties among the troops were very heavy but the discipline throughout of both troops and crew was excellent. The destroyer escort sent a Surgeon to assist the ships Medical Officer. While they were attending the wounded there were two further attacks from the air, but these were beaten off by the Archangels own guns. At 4 oclock in the morning tugs arrived and both the wounded and uninjured troops, with part of the crew, were transferred to a destroyer. The Archangel was beached but unfortunately is a total wreck. Casualties among the Army were indeed high, 16 being killed and 66 wounded, the whole from the ranks of 182 and 196 H.A.A. Batteries, R.A. Clearly, too, Captain Sutton was too seriously wounded to submit his own report of the action, the task falling to Chief Officer A. W. Greenham: The enemy aircraft released three bombs simultaneously which struck the ship amidships between the funnels ... They wrecked the whole of the upper decks and blew out the private cabins; wrecked the engine and boiler rooms and there was hell let loose with escaping steam. I noted that the engine room skylights still remained in position but there was nothing left of the after funnel except a great chunk of iron ... the Second Officer came back and said he had found the Captain on the deck injured, and the O.C. Troops and I decided there was nothing to do but collect the wounded. Just at this time we heard the destroyer [H.M.S. Blankney; her Captains report included], which was ahead of us at the time of the attack, firing at an aircraft and our guns joined him. The starboard forward gun was very busy, and I think he got off two or three belts, but I am unable to say whether the after guns were used. The aircraft flew over us twice, using his machine-guns, and I saw tracer bullets flying directly at me. Although I did not actually see the aircraft I got the impression it was flying about 500 feet high, as I saw bursts of shells in the half-light about 1000 yards away at low altitude. I believe the destroyer shot down the aircraft. Some of the crew thought that tracer bullets from our guns struck the aircraft, but it was not seen approaching or overhead. The first thing we heard was the bombs and later there were machine-gun attacks ... Sutton eventually returned to seagoing duties in February 1943, when he joined the Prague, aboard which ship he served until transferring to his final wartime command, the rescue ship Bury, in September 1943. A vessel of 1910-vintage, the Bury was handicapped by her great age, and considerable leaks in her accommodation were the result, but she nonetheless gave sterling service from 1941-45, Suttons period of command encompassing at least a dozen operational voyages and the admission of many convoy patients to the ships hospital. So, too, her providing excellent H./F. and D./F. bearings of enemy submarines to her Naval escorts. But probably the highlight of her time under Suttons command was the occasion H.M.S. Vervain was torpedoed approaching the Clyde on 20 February 1945 - within 20 minutes the Burys rescue motor boat was picking up survivors, and though they were spread over a wide area, the task was completed within an hour. Sutton transferred from the Bury to the Macclesfield in August 1946, but for much of the late 1940s and 1950s he commanded the Vienna. Yet it was during the course of a short spell as Master of the British Railways ship Arnhem in 1952, that a little of his character was captured in a press interview: Captain A. P. Sutton has a back as straight as a cliff and a pair of clear, unflinching eyes, well-trained and accustomed to penetrating whether it be the dark shadows of the sea or, perhaps, the character of men. By instinct and experience he is a man of action, decisive, firm, and where the job is concerned, quite sure of himself. He carries an air of quiet confidence as comfortably as he wears his snug duffle-coat and peak cap. Captain Sutton came ashore for a final time in August 1962.

Eight: Corporal G. Goring, The Royals General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (404145 Tpr., The Royals);1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (404145 Cpl., Royals) good very fine and better (8) £250-300 The Royals (1st Dragoons) amalgamated in 1969 with The Blues (The Royal Horse Guards) to form The Blues and Royals. During the Second World War the regiment gained battle honours for: Syria 1941, Msus, Gazala, Knightsbridge, Defence of Alamein Line, El Alamein, El Agheila, Advance on Tripoli, North Africa 1941-43, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943, Nederrijn, Veghel, Rhine and North-West Europe 1944-45.

Eleven: Duffadar-Major Amir Ali, Bombay Grenadiers India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (5075 Pte. Mir Ali, 1/102/Gndrs.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (11064 Naik Amir Ali, 2-4 Bombay Gr.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Italy Star; War and India Service Medals, these named, (11064 Hav. Amir Ali, 2-4 Bombay Gr.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (11064 Dfr-Maj. Amir Ali, 4 Bombay Grs.); Coronation 1937 (11064 Nk. Amir Ali, 2/4 Grs); Indian Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R. (11064 Hav. (D-Maj.) Amir Ali, 4 Bombay Grs.), note variation in name, contact marks, fine and better, unusual rank for an infantry regiment (11) £200-250

A fine Second World War Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct group of four awarded to Chief Officer G. E. Gourlay, Merchant Navy, who was cited for his courage on the occasion of the torpedoing of the S.S. Fort Bellingham during Arctic convoy J.W. 56A in January 1944 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star, clasp, Burma; War Medal 1939-45; Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct oval plastic badges (2), in their card box of issue with related oak leaves (2), and accompanied by their original registered forwarding envelope addressed to G. E. Gourlay, Esq., "Vistersatter", Glencairn, Stevenston, Ayrshire, extremely fine (8) £300-350 Gustaf Erik Gourlay was born in Stevenston, Ayrshire in August 1909 and qualified for his 2nd Mates Certificate (Steamships) at Glasgow in September 1929. Having then added to his qualifications a 1st Mates Certificate in December 1930, and a Masters Certificate in June 1934, he was serving in the S.S. Baron Vernon on the outbreak of hostilities. Several more ship appointments followed until, in June 1943, he joined as Chief Officer the recently launched Fort Bellingham, and he was similarly employed in that vessel when she was ordered to join Arctic convoy J.W. 56A in January 1944. Carrying a crew of 75 men, including the convoys Commodore and six of his staff, in addition to 12 Naval and 11 Army D.E.M.S. Gunners, the Fort Bellingham appears to have been torpedoed by two U-Boats on the night of the 25th-26th, namely the U-360, Kapitain Klaus Becker, and the U-957, Kapitain Gerd Schaar, several accounts stating that she survived the first attack but had to be abandoned as a result of the latter, and was finished off by torpedoes delivered by the escorting destroyer H.M.S. Offa. Kenneth Wynns U-Boat Operations of the Second World War states that the U-957 picked up two survivors, their subsequent interrogation providing valuable information, while the official Admiralty report into the Fort Bellinghams loss lists 39 missing crew, among them 16 Gunners and two members of the Commodores staff. What the same report fails to clarify (i.e. the ships Masters account of the proceedings that night), is that there were indeed two separate attacks, a strange omission in an already controversial report that openly criticised the action of the convoys Commodore and his D.E.M.S. Gunners (see below). That the Fort Bellingham was indeed attacked twice over several hours seems in no doubt, a witness aboard the destroyer Offa, Lieutenant G. G. Connell, D.S.C., describing in his wartime memoir, Arctic Destroyers, The 17th Flotilla, the gallant efforts of a medical officer, Surgeon Lieutenant M. J. Hood, D.S.C., who boarded the damaged merchantman after the U-360s attack, and then perished as a result of U-957s subsequent attack. Be that as it may, Fort Bellinghams Master, Captain J. N. Maley, described just one torpedo strike soon after midnight: No one saw the track of the torpedo, which struck on the port side, in the after end of No. 3 hold, forward of the engine room. There was a dull explosion and a fair amount of water thrown up on the port side. No flash was seen. The ship rolled to starboard, then to port, but quickly righted herself, settling bodily. The engine room bulkhead was pierced, both boilers collapsed and the main steam pipes fractured. A spray of oil and steam was thrown up high into the air, which obscured the view from the bridge. The engines and dynamos stopped immediately and all lights went out. Ventilators were blown off, some of which landed on the after deck. Nos. 2 and 4 lifeboats were destroyed. The decks did not apppear to be torn or buckled. Although the ship settled several feet, she seemed to be in no immediate danger of sinking. He continues: I sent the Chief [Gourlay] and Second Officers to the boat deck to clear away the boats. They found No. 1 boat hanging by the after fall and submerged. Apparently this boat had been lowered by the D.E.M.S. ratings, assisted by a number of seamen and engineers. When this boat capsized they went to No. 3 lifeboat, lowered it, cast off, and drifted astern ... I had given no orders to abandon ship, so obviously these men panicked. They were under the impression that the cargo contained ammunition, and feared a second torpedo ... Further acts of indiscipline followed: The Chief Officer [Gourlay] went round the decks and reported that all rafts, except one on the port side of the lower bridge and one in the after rigging, had been slipped and were floating astern ... I gathered the remaining men together, around 35 in all, and finally freed the raft from the lower bridge, giving instructions that it was to remain alongside, but as it became waterborne about 18 men jumped into it, cut the painter, and it quickly drifted from the ships side. The Chief Officer then took a party of men and endeavoured to release the raft from the after-rigging ... as the raft on the port side was proving difficult to free, the Chief and Second Officers went over the side to the waterlogged lifeboat in an attempt to make it serviceable. They were soon soaked in cold water and covered in fuel oil ... The Royal Navy then appeared on the scene: H.M.S. Offa tried to come alongside, but owing to the heavy swell, her bows crashed against my ship. At this moment, the Commodore jumped on board the Offa, followed by his Yeoman of Signals and Telegraphist. All got aboard successfully. The Commodore had not told me that he intended to make the atttempt, but went off without saying a word. The destroyer then stood off and picked up the survivors from the raft, also the Chief [Gourlay] and Second Officers from the waterlogged lifeboat, which was still alongside. The Second Officer was immediately taken to the sick bay suffering from the effects of fuel oil. At about 0230 H.M.S. Offa lowered her whaler, which came alongside the Fort Bellingham and took off all those on board. As the ship showed no signs of sinking the commander of H.M.S. Offa decided to sink her by torpedo and gunfire ... Maley had praise for just one member of his crew, namely his Chief Officer, Gustaf Gourlay: I would like to mention Chief Officer Gourlay, who displayed fine leadership and organisation. After this officer had made a thorough search for survivors, he gallantly went overboard into the fuel-covered water to clear the waterlogged lifeboat. He was awarded the Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct, the relevant London Gazette of 12 June 1945 listing him as Chief Officer of the Samvigna; an Apprentice aboard the same ship was similarly commended for bravery when an aircraft crashed in the London Gazette of 10 April 1945, but Gourlay had already moved on to his final wartime appointment, the Fort Frontenac, back in late 1944, so it seems more likely his own Commendation did indeed stem from the events of J.W. 56A.

Four: Acting Major G. W. Shepherd, Indian Army 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, unnamed, extremely fine (4) £40-60 George William Shepherd was born on 29 December 1922. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in September 1942, he was promoted to War Substantive Lieutenant in March 1943 and held the ranks of Acting Captain, January-February 1945 and July-October 1945; Temporary Captain, October 1945-May 1946, and Acting Major in May 1946. He served in the Black Watch, February 1941-March 1942; attended the Indian Military Academy, May-September 1942 and served with the 15th Punjab Regiment from September 1943 until the end of the war. Sold with original Officers Record of Service Army Book 439.

Five: Captain G. N. Rees, 3rd Hussars 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (Capt., 3/H.), mounted for wear, edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine (5) £100-140 M.I.D. London Gazette 23 May 1946. Captain, 6th Lancers, Indian Army. For gallant and distinguished services in the Mediterranean theatre. George Neville Rees was born on 17 March 1921. After serving 219 days in the ranks he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Indian Army on 18 January 1941. He was promoted a War Substantive Lieutenant in July 1942 and was an Acting Captain , May-August 1944 and Temporary Captain, August 1944-August 1946. He was appointed a Lieutenant in the 3rd Hussars in September 1943 and advanced to Captain in March 1948.

Five: Major G. Watts, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, late Royal Army Ordnance Corps 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, these all named (72071 Major G. Watts, R.E.M.E.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (7579006 W.O. Cl.II, R.A.O.C.) good very fine (5) £70-90 M.I.D. London Gazette 20 December 1940. George Watts was born on 20 September 1893. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the R.E.M.E. in May 1937, having previously served in the R.A.O.C. 13 years in the ranks, 6 years as a W.O.2, and 2 years as a W.O.1. He served as Acting Captain, February-May 1941; Temporary Captain, May 1941-May 1943; Captain, May 1943; Acting Major, June-September 1944; Temporary Major, September 1944-June 1946. Watts attained the rank of Major in July 1946.

Six: Lance-Corporal L. W. MacFarlane, 3rd Hussars, late 5th Royal Irish Dragoons (R.A.C.) and 6th Airborne Armoured Regiment, who continued his military career in the French Foreign Legion in the 1950s 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (14217058 L. Cpl., R.A.C.); French North Africa Commemorative Medal, clasp, Maroc, the fifth with official but later impressed naming, generally good very fine (6) £600-800 Leonard Waite MacFarlane was born in Glasgow in June 1924 and enlisted in the Royal Armoured Corps in June 1942. He subsequently served in the 5th Royal Irish Dragoons (R.A.C.) from March 1943 to February 1945, and the 6th Airborne Armoured Regiment from April 1945 until March 1946, in which latter month he transferred to the 3rd Kings Own Hussars. Discharged as a Lance-Corporal in Palestine in March 1947, he went on to serve in the French Foreign Legion 1954-59. Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including a certified copy attestation paper, dated 24 June 1942; his Record of Service card, dated 31 March 1947 and Release Leave Certificate, dated 18 May 1947; assorted documents pertinent to his time in the French Foreign Legion, among them his Livret Individuel and a Good Service Certificate, in the name of Legionnaire MacFarlane, Leonard, the 2eme Regiment Etranger dInfantrie, this dated 15 May 1959; an M.O.D. Army Medal Office forwarding letter for his "late claim" 1939-45 War awards (but excluding the Defence Medal), the same communication noting that his similar claim for the General Service Medal 1918-62, clasp "Palestine 1945-48" was under consideration; together with his French Foreign Legion uniform lanyard and battledress epaulettes.

The nationally important Order of Merit group of sixteen awarded to Sir Basil Spence (1907-76), the distinguished post-war architect, and architect of Coventry Cathedral The Order of Merit, E.II.R., Civil Division neck badge, gold and enamel, with neck cravat, minor enamel damage; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officers 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Decoration, E.II.R., Territorial, rev. dated, 1957, these unnamed as issued; Royal Institute of British Architects Silver Medal (1931), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of a column, rev. inscribed, Board of Architectural Education awarded to Basil Spence, Edinburgh College of Art, School of Architecture, 88mm., silver; Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Medal (1931), obv. bust of Sir R. Rowand Anderson left, by Hazel Armour, rev. Edinburgh Castle, inscribed, Basil Spence, 1931, 58mm., silver; Royal Institute of British Architects Pugin Medal (1933), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of an ornate column, mural crown above, rev. heraldic shield (Basil Spence Pugin Student, 1933), 57mm., silver, American Institute of Architects Honorary Fellows Badge (1959), by M.A.C., New York, obv. stylized eagle with an olive branch in its talons, superimposed upon a column, rev. inscribed, Basil Spence 1959, oval, 39 x 32.5mm., silver, with suspension mount, with neck cravat; Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Fellows Medal (1960), obv. seated architect in classical garments, a winged cherub presents a sprig of foliage, a temple in the background, rev. inscription (name and date engraved), Basil Spence, Honourary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada 1960, 46mm., bronze-gilt, ring suspension, with neck cravat; Royal Institute of British Architects Bronze Medal (1963), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of a column, rev. two builders at work, St. Pauls Cathedral in the background (Sir Basil Spence, O.M., O.B.E., T.D., R.A., A.R.S.A., R.D.I., P.P.R.I.B.A. Falmer House, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton), 63mm., bronze; City of Coventry Award of Merit (1970), obv. stylized phoenix rising from the flames, three crosses in the background, rev. plain, rectangular, 45 x 26mm., gold, 30.7g., hallmarks for Birmingham, unnamed, complete with gold and enamel brooch bar, inscribed, Coventry Award of Merit; Medal of the Academia Nazionale di San Luca, Rome (1972), obv. man in classical garments, knelt, writting upon a scroll, a winged bull in the background, rev. inscribed, Basil Spence, MCMLXXII, 55mm., bronze, ring suspension, with neck cravat; with associated lapel badge, gilt and enamel; French Academie dArchitecture, Grande Medaille dOr (1974), obv. stylized ornamented column by H. Navarre, inscribed in exergue, Grande Medaille dOr 1974 Sir Basil Spence Architecte, rev. seated figure in classical garments enclosed by wreath, 68mm., gold, 212g., edge stamped, 1974 and 3or, some with minor (pin?) marks to edge, in general nearly extremely fine (17) £6000-8000 O.M. London Gazette 23.11.1962 O.B.E. (Civil Division) London Gazette 1.1.1948 Basil Urwin Spence was born in Bombay on 13 Aug. 1907, the elder son of a chemist in the Indian Civil Service. When he was twelve, Spence, whose family were from Orkney, was sent home to Scotland to be educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh. Having shown a particular ability in drawing he enrolled in 1925 at the Edinburgh College of Art to study sculpture, but then switched to architecture. Spence excelled as a student, and during 1929-30 he completed his practical assignment in London, attending evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College, and by day working as an assistant in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens where he helped prepare designs for Lutyens' Viceroy House in New Delhi. Spence imbibed Lutyens' masterly combination of classical and modern architectural idioms, and thereafter always acknowledged him as his 'patron and master'. Spence completed his professional training in Edinburgh and gained his architectural diploma in September 1931, having added to his earlier prizes the Rowand Anderson Medal and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Silver Medal; in 1933 came the prestigious RIBA Pugin Medal. He was invited to join the leading Edinburgh architects, Rowand Anderson, Balfour Paul & Partners. Within the practice he designed small houses and departmental stores in and around Edinburgh, but his private commissions gave him the opportunity to venture designs that were more modernist and daring. He became a junior partner in 1935 and undertook work for some of the practice's most wealthy and important clients, designing grand country houses that catered to individual tastes, but which at the same time were eye-catching in the way they blended traditional elements with modern and made use of the natural, textured materials of the local landscape. Notable among these structures was Quothquhan, Lanarkshire (1936) for Alexander Erskine-Hill MP, Gribloch (1937-9), near Loch Lomond, for the steel magnate John Colville, and Broughton Place (1937-9), near Peebles. In 1938 he was commissioned to design the Scottish pavilion for the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow. Spence's highly abstract construction owed much to the ideas of Le Corbusier, the influential pioneer of modern design, and was widely praised as one of the chief attractions of the exhibition. There soon followed other exhibition work in Edinburgh and Johannesburg. However, with the onset of war Spence set aside his thriving practice and joined the Royal Artillery, having enrolled with the Territorial Army 1934. He rose to the rank of Major in the camouflage unit where his talent for design was usefully employed. In Normandy, he was shocked by the destruction of ancient religious buildings and in his diary confided his ambition to build a church of his own time if he survived the war. The shortage of new work in the years immediately after the war confined Spence to small-scale architectural commissions and exhibition design, and through the latter area his practice began to pick up. He was awarded major commissions for exhibitions in Edinburgh (1946) and Glasgow (1947) to help foster post-war enterprise, and he was chief architect for the 1949 Britain Can Make It Exhibition in London, having been appointed O.B.E. in the New Year Honours the previous year. He was then commissioned to design the Sea and Ships Pavilion for the Festival of Britain which opened on the South Bank in May 1951. Spence had also been working on designs in the competition for a new cathedral at Coventry to replace that which had been gutted during the enemy bombardment of the city on the night of 14 November 1940-the 'Night of Infamy'. There had been some indecision over how the new cathedral should look. Initially, a new neo-gothic edifice was envisaged with Sir Giles Gilbert Scott as its architect, but Scott's 'ponderous' design was vetoed in 1946, and in setting up the subsequent competition for a fresh design in 1950 it was decided that entrants should be encouraged to think in terms of an adventurous modern church building that would embody the spirit of the new post-war order. In August 1951 it was announced that Spence had won first prize out of 219 entries. It was to be the turning-point of Spence's career. Coventry had a special significance, being the first British city to have had its centre destroyed by enemy bombing. The project to rebuild the cathedral caught the public imagination as symbolising the nation's rise from the ashes of war. On the eve of its consecration in 1962 Spence wrote in The Times: 'When I first visited Coventry with the competition conditions in October 1950, the old cathedral burnt open by fire-bombs seemed to say in a gentle voice, "I

A Great War O.B.E., D.S.C. group of nine awarded to Paymaster-Captain V. C. G. Eason, Royal Navy, who served as Secretary to Vice-Admiral Sir C. H. Thursby, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., throughout the war, including the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 1st type, the reverse hallmarked London 1919; Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., the reverse hallmarked London 1917; 1914-15 Star (Asst. Payr. V. C. G. Eason, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Payr. Commr., R.N.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Order of the Redeemer, Officer, silver-gilt and enamels, enamels to obverse centre and several arms damaged; Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus, Chevalier, gold and enamels, mounted as worn, generally good very fine (9) £1400-1800 O.B.E. London Gazette 11 June 1919: For valuable services as Secretary to Vice-Admiral C. H. Thursby, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., whilst holding important commands throughout the War. D.S.C. London Gazette 20 July 1917: For services on the Staff of Vice-Admiral, Eastern Mediterranean Squadron between June 1916 - June 1917. Victor Cecil Gould Eason joined the Navy as Assistant Clerk on 15 July 1904, being promoted to Clerk in the following year and to Assistant Paymaster in July 1906. He joined H.M.S. Queen in October 1914 as Secretary to rear-Admiral C. H. Thursby, and served on his personal staff until the end of the War, and for a time afterwards. Thursby in Queen was in charge of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand forces north of Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, on 25th-26th April 1915. Sir Ian Hamilton, in his despatch dated 20 May 1915, said: The assistance of the Royal Navy here as elsewhere has been invaluable. The whole of the arrangements have been in Admiral Thursbys hands, and I trust I may be permitted to say what a trusted and powerful friend he has proved himself to be to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (London Gazette 6 July 1915). Eason followed Admiral Thursby into H.M.S. Lord Nelson in May 1916, when he was in command of the British Adriatic Squadron, and later as Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Mediterranean; and in August 1917 to H.M.S. Centurion, when he was Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves. In August 1918, he went with Thursby to the Impregnable, when he was Commander-in-Chief, Devonport. Eason became Paymaster Commander in December 1925, and Paymaster Captain in June 1936, and was appointed accountant officer of H.M.S. Excellent, gunnery school, Portsmouth, in 1937. He died at Haslar Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, on 18 September 1960.

A rare post-war M.B.E., Second World War clandestine operations M.C. group of ten to Colonel W. V. G. Smith, Royal Fusiliers, late Lancashire Fusiliers, who was decorated for his services in S.O.E.s Albanian Mission 1943-44, in which capacity he carried out numerous acts of sabotage The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Members 2nd type breast badge; Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (Major, M.C., L.F.); Thailand, Order of the Crown, Commanders neck badge, silver, gilt and enamels; Thailand, Order of the Crown, breast badge, silver, gilt and enamels, together with a Lancashire Fusiliers cap badge, generally good very fine (10) £4000-5000 M.B.E. London Gazette 13 June 1964. M.C. London Gazette 15 March 1945. The original recommendation states: Major W. V. G. Smith has operated as a British Liaison Officer in Albania from 15 October 1943 to December 1944. He is due to return to that country. During his period in the Field he has acted as Second-in-Command of an Area Mission and latterly, since February 1944, as Commander of the Mission itself. During his period in the Field, his loyalty, courage and devotion to duty have been of the highest order under the most trying conditions. Particularly valuable have been his strong and tactful handling of the F.N.C. Military and Political leaders, upon which the success of the Allied Mission so much depend. He has also been engaged in numerous reconnaissance and demolition operations of a hazardous nature, of which the following are examples: In January 1944, he entered territory fully controlled and patrolled by the Germans, in order to try and extricate three American nurses hiding in Berat. At very considerable risk to himself, he spent some days in this area and only gave up the attempt when he was betrayed by the local population and found himself surrounded by the enemy. In February 1944, he successfully destroyed the road between Berat-Kelgyre, with a small partisan escort. He approached the road under the cover of darkness. Preparation of the road for demolition took some time with the means available and before this preparation was completed, he came under heavy machine-gun fire. Major Smith completed the task and the road was so succesfully destroyed that it was never repaired by the Germans, who were thereby denied one of their valuable lines of communication. In June of 1944, during the German push of that month, he played a leading part in the successful extrication, without loss, of 13 Allied personnel. During this period Allied personnel were in great danger of being surrounded and captured, and their escape and present safety are largely due to Major Smiths courage, coolness and decision. Major Smith is strongly recommended for the immediate award of the Military Cross. William Victor Granville Smith was born in Hyde, Cheshire in April 1920 and was granted an emergency commission in the 2/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers in September 1941, following service in the ranks with the B.E.F. Further active service ensued with "Paiforce" and the 1st Army in North Africa in 1942, but in August of the following year he transferred to Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.), most likely via a contact in that forces Cairo establishment. Having then completed his parachute course at Kabrit on 18 September 1943, he was prepared for his first mission to Albania, parachuting in to that country in mid-October. Thereafter, until his return to the U.K. for a debriefing in December 1944, he carried out numerous acts of sabotage, his thorough destruction of a section of the Berat-Kelgyre road in February 1944 being a case in point. But over and above the operational side of his agenda, Smith built up an excellent general knowledge of both North and South Albania, including a valuable understanding of the complex and often contentious viewpoints of the competing partisans - indeed it was for these very reasons that he was recalled to London at the end of 1944 - and then quickly ordered back into the Field in the New Year. Luckily for posteritys sake, Smiths official reports from Albania largely survive, a classic example being his summary of the period October 1943 to June 1944 (a copy of which is included). Apart from the fact this report contains a gripping account of his Missions movements at the time of the German offensive in June 1944, it also includes some pretty frank commentary on the merits of individual partisan leaders - It is inevitable that the Chief of the General Staff should be included in this list; his appointment is the only justification for his inclusion. Completely dumb, a Major in the old Army ... So, too, some equally scathing remarks on equipment: In my experience the only satisfactory arms are the Tommy gun and the Sten. The Marlin and M.P. 40 are not only unreliable but very dangerous; we had many accidents with both these automatics - Major Layzell lost his life. And some friendly advice for prospective British Liaison Officers (B.L.Os): B.L.Os are still arriving in the country like Father Christmasses. Certainly before they leave the country their kit will have been lost, destroyed or captured many times over - they should, therefore, be discouraged from taking any more kit than they can comfortably carry in a rucksack. It must always be borne in mind that the partisan is an undisciplined individual; he is in fact an individual and he resents very strongly any form of direct order. On the other hand, it is possible to give him an order, using an indirect method, the best way being to take him into ones confidence. Money must never on any account be offered to a partisan in repayment for services rendered. He will regard it as an insult. If you wish to reward a partisan, write a report to his commandant. Never on any account threaten to strike a partisan - the code is sudden death to the offender, regardless of nationality or rank ... Having also been mentioned in despatches for his services in Albania (London Gazette 1 June 1944), Smith finally returned to the U.K. in October 1946, following which he enjoyed a spate of post-war staff appointments, among them Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quarter-Master General of 6 Infantry Brigade in Munster between March 1962 and November 1963 - for which services he was awarded his M.B.E. Having latterly transferred to the Royal Fusiliers, he was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1965 and served as Military Attache in Bangkok from April 1970 until his retirement, in which period he received his Thai decorations.

The M.B.E. group of eleven awarded to Major (Quartermaster) W. Price, Manchester Regiment The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Members 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for 1933; Queens South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen (4996 Sejt., Manch. Regt.); British War and Victory Medals (Q.M. & Lieut.); Jubilee 1935, unnamed; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (4995 R.Q.M.S., Manch.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (4995 Q.M. Sjt., Manch. Regt.); together with the following defective medals: Kings South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (4995 Sgt., Manch. Regt.), renamed; Royal Niger Company Medal 1886-97, 1 clasp, Nigeria, bronze (Colour Sergt., W.A.F.F.), engraved specimen; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Nigeria 1904 (Sgt., W.A.F.F.), renamed; Coronation 1911 (No.4995 Q.M.S., Manch. R.), copy; the group cleaned and mounted court style for wear, second with contact marks, very fine and better (11) £400-500 M.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1935. Major (Quarter-Master), 9th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, Territorial Army. M.I.D. London Gazette 15 November 1901. 4995 Serjeant Price, 2nd Bn. Manchester Regiment Distinguished himself at Wilge River on 13th July, 1901. William Price enlisted into the South Wales Borderers at Brecon in September 1894. Posted to the 2nd Battalion in January 1895, he deserted, September/October 1896, was caught, tried by Court Martial and convicted. He was transferred to the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment in November 1896. He served overseas in India, December 1896-November 1898, then South Africa, March 1900-September 1902, where he was mentioned in Lord Kitcheners despatches. He was then posted to the W.A.F.F. and served with them in West Africa, August 1904-September 1905, after which he returned to the Manchester Regiment and further service at Home. In the Great War he was latterly employed as Quartermaster at the Discharge Centre at Airlie Hutments, Winchester, having previously held the same post at Gosport and the post of Chief Clerk of the Assistant Adjutant Generals Branch at Horse Guards. Discharged in April 1918, he later attained the rank of Major in the Territorial Army and was awarded the M.B.E. Sold with copied service papers which confirm the award of the Q.S.A., K.S.A., A.G.S. and clasps, and L.S. & G.C.

A rare Uganda D.S.O group of three awarded to Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel C. H. G. Sitwell, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, killed in action at Harts Hill, 24 February 1900 Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, complete with top bar; East and Central Africa 1897-991 clasp, Uganda 1897-98 (Capt. C. G. H. Sitwell, Uganda Rif.); Queens South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (Lt. Col. C. H. G. Sitwell, D.S.O., Rl. Dublin Fus.) extremely fine (3) £6000-7000 Claude George Henry Sitwell was born on 18 October 1858. He joined the 85th Foot as a Second Lieutenant from the Militia, 14 September 1878, and served in the Afghan War, 1879-80, with the Kuram Division, Yarmusht Expedition (Medal).ÊHe became a Lieutenant, Shropshire Light Infantry, 1 July 1881, and in 1882 served with the Egyptian Expedition, being present at the defence of Alexandria, occupation of Kafr Dowar and surrender of Damietta (Medal and Star). He was promoted to Captain in the Manchester Regiment, 13 July 1886 and Major in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 13 October 1898.Ê From 11 May 1895 to 10 October 1899, he was employed in the Uganda Protectorate.ÊHe commanded the expeditions against the Kitosh, Kabras and Kikelwa tribes, 1895.ÊFor the Nandi Expedition, 1895-96, he was mentioned in Despatches. In Uganda, in 1897-98; in February and March 1898, he commanded the operations against the Mwanga, and fought an action near Katonga River, and other engagements.ÊFor these services he was mentioned in despatches; was given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, 4 October 1899, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette, 24 January 1899): Claude George Henry Sitwell, Major, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. In recognition of services during the recent operations in Uganda.Ê The D.S.O. was sent to the Foreign Office and thence to H.M. Commissioner in Uganda.ÊLieutenant Colonel C. G. H. Sitwell's medals, etc, were returned by Sir R. Buller, Lieutenant Colonel C. G. H. Sitwell having been killed at Tugela.ÊThe D.S.O., Warrant and Statutes were sent to Miss Blanche Sitwell for Colonel Sitwell's daughter, Miss C. D. C. Sitwell.ÊColonel Sitwell was killed in action 24 February 1900.Ê Sir A Conan Doyle in The Great Boer War, p.216-219 wrote:Ê Brigadier Fitzroy Hart, to whom the assault was entrusted, is in some ways as singular and picturesque a type as has been evolved in the war, a dandy soldier, always the picture of neatness from the top of his helmet to the heels of his well-polished brown boots, he brings to military matters the same precision which he affects in dress.ÊPedantic in his accuracy, he actually at the battle of Colenso drilled the Irish Brigade for half an hour before leading them into action, and threw out markers under a deadly fire in order that his change from close to extended formation might be academically correct.ÊThe heavy loss of the brigade at this action was to some extent ascribed to him, and affected his popularity; but as his men came to know him betterÑhis romantic bravery, his whimsical soldierly humourÑtheir dislike changed into admiration.ÊHis personal disregard for danger was notorious and reprehensible.Ê'Where is General Hart?' asked someone in action.Ê'I have not seen him, but I know where you will find him.ÊGo ahead of the skirmish line, and you will see him standing on a rock', was the answer.ÊHe bore a charmed life.Ê It was a danger to be near him.Ê'Whom are you going to?' 'General Hart', said the aide-de-camp.Ê'Then good-bye!' cried his fellows.ÊA grim humour ran through his nature.ÊIt is gravely recorded and widely believed that he lined up a regiment on a hill-top in order to teach them not to shrink from fire.ÊAmid the laughter of his Irishmen, he walked through the open files of his firing line holding a laggard by the ear.ÊThis was the man who had put such a spirit into the Irish Brigade that amid that army of valiant men there were none who held such a record.Ê'Their rushes were the quickest, their rushes were the longest, and they stayed the shortest time under cover', said a shrewd military observer.ÊTo Hart and his brigade was given the task of clearing the way to Ladysmith. The regiments which he took with him on his perilous enterprise were the 1st Inniskilling Fusiliers, the 2nd Dublin Fusiliers, the 1st Connaught Rangers, and the Imperial Light Infantry, the whole forming the famous 5th Brigade.ÊThey were already in the extreme British advance, and now, as they moved forwards, the Durham Light Infantry and the 1st Rifle Brigade from Lyttelton's Brigade came up to take their place.ÊThe hill to be taken lay on the right, and the soldiers were compelled to pass in single file under a heavy fire for more than a mile until they reached the spot which seemed best for their enterprise.ÊThere, short already of sixty of their comrades, they assembled and began a cautious advance upon the lines of trenches and sangars which seamed the brown slope above them. For a time they were able to keep some cover, and the casualties were comparatively few.ÊBut now at last, as the evening sun threw a long shadow from the hills, the leading regiment, the Inniskillings, found themselves at the utmost fringe of boulders with a clear slope between them and the main trench of the enemy.ÊUp there where the shrapnel was spurting and the great lyddite shells crashing they could dimly see a line of bearded faces and the black dots of the slouch hats.ÊWith a yell the Inniskillings sprang out, carried with a rush the first trench, and charged desperately onwards for the second one.ÊIt was a supremely dashing attack against supremely steady resistance, for among all their gallant deeds the Boers have never fought better than on that February evening.ÊAmid such a smashing shell fire as living mortals have never yet endured they stood doggedly, these hardy men of the veldt, and fired fast and true into the fiery ranks of the Irishmen.ÊThe yell of the stormers was answered by the remorseless roar of the Mausers and the deep-chested shouts of the farmers.ÊUp and up surged the infantry, falling, rising, dashing bull-headed at the crackling line of the trench.Ê But still the bearded faces glared at them over the edge, and still the sheet of lead pelted through their ranks.ÊThe regiment staggered, came on, staggered again, was overtaken by supporting companies of the Dublins and the Connaughts, came on, staggered once more, and finally dissolved into shreds, who ran swiftly back for cover, threading their way among their stricken comrades.ÊNever on this earth was there a retreat of which the survivors had less reason to be ashamed.ÊThey had held on to the utmost capacity of human endurance.ÊTheir colonel, ten officers, and more than half the regiment were lying on the fatal hill.ÊHonour to them, and honour also to the gallant Dutchmen who, rooted in the trenches, had faced the rush and fury of such an onslaught! To-day to them, to-morrow to us; but it is for a soldier to thank the God of battles for worthy foes. It is one thing, however, to repulse the British soldier, and it is another to rout him.ÊWithin a few hundred yards of their horrible ordeal at Magersfontein, the Highlanders re-formed into a military body.ÊSo now the Irishmen fell back no farther than the nearest cover, and there held grimly on to the ground which they had won.ÊIf you would know the advantage which the defence has over the attack, then do you come and assault this line of tenacious men, now in your hour of victory and exultation, friend Boer! Friend Boer did attempt it, and skilfully too, moving a flanking party to sweep the position with their fire.Ê But the brigade, though sorely hurt, held them off without difficulty, and was found on the morning of the 24th to be still lying upon the ground which they had won. Our losses had been very heavyÑColonel Thackeray of the Inniskillings

The D.S.O. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. M. Lenox-Conyngham, Army Veterinary Corps Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, complete with top bar (lacking pin); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Capt. A.V.D.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Major, A.V.C.); British War and Victory Medals, small M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col.); Memorial Plaque (Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham); together with two miniature awards: Distinguished Service Order, silver-gilt and enamel, with top bar; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04; together with an A.V.C. badge and a cloth badge, all mounted in a leather display case, minor enamel damage, nearly extremely fine (10) £1800-2200 D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1917. M.I.D. London Gazette 2 September 1904, 7 April 1915, 4 January 1917, 23 July 1917. Hubert Maxwell Lenox-Conyngham was born in Dublin on 18 October 1869, the 7th son of Colonel Sir William F. Lenox-Conyngham, K.C.B. He became a F.R.C.V.S. and entered the Army Veterinary Department in 1896. With them he served in the Somaliland campaign of 1902-04 under General J. E. Gough, V.C., being Veterinary Inspector, Lines of Communications from 16 July 1903. For his services he was mentioned in despatches. He entered the Great War as a Major in the A.V.C. and was A.L.V.S. with the 6th Division from September 1914, was D.D.V.S. with the 5th Army, under Sir H. Gough in 1916, and served all through the fighting on the Somme and Ancre. He was invalided in May 1917 but was later A.D.V.S. Western Command. He died suddenly at Chester on 15 March 1918, aged 47 years. During the course of the war he had been three times mentioned in despatches and been created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Oreder. Lieutenant-Colonel Lenox-Conygham was buried in the Kilgobbin Burial Ground, Ireland. He was the husband of Eva Lenox-Conyngham (nee Darley), of The Paddocks, Kilsby, Rugby.

A Great War M.C. group of seven awarded to Quartermaster & Captain E. J. Sayer, Essex Yeomanry, formely 11th (Prince Alberts Own) Hussars Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (3157 Lce. Sergt., 11th Hussars); 1914-15 Star (Q.M. & Lieut., Essex Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals (Q.M. & Lieut.); Coronation 1911; Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (3157 S.S. Mjr., 11/Hrs.) mounted as worn, some contact wear, therefore nearly very fine or better (7) £1200-1500 M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1917. Edward John Sayer enlisted into the 11th Hussars in March 1890, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant Major in February 1902, and attached to the Essex Yeomanry in January 1904. He was granted the Honorary rank of Captain in March 1911, proceeding to France on 28 November 1914. He was severely wounded (shell shock) on 3 December 1916 near Beaumont Hamel when a shell burst within a few feet of his horse. On recovery he returned to duty, this time with the Royal Flying Corps where he worked in the Stores Department. The following in relation to his wounding on 3 December 1916 is extracted from a form entitled Proceedings of a Medical Board, which is contained in his correspondence file held at the National Archives: Lieut. & Quartermaster E. J. Sayer was knocked down by a shell explosion and was unconscious for one hour. This was followed by diarrhoea and vomiting. A few days later he lost the use of his lips and had a headache, insomnia, increased reflexes and bad dreams... Sold with a quantity of copied research.

A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Captain W. E. Footner, Army Veterinary Corps Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., A.V.C.); British War and Victory Medals, with small size M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.) good very fine (4) £700-900 M.C. London Gazette 4 June 1918. M.I.D. London Gazette 25 May 1918. The following is extracted from an obituary published in The Journal of The South African Veterinary Medical Association: The death of Captain Footner, which occurred at the Berea Nursing Home, Durban, on 25 March 1939, came as a great shock to his many friends and colleagues. Although he had been in indifferent health for some time, good hopes for his complete recovery were entertained up till a day before he died. Footner was born in London 58 years ago, qualified at the Royal Veterinary College, London, in July 1909, and joined the R.A.V.C., attaining the rank of Captain. At the outbreak of the Great War he went to France and was attached first to the Cavalry Division and then to the Guards. He was awarded the Military Cross and was mentioned in despatches for gallant and conspicuous services. After the war he came to South Africa as a settler on the Sundays River Irrigation Scheme, but abandoned farming and joined the Union Veterinary Division in January 1922. After serving for brief periods as Government Veterinary Officer in Bloemfontein and Pretoria he was transferred to Durban. He was an esteemed member of the Durban S.P.C.A. and always displayed a keen desire to alleviate suffering in both man and animals. He displayed particular interest in humane slaughtering of animals and invented the Footner Electric Collar, which is considered to be a great step forward in humane slaughtering. Sold with six pages of copied service papers and copy of m.i.c. which confirms that he first served in France from 10 December 1914.

An emotive Great War Hejaz railway operations M.C. group of four awarded to 2nd Lieutenant W. T. Davies, Royal West Surrey Regiment, attached Imperial Camel Corps, late Shropshire Yeomanry, who was decorated for his gallant leadership in the famous raid on Mudowwara Station on 8 August 1918, which place he had earlier reconnoitred with four other officers, the whole attired in Arab dress: undoubtedly known to Lawrence of Arabia, who rode alongside the Camel Corps on many occasions, it seems improbable that the great man was not shown the "Mudowwara Trumpet", which instrument Davies retained as a souvenir of the raid - and which was sounded at the annual reunions of the Imperial Camel Corps right up until the 1960s Military Cross, G.V.R., in its case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (1374 Sjt., Shrops. Yeo.), generally extremely fine (4) £8000-10000 M.C. London Gazette 10 September 1918: During the raid on Mudowwara Station on 8 August 1918, he was in charge of the attacking party which he led and directed with conspicuous ability. It was owing to his quickness of action that we incurred few casualties. His demolition work throughout the operations was invaluable. William Thomas Davies was born in Shrewsbury in October 1891 and joined the Shropshire Yeomanry in early 1910. Having then served in Egypt as an N.C.O., he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment in December 1917, and attached to the Imperial Camel Corps in Palestine. And it was in this latter capacity that he would come into close contact with Lawrence of Arabia in the following year, his, and one other company of the Camel Corps, totalling 300 men, being chosen to capture the railway station at Mudowwara. Mudowwara lay on the Hejaz railway, Lawrences favoured hunting ground, and possessed the only significant water supply to cover 150 miles of the line south of Maan. As a result, Lawrence had made two or three attempts to mount an attack on the station in September 1917 but, for assorted reasons, they never got off the ground. And it was only in August 1918 - via the suggestion of his friend Colonel Dawnay - that he got clearance to use two companies of the Imperial Camel Corps, under Colonel Robert Buxton, for a renewed initiative: Dawnay and I sat down with a map and measured that Buxton should march from the Canal to Akaba; thence, by Rumm, to carry Mudowwara by night-attack; thence by Bair, to destroy the bridge and tunnel near Amman; and back to Palestine on August the thirtieth (Revolt in the Desert refers). Here, then, Lawrences first mention of Buxton and the Imperial Camel Corps, but such were the achievements of this irregular force over the coming weeks - achievements in which Lawrence shared for he delighted in riding alongside them - that he would dedicate an entire chapter in Revolt in the Desert to their story. In late July 1918, he visited Buxton and his men for the first time: Accordingly I went down to Akaba, where Buxton let me explain to each company their march, and the impatient nature of the Allies whom they, unasked, had come to help; begging them to turn the other cheek if there was a row; partly because they were better educated than the Arabs, and therefore less prejudiced; partly because they were very few. After such solemnities came the ride up the oppressive gorge of Itm, under the red cliffs of Nejed and over the breast-like curves of Imran - that slow preparation for Rumms greatness - till we passed through the gap before the rock of Khuznail, and into the inner shrine of the springs, with its worship-compelling coolness. There the landscape refused to be accessory, but took the skies, and we chattering humans became dust at its feet. It was shortly after this visit that Davies participated in the reconnaissance from Rumm towards Mudowwara in Arab cloaks, the party also comprising Colonel Buxton, Captains Lyall and Bell-Irving and 2nd Lieutenant W. Jones (verified by records held in the Liddle Collection at Leeds University). And of the subsequent attack on Mudowwara, Lawrence later wrote: Next morning we heard by aeroplane how Buxtons force had fared at Mudowwara. They decided to assault it before dawn mainly by means of bombers, in three parties, one to enter the station, the other two for the main redoubts. Accordingly, before midnight white tapes were laid as guides to the zero point. The opening had been timed for a quarter to four, but the way proved difficult to find, so that daylight was almost upon them before things began against the southern redoubt. After a number of bombs had burst in and about it, the men rushed up and took it easily - to find that the station party had achieved their end a moment before. These alarms roused the middle redoubt, but only for defeat. Its men surrendered twenty minutes later. The northern redoubt, which had a gun, seemed better-hearted and splashed its shot freely into the station yard, and at our troops. Buxton, under cover of the southern redoubt, directed the fire of Brodies guns which, with their usual deliberate accuracy, sent in shell after shell. Siddons came over in his machines and bombed it, while the Camel Corps from north and east and west subjected the breastworks to severe Lewis gun fire. At seven in the morning the last of the enemy surrendered quietly. We had lost four killed and ten wounded. The Turks lost twenty-one killed, and one hundred and fifty prisoners, with two field-guns and three machine-guns. Buxton at once set the Turks to getting steam on the pumping engine, so that he could water his camels, while men blew in the wells, and smashed the engine-pumps, with two thousand yards of rail. At dusk, charges at the foot of the water-tower spattered it in single stones across the plain: Buxton, a moment later called "Walk-march!" to his men, and the three hundred camels, rising like one and roaring like the day of judgment, started off to Jefer. Thence we had news of them. They rested a day, revictualled, and marched for Bair where Joyce and myself had agreed to join them. And so it was, Lawrence rejoining the men of the Camel Corps for several days, a period in which he would undoubtedly have sought out information about the attack on Mudowwara - most likely, too, from one of the heroes of the raid, such as Lieutenant Davies - if so, we may be sure he showed the great man his souvenir, the trumpet that had been taken by him from a Turkish sentry who had tried to sound the alarm during the advance of his men, but who was silenced before he could do so. It was also during this visit to the Camel Corps that Lawrence observed with pride how well the men were progressing, largely thanks to Buxton having made some useful changes: Consequently, our Imperial camel Corps had become rapid, elastic, enduring, silent; except when they mounted by numbers, for then the three hundred he-camels would roar in concert, giving out a wave of sound audible miles across the night. Each march saw them more workmanlike, more at home on their animals, tougher, leaner, faster. Encouraged by the victory at Mudowwara, Lawrence guided the Camel Corps towards their next target, the railway viaduct at Kissir, south of Amman, a journey entailing another 120-mile journey behind enemy lines, a daring enterprise best summed up by Buxton: It is not unlike an attempt on the part of the Huns to blow up Waterloo Bridge, as it is many miles at the back of their lines and within five miles of their Army headquarters. But with the promise of Arab support, Lawrences leadership and an element of surprise, the matter should not be difficult. As it transpired, two enemy aircraft soon ended any notion of surprise, while the presence of three large Turkish patrols led both men to conclude that any attack would now end in serious casualties, and since Lawrence had assured Al

A Great War Egypt M.C. group of five awarded to Captain G. H. H. Waylen, Royal Army Medical Corps, attached 1/4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (Lieut., R.A.M.C.); Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., some contact wear, therefore nearly very fine or better (5) £700-900 M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1919 (R.A.M.C., attached 1/4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment) ... for distinguished service in connection with military operations in Egypt. M.I.D. London Gazette 14 June 1918. Sold with copy of m.i.c. confirming service in India and Egypt and copies of the 1/4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment War Diary which mention recipient.

A Great War Western Front M.C. awarded to Lieutenant R. E. Darnley, Army Service Corps Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse inscribed, Lieut. R. E. Darnley, decorated by H.M. King George V, Buckingham Palace, Dec. 3 1919, with A.S.C. pin-backed badge, silver, hallmarks for Birmingham 1915, extremely fine (2) £400-450 M.C. London Gazette 5 July 1918. For conspicuous gallantry and ddevotion to duty. When in charge of a convoy of wagons, under shell fire, he steadied his men, assisting them to rescue the wounded horses and damaged wagons, which were successfully cleared away from the road through his personal example and energy. On a later occasion, on his convoy being bombed by hostile aircraft, he was severely wounded, but he ordered a N.C.O. to leave him and take the convoy out of danger. By his coolness and courage he prevented a serious disaster. The place and date of the act of gallantry are recorded as East of Ypres, 12 November 1917. Sold with a copy of a M.O.D. letter, dated 10 July 1964, which provides the above details.

A particularly fine Second World War escapers M.C. and North-West Europe operations Bar group of eight awarded to Major. J. M. Storey, Royal Tank Regiment: having been wounded at Sidi Rezegh and at Tobruk, he was taken P.O.W. but made a successful bid for freedom in Italy at the end of 1943: returning to the fray in 1st Royal Tanks in North-West Europe, he won an immediate Bar to his M.C. for holding out in a German village in March 1945, surrounded by snipers and Panzerfausts, and subsequently commanded the first tank to enter Hamburg Military Cross, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse officially dated 1944 and the reverse of the Bar 1945; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; French Croix de Guerre 1939, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine and better (8) £4000-5000 M.C. London Gazette 27 April 1944. The original recommendation states: Lieutenant J. M. Storey was wounded and captured at Tobruk on 20 June 1942. Taken to a hospital at Bergamo, he was, after three months, transferred to Campo 35 at Padula. While here he attempted to escape by making a passage through a roof, but was blocked by a concrete wall. Later he started a tunnel with seven others, but this was discovered after five days. In August 1943, en route to Campo 19 at Bologna, he escaped by jumping from the train, but was re-captured next day. After the Germans arrived at Campo 19 on 9 September 1943, Lieutenant Storey took his tunnel party up to the roof, where they remained for 13 days, during which period the Germans were living below and looting the camp. During the last week he was ill with stomach trouble, but on 22 September he took his party down and they escaped over the wire. He lay up in a house for a while and then made his way to the British lines, arriving on 30 November 1943. Bar to M.C. London Gazette 12 July 1945. The original recommendation states: On 23 March 1945, after the crossing of the Rhine, 1st Royal Tank Regiment was ordered to seize the village of Ramsdorf. A patrol of two light tanks was sent to reconnoitre the village and managed to get about half way in without incident. Then the second tank was hit by a Panzerfaust and set on fire. Meanwhile, accurate mortar and machine-gun fire was brought down on the patrol and further shots from the Panzerfausts were directed at the second tank. Captain Storey, who commanded the Reconnaissance Troop from which the patrol came, immediately went forward alone in his scout car to the scene of the incident. He extracted two wounded men from the burning tank and then set about organising a small defensive position with the remaining tanks and the few other men available. Realising the importance of clearing the village and gaining the river bridge so that the advance would not be held up, Captain Storey held on to his precarious footing in the centre of the village for two more hours, under continuous mortar and machine-gun fire, and with snipers working round to his flanks and rear, until the infantry could be brought up to join him. This officer undoubtedly saved valuable hours at a criticial time in the operation and enabled the bridge to be secured in tact. John Martin Storey, who was from Rhodesia, was visiting London at the time of the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, and immediately enlisted in the British Army. Granted a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment, he was embarked for the Middle East, where he was attached to 9 Armoured Brigade. Wounded at Sidi Rezegh on 21 November 1941, and again at Tobruk in June 1942, he was taken P.O.W. on the latter occasion and, after three months in hospital, arrived at Campo 35 at Padula. Thereafter, as described in the recommendation for his M.C., he proved a reluctant prisoner, and in November 1943, after many adventures, reached British Allied lines. Returning to an operational footing with an appointment in 1st Royal Tanks, a component of 22 Armoured Brigade, 7 Armoured Division, 12 Corps, he served in the Normandy campaign and onwards into Germany, where, as described above, he won an immediate Bar to his M.C. at Ramsdorf in March 1945. And it is for his swift advance into Hamburg that he is believed to have been nominated for his Croix de Guerre, an incident which he later described in a newspaper interview - he was selected by his C.O., Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Hobart, to lead the way in his Cromwell tank, and crossed seven bridges in rapid succession: I should have checked each bridge, but after the first one there was no need to waste time on the rest. Released in the rank of Major in November 1945, Storey returned to Rhodesia where he farmed near Bulawayo, and died there in 1972. Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including his embarkation order for the Middle East, dated 7 June 1941; a signed receipt for the delivery of two German officer and 6 other rank P.O.Ws, dated 11 January 1942; a letter of reference from the Brigadier, 9 Armoured Brigade, dated 5 June 1942 (I am extremely sorry to lose him out of my Brigade but knowing him to be a very capable and very gallant officer who did splendid work in 2 Royal Tanks at Sidi Rezegh, I do not think it is fair to stand in his way if by leaving me he can get on ... ); a Campo 19 stamped payment statement, dated 9 September 1943, the day he hid in the roof of a building after the arrival of the Germans; three hand-drawn but detailed maps of Italy, as apparently used by the recipient in his successful escape, together with a smaller version with details of Rome; a note of confirmation that he had signed a security certificate at No. 1 P.O.W. Transit Camp, dated 3 December 1943; a War Office communication regarding the delivery of his Croix de Guerre, dated 12 November 1945; and his War Office Letter of Release, dated 20 November 1945, in which he is granted the honorary rank of Major; together with his wartime identity discs, a named card box which once contained replacement spectacles after his original ones were damaged in action in North Africa; an Armoured Division pennant, and his battledress tunic, this last complete with medal ribands, and "Desert Rat" shoulder patches.

A particularly fine and well-documented Second World War North-West Europe operations M.C. group of seven awarded to Major A. Ritchie, Royal Engineers, a Troop Commander in 6 Assault Regiment whose specially adapted Churchill tanks proved instrumental in the capture of Boulogne in September 1944: equipped with spigot mortars that fired concrete-shattering 40lb. projectiles (a.k.a. "Flying Dustbins"), they were nonetheless vulnerable to the enemys much vaunted Panzerfaust - so much so that by the end of his 48-hour M.C. winning exploits, just one of his troops six Churchills remained Military Cross, G.VI.R. reverse officially dated 1944; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (1869123 Spr., R.E.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., Regular Army (Capt., M.C., R.E.). mounted as worn, minor contact marks, generally good very fine (7) £2200-2500 M.C. London Gazette 21 December 1944. The original recommendation states: On 17 September 1944, Captain Ritchie was commanding a troop of six Assault Vehicles, Royal Engineers (A.V.R.E.) supporting the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in an attack on "Mount Lambert", one of the defences of Boulogne. The approach was covered by a large number of enemy weapons in concrete, and the advance was frequently held up by big casualties to the Infantry from shell and automatic fire. Captain Ritchie supported the attack, pressing on despite casualties to his Assault Vehicles and attacked each emplacement in turn with "Petard", subduing the fire and allowing the Infantry to get forward. By nightfall he had run out of ammunition, but remained with the Infantry half-way up the slope throughout the night under shell and mortar fire. He was replenished in the early hours of 18 September and later went on to attack emplacements with his "Petards". His troop was now reduced to two Assault Vehicles, but he went on attacking enemy strongpoints until 1900 hours on 18 September, when after the positioned was captured he was relieved. Captain Ritchies personal effort and leadership throughout the action, were of a high order, and contributed greatly to the capture of a vital enemy position. Andrew Ritchie was born in Colchester in October 1914, the son of a Gordon Highlander who was killed in action just three weeks later. Having attended the Army Technical College at Chepstow in the late 1920s, where he excelled in rugby and boxing, young Andrew joined the Royal Engineers, in which corps he served in Palestine 1936-37. Commissioned soon after the outbreak of hostilities, he remained employed in the U.K., where he was appointed a Troop Commander in 6 Assault Regiment, R.E., a component of the 79th Armoured Division, 2 (Canadian) Corps, on the eve of the Normandy invasion. As such, he had command of six Assault Vehicles, Royal Engineers (A.V.R.E.), in fact Churchill tanks fitted with a spigot mortar called a "Petard", which fired a 40lb. demolition charge specially designed to shatter concrete over a distance of 80 yards - a charge nicknamed by A.V.R.E. crew as the "Flying Dustbin". Thus equipped, Ritchies troop landed on D-Day, but as described above, it was for his subsequent part in the assault on Boulogne that he won his M.C. As confirmed by his own account of the proceedings on the 17-18 September, his troop quickly suffered fatalities, his Second-in-Commands tank being hit by three rounds from a Panzerfaust, killing four of the six man crew - these were vicious little rockets fired by the enemy infantry. When they struck a tank they punched a hole no thicker than a pencil through the armour and poured in fire and steel fragments more deadly than any shell. One of his Sergeants tanks was also put out of action in this firefight, but his four remaining Churchills continued on their way, knocking out several gun positions in pill-boxes and destroying many houses, and thereby enabling the Canadians to continue their advance to "Mount Lambert". The slopes of the latter feature were heavily defended by a series of concrete gun emplacements, each connected by underground tunnels, and in the ensuing action two more of Ritchies tanks were knocked out - one to a Panzerfaust and the other to a mine. Nonetheless, he insisted on remaining in position overnight, under constant shell and mortar fire, until fresh ammunition could be brought up in the morning, at which stage he went forward to meet the Canadian commander to recce the latest enemy positions: He led the way to a communication trench and we crawled along to the end. He cautiously lifted his head and looked over the top and then withdrew to let me have a look. I eased my body up until I could just see over the top of the parapet. Everything appeared very quiet. About 150 yards ahead was a large emplacement with a large gun pointing out of the embrasure and machine-guns each side. A similar strongpoint was situated about 70 yards to its right and the ground was heavily cratered by the bombing. I slid down and told the Canadian that I had seen enough and suggested that my two tanks took on a strongpoint each and hopefully silence the guns. His troops would then follow and then make the final attack on "Mount Lambert". He agreed and said he would have another quick look at the position in front so that he could finalise his plans. He had only just moved his head up when a single shot rang out and he collapsed back in the trench. A snipers bullet had got him straight through the forehead and he was dead before he slumped down. Notwithstanding this unhappy interlude, Ritchie went straight into action: It was slow and rough going as the shell holes were quite deep. My gunners fired their machine-guns directly into the embrasure to distract the enemy gunners but I wanted to get a shot in with the "Petard" as quickly as possible. I was peering through the periscope and after climbing out of a shell hole saw the enemy position in front but still out of range. They opened up with their guns and I felt several thuds as we were hit by shots from their big gun but luckily they ricocheted off the curved turret. Our constant machine-gun fire was obviously affecting their accuracy. We started to make better progress and when about 70 yards from the enemy position I told the driver to stop and the "Petard" gunner to aim and fire when ready. He quickly sighted on to the front of the position and I kicked the large lever which fired the "Petard". We could see the charge flying in an arc through the air and it hit the narrow embrasure dead on - this is what we call "posting a letter". The gunner reloaded and hit the front again with another shot higher up. Hardly had the noise and dust died down when a hoard of German soldiers rushed out from the back of the emplacement with their hands in the air. I contacted my other tank commander and he said that after he had "petarded" his position the Germans came streaming out to surrender too. I notified the Canadians and they advanced to take prisoners. But one more rude shock awaited the gallant Ritchie atop "Mount Lambert": While I was talking to my C.O. over the radio I felt a terrific thud on the front of the turret and the tank was plunged in darkness. When I jumped out to see what had happened I found a shell, fired from a German 88mm. gun in the port or town, a considerable distance away, had hit the turret and ricocheted off. When we checked the damage we found that the turret was jammed and the whole electrical system out of order. Thus, after 48 hours fighting, Ritchies troop was left with just one operational Churchill. And of his subsequent part in the Commando-led assault on Walcheren on 1 November 1944, a local newspaper reported: Tanks under the command of Captain Ritchie acted as "pathfinders" during the landings on Walcheren Island. Under heavy fire the tanks found themselves pinned on the beaches and faced with a deep

A Great War Western Front D.C.M. group of four awarded to Warrant Officer A. W. S. Peckett, Army Service Corps Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (S-31641 Pte., A.S.C.); 1914-15 Star (S-31641 Pte., A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (S-31641 A.W.O. Cl. 2, A.S.C.) B.W.M. with single edge bruise, otherwise generally very fine or better (4) £800-1000 D.C.M. London Gazette 11 March 1916 For conspicuous gallantry in the performance of his duties, under great difficulty and danger, during a bombardment. He assisted to carry wounded officers and men to the dressing station until all were removed. The work was performed under heavy fire. A total of 253 D.C.Ms. and one bar were awarded to the Army Service Corps during the Great War. Sold with copy of m.i.c. confirming that he first served in France on 21 December 1914.

A rare Great War period D.C.M. group of nine attributed to Gunner M. Kriz, a Czech Legionnaire Czech War Cross 1918; Czech Revolutionary Medal 1918; Czech Victory Medal 1918; Czech F.I.D.A.C. Medal for Veterans of the Great War; Czech Commemorative Cross for Volunteers 1918-19; Czech Zborov Memorial Medal 1917-47; Czech Bachmac Memorial Medal 1918-48; Austria, Empire, Karl Troop Cross 1916; Great Britain, Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R., unnamed as issued to foreign nationals, this last with refixed suspension claw, generally very fine or better (9) £1200-1500 As is nearly always the case, no verification has been found for this particular award of the D.C.M., but it is worth noting that Abbott & Tamplin state some 290 such decorations were issued to Czech Legionnaires. Miloslav Kriz was born in Marsovicich, in the district of Benesov, near Prague in April 1888, and joined the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1910. Sent out to the Eastern Front on the outbreak of hostilities, he was wounded and taken prisoner at Tschemenovka in July 1915, and signed up for the Czech Legions at a P.O.W. camp near Kiev in October 1916. Assigned to the 4th Company of the 1st Gunner Regiment, he subsequently fought in the famous battle of Zborov in July 1917, and afterwards in the actions at Kungut, Omsk, Nikolsk, Usurrijsk, Perm, and Tagil, in addition to other skirmishes against the Bolsheviks. In February 1918, having been posted to a reserve unit, he participated in the engagements fought during the Siberian retreat, all the way to Vladivostok, and was finally demobilised back in Czechoslovakia in March 1920, having returned there via Canada and Western Europe. Kriz died on 18 March 1937, so presumably his Zborov and Bachmac Medals were issued posthumously at a later date. Sold with his original Ministry of Defence, Czech Legions Office service certificate, bearing an official stamp, signature and the date 18 March 1937, together with a contemporary portrait photograph, in uniform, by F. Wokac of Roznov.

A good Second World War Fall of France 1940 D.C.M. group of six awarded to Warrant Officer Class III J. H. Scanlon, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R. (4264033 W.O. Cl. III J. H. Scanlon, R. Northd. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, together with related sporting prize medals (2), silver, one named and dated 1928-29, and three regimental badges, extremely fine (11) £3000-3500 D.C.M. London Gazette 20 December 1940. The original recommendation states: As Platoon Commander, he showed unquestionable courage, bravery and leadership during operations from Deval to Dunkirk, and particularly in the defence of Arras, where, by his own conduct, he set his men an example and encouraged them under enemy fire and aerial bombardment. Joseph Hughes Scanlon was serving as a Platoon Sergeant-Major in A Company, 8th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, at the time of the above cited deeds, and was subsequently granted an Emergency Commission as a Lieutenant in the Reconnaissance Corps in January 1941. The 8th Battalions war diary describes in detail the desperate defence of Arras, and the units subsequent retreat to the beaches of Dunkirk, where its survivors were embarked on the last day of May. Scanlon and A Company were allocated to the defence of the east perimeter of the town, where they would have undergone severe dive-bombing and machine-gun attacks from the air during the hours of daylight. By the 22 May the town was completely surrounded, and orders were received for the Battalion to make a breakout, Scanlon joining "Group III" - luckily, as a result of a thick morning mist, most were able to escape the attention of enemy machine-gun posts, a brief respite in which it would appear Scanlons group stopped to demolish a bridge. As per an order received by the Battalion back in England on 22 June 1940, he was awarded an immediate D.C.M., and the following day at Church Parade, he received the ribbon of his decoration from the hands of Major-General Herbert, the Divisional Commander. Sold with two original letters, both from officers congratulating him on the award of his D.C.M., one of which, from Captain W. F. H. Cox of the Rifle Brigade, states: A few lines to send you my heartiest congratulations on your magnificent work when over in France with the B.E.F. I was delighted to read of your decoration with the D.C.M. in todays papers, and the report in The Times was fine. In view of the lack of leadership by certain others, which to us was not at all surprising, A Company of the 8th R.N.F. are, I am sure, very proud of you and I am mighty glad you were with them. I am very distressed at the loss of my old C.O. and Adjutant, Colonel Clarke, and Major Seth-Smith, both of whom were fine and gallant gentlemen. Was not pleased to meet in the B.E.F. Camp here my old colleague, Mr. Charles Mitchell, and with him Mr. Wilson and Captain Nicholson. If not before, I shall look forward to meeting you again in the victory march through Berlin ...

A North West Frontier 1937 I.D.S.M. pair awarded to Jemadar Shadamir, Tochi Scouts, late North Waziristan Militia Indian Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R., 2nd issue (Jemdr., Tochi Scouts), complete with brooch bar; British War Medal 1914-20 (7240 Sepoy, N. Waz. Mil.) very fine and better (2) £800-900 I.D.S.M. Gazette of India 12 June 1937. ... for services rendered during the operations on the North-West Frontier during May 1937. The I.D.S.M. is almost ceratinly for the action at Iblanke on 11/12 May 1937. Eight platoons of Scouts, commanded by Captain Jimmy Gimson, Guides Cavalry, led the night advance up the Iblanke Ridge. The objective was to take the Tori Khel Lashkars by surprise. The Scouts occupied the Shoulder-blade Heights which were to be held whilst the advance guard - the 2/11th Sikhs, came up. The North Waziristan Militia was raised in June 1900 by Captain A. F. Davie, 53rd Sikhs, as an armed trans-border militia officered by Indian Army officers on temporary attachment. In April 1922 it became the Tochi Scouts. Sold with copied research including extracts from Prenders Progress which provides an account of the action at Iblanke. According to the book, The Indian Distinguished Service Medal, by Rana Chhina only 98 type 2 I.D.S.Ms. were ever awarded.

A superb Second World War fall of Singapore operations D.S.M. group of six awarded to Stoker P. A. H. Dunne, Royal Navy, for a motor launch versus Japanese destroyer action of "Li Wo" proportions: few escaped the resultant carnage inflicted by several point-blank hits on H.M.M.L. 311s hull and upper deck - and those that did had to endure over four years as a P.O.W. of the Japanese, the wounded Dunne among them Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Sto. P. A. H. Dunne, P/KX 132616); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals, mounted as worn, minor contact marks, good very fine or better (6) £4000-5000 D.S.M. London Gazette 19 February 1946: For great gallantry, although wounded, in keeping the engine room services of H.M.M.L. 311 in action after an attack by a Japanese destroyer on 15 February 1942. The original recommendation states: During the engagement between H.M.M.L. 311 and a heavy Japanese destroyer on 15 February 1942, when the remainder of the Engine Room personnel had been killed, and heavy damage sustained in the Engine Room, the above rating continued to keep the Engine Room services in action, under the most trying conditions. Throughout the engagement, being himself wounded in the leg, Stoker Dunne worked in close proximity to blazing petrol tanks, and in additional danger from pans of live Lewis gun ammunition bursting into flames, some of which penetrated the Engine Room. He remained carrying out E.R. duties until the order to abandon ship was received. Percy Albert Holmes Dunne, a native of Whitley Bay, Northumberland, who was born in November 1921, was recommended for his immediate D.S.M. by Commander V. C. F. Clarke, D.S.C.*, R.N., in October 1945, when the latter, the senior surviving officer from H.M.M.L. 331, submitted his official report of the action to Their Lordships: I have the honour to submit the following report of the passage of H.M.M.L. 311 from Singapore to Banka Straits and her sinking there by enemy action. This report is forwarded by me, as Senior Naval Officer on board, in the absence of her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant E. J. H. Christmas, R.A.N.V.R., whose subsequent fate is unknown. I embarked on H.M.M.L. 311 on the afternoon of 13 February 1942, as a passenger. Orders were later received from R.A.M.Y., through Commander Alexander, R.N., to embark about 55 Army personnel after dark, then proceed to Batavia via the Durian Straits ... At daylight on the 15th, we sighted what appeared to be a warship from 2 to 3 miles distant, almost dead ahead, in the swept channel, at a fine inclination, stern towards us and to all appearances almost stopped. We maintained our course, being under the impression that this was probably a Dutch destroyer. When about a mile away the destroyer altered course to port and was immediately recognised by its distinctive stem as a Japanese destroyer of a large type. At Lieutenant Christmas request, I took command of the ship and increased to 18 knots, maintaining my course, to close within effective range. The enemy opened fire and, with the first salvo, scored two hits, one of which penetrated the forecastle deck, laying out the guns crew, putting the gun out of action and killing the helmsman. Lieutenant Christmas took the wheel, and I increased speed to approximately 20 knots, and made a four-point alteration of course to starboard to open A arcs for the Lewis guns, now within extreme range. This brought me on a course roughly parallel and opposite to the enemy enclosing the Sumatra shore, which, in the almost certain event of being sunk, should enable the crew and the troops to swim to the mainland. On my enquiring, after the alteration, why the 3-pounder was not firing, I was informed it was out of action. By constant zig-zagging further direct hits were avoided for a short time, during which the light guns continued to engage the enemy. The enemy, however, having circled round astern of me, was closing and soon shrapnel and direct hits began to take their toll both above and below decks. The petrol tanks were on fire, blazing amidships, and there was a fire on the messdecks. The engine room casing was blown up and two out of three E.R. personnel had been killed, whilst the third, a Stoker [Dunne], was wounded in the leg. The port engine was put out of action. The E.R. services as a whole, however, were maintained throughout the action. Finally, Lieutenant Christmas at the helm reported the steering broken down with the rudder jammed to starboard. We began circling at a range of about 1000 yards. Further offensive or defensive action being impossible, with all guns out of action and the ship ablaze amidships, I stopped engines and ordered abandon ship. Casualties were heavy. I estimate that barely 20 men, including wounded, took to the water. The Japanese destroyer lay off and, although the White Ensign remained flying, ceased fire but made no attempt to pick up survivors. I advised men to make for the mainland shore but a number are believed to have made for the middle of the Strait in the hope of being picked up. The action lasted about ten minutes. The captain of the Mata Hari (Lieutenant Carson), who witnessed the action, states that the Japanese ship fired 14 six-gun salvoes. There were four, or possibly five, direct hits, and, in addition to the damage from these, most regrettable carnage was caused on the closely stowed upper deck by burst from several "shorts". The ship sank not long after being abandoned, burning furiously. Other than Dunne, no other officer or rating appears to have been decorated for the action, Clarks D.S.C. and Bar having stemmed from acts of gallantry in the Second Battle of Narvik and during earlier air attacks off Singapore; sadly the fate of Lieutenant E. J. H. Christmas, R.A.N.V.R., was never fully established, and he is assumed to have died on 15 February 1942. Sold with the recipients original Buckingham Palace returning P.O.Ws message, dated September 1945, together with a quantity of related research and a copy of Commander Victor Clarks memoirs, Triumph and Disaster, in which he describes the demise of H.M.M.L. 311 in detail.

A Great War Western Front M.M. group of four awarded to Private J. J. Sutton, Warwickshire Regiment Military Medal, G.V.R. (240456 Pte., 1/6 R. War. R.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (2368 Pte., R. War. R.); British War and Victory Medals (240456 Pte., R. War. R.) good very fine (6) £380-420 M.M. London Gazette 2 November 1917 (regt. erroneously given as Welsh Regt; corrected to Royal Warwickshire Regiment, London Gazette 2 April 1918). Joseph John Sutton came from Birmingham and enlisted into the Army on 29 May 1914. Serving with the 1st/6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he was wounded and awarded the Military Medal during 1917. He was disembodied on 22 March 1919. Sold with two T/6 metal shoulder badges; Certificate of Disembodiment on Demobilization and a pencil written note to Private Sutton from his commanding officer, dated 14 September 1917, reading, I am very glad to inform you that you have been awarded the Military Medal for your good work with Transport during the time that the Bn. was in the line Aug. 16-20 1917. I heartily congratulate you and hope that your wound is healing well. I enclose a piece of ribbon (attached). Yours faithfully Wm. ? Lt. Col. Cmd 1/6 R. War. R.

A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Private H. H. Roden, Grenadier Guards Military Medal, G.V.R. (25551 Pte., 4/G. Gds.); British War Medal 1914-20 (25551 Pte., G. Gds) good very fine (2) £320-360 M.M. London Gazette 30 January 1920. Private Harry Horatio Rodden, 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards, came from Sedgley. Awarded the M.M. as per Army Order 193 of 1919 for services whilst a P.O.W., for escaping, or for attempting to escape.

A Great War Battle of Amiens M.M. group of three awarded to Acting Sergeant J. L. Dickson, Tank Corps Military Medal, G.V.R. (91643 Pte., 5/Tank C.); British War and Victory Medals (91643 Pte., Tank Corps) nearly extremely fine (3) £600-800 M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1919. 91643 Pte. Dickson, J.L., 5th Bn. Tank Corps (Glasgow). Recommendation states: Near Demuin, August 8, 1918, this man was actiing as first driver of the tank commanded by 2nd Lieut. Birch. This tank engaged a hostile field battery at close range. Pte. Dickson was wounded early in the engagement, but continued to drive his tank, which he manoeuvred with such skill that one gun of the battery was knocked out and many of the gunners killed or wounded before the tank received two direct hits which put it out of action. His courage and coolness on this occasion were worthy of the highest praise (Lieutenant Birch was awarded the Military Cross for the same action). James Lockhead Dickson, of 24 Woodcroft Avenue, Broomhill, Glasgow, a Cashier by occupation, entered into the Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) at Glasgow on 20 October 1916, aged 29 years, 6 months. He was transferred to the M.G.C. (Tanks) in December 1916 and entered the France/Flanders theatre of war in June 1917 and was posted to the 5th Battalion Tank Corps in July 1917, graded as a 1st Class Tank Mechanic. The 5th Battalion formed part of the 4th Brigade of the 4th Army. He was wounded and awarded the M.M. for bravery in the action near Demuin during the battle of Amiens in August 1918. Dickson was promoted to Lance-Corporal in June 1918 and Acting Sergeant in November the same year. He was discharged on 31 March 1920. Sold with copied services papers, m.i.c., gazette extracts and War Diary extracts.

A Great War Western Front M.M. group of three awarded to Private J. Caghill, Machine Gun Corps and Army Cyclists Corps Military Medal, G.V.R. (148600 Pte., 55/Coy. M.G.C.); British War and Victory Medals (101 Pte., A. Cyc. Corps), mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £200-240 M.M. London Gazette 11 December 1918. Spelt Cagill in London Gazette. The recipient came from Inkerman.

A Great War Western Front M.M. awarded to Acting Sergeant J. W. Daniels, Royal Army Veterinary Corps Military Medal, G.V.R. (03221 Pte.-A. Sjt., R.A.V.C.) very fine £250-300 M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919.

A Second World War Burma operations M.M. group of six awarded to Bombardier W. Woods, Royal Artillery Military Medal, G.VI.R. (902849 Bmbr. R.A.); 1939-45 Star Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (902849 Gnr., M.M., R.A.) generally extremely fine (6) £900-1000 M.M. London Gazette 20 September 1945. Recommendation states: At Singu on the East bank of the Irrawaddy, on 15 April 1945 Bdr. Woods of 348 Bty, 136 Fd Regt R.A. was one of an Arty O.P. party which accompanied "B" Coy on their infiltration into Singu North on night 14/15 April 45. The coy and attached troops had been attacked at dawn in the area of some Pagodas on the North East of the village and had been forced to seek cover within the perimeter provided by a small wall which encircled one of the Pagodas. In seeking immediate cover from the sudden attack the Arty party were obliged to leave some heavy equipment, including their "22" wireless set, outside the wall. The Japanese were sniping continually and using grenade dischargers from the edge of the village some 50 yeards away. The sniping which was exceedingly accurate killed and wounded several of the men who had been replying to the Jap fire. During a lull in the firing Bdr. Woods aked for permission to scale the wall in full view of the Jap position, in order to recover the equipment which was lying on the other side. Bdr. Woods leaped over the wall and in full view of the enemy position in the village succeeded in bringing in all the signal equipment belonging to the O.P. party, thus enabling fire to be brought down on the enemy. By volunteering for and carrying out this act of gallantry Bdr Woods displayed the very highest courage and devotion to duty. William James Woods enlisted into the R.A. (T.A.) in April 1939 and was posted to 87 Field Regiment R.A. In June 1939 he posted to 136 Regiment R.A. With his unit he served in India and Burma, January 1943-March 1946 and in December 1945 was appointed an Acting Sergeant. Released to the Army Reserve in June 1946, in 1953 he re-enlisted into the R.A. (T.A.) and was posted to the 359 Medium Regiment. He was discharged at his own request on 11 October 1961. The Military Medal and forwading slip in glass-fronted wooden frame, with the copied recommendation in a matching frame. Sold with several photographs, an American Legion membership card, cloth R.A. blazer badge and copied research.

An extremely rare "crowned-head" D.F.M. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader R. Wright, Royal Air Force, for his part in the Chitral garrison relief operations of 1932 Distinguished Flying Medal, G.V.R., 2nd crowned bust issue (363282 Cpl. R. Wright, R.A.F.), officially impressed naming; India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (363282 L.A.C., R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals, these two privately inscribed, Sqn. Ldr. R. Wright, D.F.M. and J.L.; Jubilee 1935; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (W./O., R.A.F.), generally good very fine (6) £3000-3500 Just 22 "crowned-head" D.F.Ms were issued between 1931-37, three of them for the Chitral garrison relief operations of 1932. D.F.M. London Gazette 8 September 1933: In recognition of gallant and distinguished service rendered during the operations in connection with the Chitral reliefs, September to October 1932. Roland Wright, who was born in October 1905, was decorated for his part in the operations that led to the successful biennial relief of the Chitral garrison in 1932. In previous years, the Nawab of Dir had been able to guarantee the garrisions safe passage, albeit with a small escort, but in September 1932, as a result of anti-British agitators raising small lashkars of hostile tribesmen, his forces were quickly occupied, and it was therefore decided to despatch a special mobile column of all arms to protect the garrison during its journey through Shamozair country. And in order to support that initiative, five R.A.F. squadrons (11, 20, 27, 39 and 60) were placed under the control of the G.O.C.-in-C., Northern Command, who in turn delegated control to the Commander, Peshawar District. Prior to the commencement of bombing operations, warning notices were issued, but these had little effect in demoralising the hostile tribesmen, who regularly greeted our aircraft with heavy rifle fire. Bombing operations actually commenced on 17 September and were continued on an intensive scale until the 23rd, as a result of which most of the lashkars were broken up and dispersed, but small parties of "diehards" held on in certain areas, as a result of which air operations were extended. When, at length, the relief column got safely home, the Commander, Peshawar District, relinquished control of the Royal Air Forces operational agenda, but independent sorties were flown right through until 16 October, when an agreement was struck between the hostile tribesmen and our local Political Agent. Wright added the Jubilee Medal to his accolades in 1935, while serving as a Corporal in No. 4 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (the official roll refers), and was commissioned as a probationary Flying Officer in November 1940. Granted the permanent rank of Flight Lieutenant in July 1946, he was placed on the Retired List as a Squadron Leader (Engineering Branch) in October 1954.

An Indian Police Medal and Kings Police Medal group awarded to Deputy Superintendent J. W. Rourke, Indian Police Indian Police Medal, G.V.R., for Distinguished Conduct (J. W. Rourke, Inspr., Bombay Police); Kings Police Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, for Distinguished Service (J. W. Rourke, Dy. Supdt. of Police, Sind); 1914 Star (Mr J. Rourke, Mily. Accts. Dept.); British War and Victory Medals (J. W. Rourke, M.A.D.), both with an erasure before name; the word Clerk(?) faintly seen on B.W.M.; Jubilee 1935, unnamed; Coronation 1937, unnamed, mounted court style for wear, very fine and better (7) £600-800 Indian Police Medal gazette entry not found. Kings Police Medal 1 January 1944. John William Rourke, Deputy Superintendent of Police, C.I.D., Karachi, Sind. John William Rourke was born on 13 November 1897. He joined the Indian Police on 1 July 1918, having previously held temporary appointments from February 1917. He served in various non-gazetted appointments with the Police Departments of Karachi District; Sind Railways; Sukkur District and Sind C.I.D. His first gazetted appointment was as Police Inspector in the Sind C.I.D., dated 12 April 1926; he subsequently served as Police Inspector at Sukkur on the Sind Railways, April 1927-January 1929 & April 1929-May 1930; at Sukkur Town, January-April 1929, and Karachi, May 1930-September 1932. He was Police Inspector, Karachi C.I.D., from December 1932, and was promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Police in the C.I.D. in August 1934 but transferred to Traffic in April 1935. As a Deputy Superintendent in the Karachi C.I.D. he was awarded the K.P.M. in 1944. Sold with extract from 1914 Star roll which lists Mr J. W. Rourke as amongst the Civilian Subordinates of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, employed at Ordnance, and similarly for the British War and Victory Medals which lists him as T1180 Amt. S. Sgt., R.A.O.C. , and Z Reserve 25.3.19; extracts from Jubilee Medal nominal roll which confirms award to 1640 Rourke, John William, Inspector of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Bombay; extracts from the Coronation Medal nominal roll which confirms award to 201 Rourke, John William, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Sind; extract from the Gazette of India, confirming the K.P.M., and extract from the Directory of Services, Bombay Presidency, 1935. Also with a summary of research undertaken. Note: It is possible that the above 1914 Star trio belonged to another family member - the father?, of the Deputy Superintendent of Police.

An R.V.M. group of five awarded to Serjeant E. C. Carew, Liverpool Regiment, late Grenadier Guards Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., bronze (No.13614 Private E. C. Carew, 1st Bn. Gren. Gds.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (13614 Pte., 1/G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (13614 Pte., G. Gds.), B.W.M. re-mpressed; Coronation 1937, unnamed, mounted as worn, fine and better (5) £200-240 Edgar Charles Carew was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset on 29 May 1886. A railway Porter by occupation, he attested for the Grenadier Guards at Bristol on 19 February 1908, aged 21 years, 9 months. On service at Home, Private Edgar Charles Carew, was one of a number of men of the Kings Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who were awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in bronze for their services on the occasion of the funeral of King Edward VII. On 19 February 1911 he was transferred to the Army Reserve on the termination of his period of service and was employed as a Police Constable. Mobilised with the onset of war, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 6 October 1914, serving with the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. At Ypres, 2 November 1914, he received a gunshot wound to the left shoulder and lung and on 3 December 1914 was invalided to England. After treatment he was posted in July 1915 to the 21st Reserve Battalion Liverpool Regiment. Promoted to Serjeant in September 1915 he subsequently served as an Instructor with the 26th and 3rd Battalions in England. Carew was discharged from the Army in December 1918 and was employed by the Gloucestershire Constabulary. In the Coronation Medal 1937 nominal roll he is recorded as a Police Sergeant in Gloucestershire. Sold with a quantity of copied service and medical papers.

Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (202788 Sjt. T. W. Green, 4/Sea. Highrs.) good very fine £100-140 Sold with some copied research.

Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 2nd issue, large letter reverse (T. Galbreath, 57th Foot. 1852) fitted with replacement silver bar suspension and silver ribbon bar, very fine £160-180

Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (870 Pte. G. Maslin, 28th Foot) minor edge bruising, good very fine £80-100 Sold with copied discharge papers

Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (256 Pte. J. McManus, Linc. R.) nearly extremely fine £80-100

Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (915 Sergt. J. Pye, Linc. R.) good very fine £80-100

Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (Qr. Mr Sergt. George Reed, Mount Abu Sanitarium (sic)) impressed naming, harshly cleaned/pitted, nearly very fine £60-80 Located in Rajesthan

Pair: Bandmaster E. M. Rogers, Lancashire Fusiliers Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (4451 Bandmaster, Lanc. Fus.), suspension missing; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (Bandmaster, Lan. Fus.) good very fine except where stated (2) £200-250

Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (2865698 W.O.Cl.1 J. H. Dought, E. Lan. R.) good very fine (2) £50-70 Sold with an East Lancashire Regiment cap badge and copied research.

Imperial Yeomanry L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (1 S.S. Maj. J. Corner, P.A.O. Leic. I.Y.) edge bruise, good very fine £300-350 Army Order of February 1905.

A mounted group of twelve miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel N. L. Corkhill, Sudan Defence Force, late Liverpool Regiment, Order of St. Michael and St. George, silver-gilt and enamel, ring suspension, some enamel damage; Military Medal, G.V.R.; British War and Victory Medals; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, 1 slip-on clasp, Arabian Peninsula; Coronation 1953; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue; Egypt, Order of the Nile, 5th Class, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, mounted for display, very fine and better (12) £60-80 Norman Lace Corkhill was born on 11 June 1898 and educated at the Liverpool Institute and (postwar) the Liverpool University. In the Great War he served as a Sergeant in the 2/6th Battalion Liverpool Regiment and was awarded the Military Medal (London Gazette 13 September 1918) and Meritorious Service Medal (London Gazette 16 June 1918). Postwar at Liverpool University he qualified as a M.B. and Ch.B. (1925) and M.D. (1936). He was with the Iraq Health Service, 1927-30 and Professor of Zoology at the Royal College of Medicine of Iraq and Civil Staff Surgeon at Baghdad. With the Sudan Medical Service, 1930-46, he served with the Sudan Defence Force and R.A.M.C. Ranked as Miralai and Lieutenant-Colonel, 1940-44, he was M.O.H., Khartoum, 1944; Assistant Director of Public Health, Sudan Medical Service, 1945-46; Senior Lecturer in Tropical Hygiene at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, 1946-48; Health Advisor, Aden Protectorate, 1951-52 and served with the World Health Organisation, 1951 and 1962-63. Latterly living in Bude, Cornwall, Corkhill died on 26 September 1966. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of seven miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel F. C. Rush, Canadian Forces, Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, lacking top bar, minor enamel damage; Order of the British Empire, 1st type, Officers (O.B.E.), military, silver-gilt; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R.; Permanent Forces of the Empire L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., mounted for display, very fine and better (7) £50-70 D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1918. Major, N. Brunswick Regt., Canadian Force. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of ten miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. Pittham, Royal Army Pay Corps, Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Officers (O.B.E.) military, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., 1 slip-on clasp, Malaya, M.I.D. oak leaf; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 slip-on clasp, Kenya; Coronation 1953; Army L.S. & G.C., 3rd issue, Regular Army; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, mounted for display, very fine and better (10) £40-60 John Henry Pittham was born on 3 October 1899 and enlisted into the R.A.P.C. in 1918. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. as a W.O.2 in the R.A.P.C. in 1936. On the outbreak of the Second World War he was serving as a W.O. Class 1 at Singapore, and received his commission there in 1940. He evaded capture in the Far East and escaped to India, and was based in Ceylon during 1943. In 1945 he had attained the rank of Major. Pittham was mentioned in despatches for his services in Malaya during the period, 1 January-30 June 1949. He later served in Kenya and in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and was awarded the M.S.M. under the terms of A.O.98 of 1953 without annuity. By 1955 he had been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and the following year he was awarded the O.B.E. (London Gazette 2 January 1956). He retired to Rainham, Kent later that same year. The miniature group is illustrated in The Annuity Meritorious Service Medal 1847-1953, First Supplement by Ian McInnes. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of nine miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Assistant Surgeon J. W. Woodsell, Indian Medical Service, Military Cross, G.V.R.; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-14; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; War and India Service Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, India; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., mounted for display, good very fine, unusual combination (9) £40-60 M.C. London Gazette 16 August 1917. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, he displayed great courage, devotion and detirmination in tending the wounded under very heavy fire. His devotion to duty saved many lives. M.S.M. Gazette of India 13 October 1917. J. W. Woodsall, born in 1883, appointed a Warrant Officer in 1905 and a 3rd Class Assistant Surgeon in the I.M.S. in 1910; awarded the N.G.S. clasp Persian Gulf 1909-14 for service as an Assistant Surgeon aboard the R.I.M.S. Minto during 1911. In the following year he held the same position on R.I.M.S. Comet. During the Great War as an Assistant Surgeon with the I.M.S. he was awarded the M.C. and M.S.M. He was promoted to 2nd Class Assistant Surgeon in 1917, 1st Class Assistant Surgeon in 1922 and Senior Assistant Surgeon in 1933. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of twelve miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Yeoman Warder G. Armstrong, late Grenadier Guards, Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R.; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 2 slip-on clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953; Army Meritorious Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army; Army Best Shot Medal, G.VI.R., several medals in silver base metal, mounted for display, very fine and better (12) £50-70 D.C.M. London Gazette 15 June 1944. Drill Sergeant (A/C.S.M.) George Thomas Armstrong, 5th Battalion Grenadier Guards. During the fighting on the Anzio bridgehead the 5th Bn. Grenadier Guards was almost continuously in action from the 25th Jan-9th Feb. 1944 and this Warrant Officer was acting as R.S.M. Throughout the period D/Sgt. Armstrong was suffering severe pain from rheumatism, but refused to go sick. On the night 7/8 Feb. the enemy broke through the front and heavily attacked Bn. H.Q., which was practically surrounded. This Warrant Officer led the defence with Tommy gun and hand grenades and by his extreme gallantry and powers of leadership succeeded in holding his position. He was twice blown over by enemy hand grenades, but this made no difference to his continued diregard for his own safety and his ability to fight the enemy with the means at his disposal. Throughout the period that the Bn. was in close contact with the enemy D/Sgt. Armstrongs cheerfulness and devotion to duty were an inspiration to all with whom he came in contact, and his conduct is deserving of the highest commendation. He won the Army Best Shot Medal in both 1951 and 1955 as R.Q.M. Sgt. in the competition at Bisley for the Military Forces at Home. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of eight miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Major J. W. Scott, East Yorkshire Regiment, George Medal, G.VI.R.; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq 1924-25; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial, mounted for display, generally good very fine (8) £50-70

A mounted group of nine miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Major G. H. Batten, Royal Artillery, 1914 Star, with clasp; British War and Victory Medals; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq; Defence and War Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial, with Second Award Bar; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, mounted for wear, good very fine and better (9) £30-50 M.S.M. awarded under the terms of Army Order 98 of 1953 without annuity. Sold with some service details. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of eight miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Major C. Probert, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, late Royal Tank Corps, British War and Victory Medals; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals; Army Meritorious Service Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial, mounted for display, very fine and better (8) £30-50 Cecil Probert was born in Worcester on 22 April 1894. During the Great War he served in the ranks of the Tank Corps, and re-enlisting in 1919 he attained the rank of R.S.M. in the Corps before being commission in July 1939. With the Royal Tank Corps he served in France and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He was promoted to Captain in the R.A.O.C. in 1941 and Acting Major in the R.E.M.E. in 1943. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 20 December 1940), granted the Efficiency Decoration (London Gazette April 1950) and was awarded the M.S.M. in 1963. Major Probert died in Worcester in December 1976. Sold with a quantity of copied research. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of eight miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Warrant Officer M. ONeill, Welsh Regiment, General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine; Defence and War Medals; Korea 1950-53; U.N. Korea; Coronation 1953; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army, rosette on ribbon; Army Meritorious Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue, mounted for wear, very fine and better (8) £30-50 Matthew ONeill was born on 9 January 1915. Served in the ranks of the Welsh Regiment, 1933-41. Appointed Acting W.O. Class 2, October 1941-July 1942; War Substantive W.O. Class 2, July 1942-March 1952; Acting W.O. Class 1, July-November 1952 & April-September 1953, and attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 on 10 September 1953. These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.

A mounted group of six miniature dress medals, Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R.; Queens South Africa 1899-1902, 5 slip-on clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal; Kings South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., mounted as worn Other British miniatures (11), eight in three groups, including: Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, civil, silver-gilt and enamel; Coronation 1953 pair, very fine (17) £30-50

Defective medals (2): Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Kabul, Kandahar, naming erased, pitted; 1914 Star, naming erased; Memorial Plaque, reduced size, 82mm., unnamed, modern; Napoleon Bonaparte medallion, by Thomason & Jones, 54mm., white metal; U.S.A., Army Good Conduct Medal; together with a quantity of ribbon appurtenances; a quantity of medal mounting bars and three cases for mounted medal groups, sold as found (lot) £100-150

Defective group of Eight: Major J. L. Waring, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, late Indian Army Ordnance Corps and late Loyal Regiment British War and Victory Medals (4042 Pte., Loyal R.), renamed; India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (2745339 S. Cdr., I.A.O.C.), renamed; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (2745339 S. Cdr., I.A.O.C.), renamed; together with a mounted set of miniature dress medals, mounted as worn, nearly very fine and better (16) £50-70 Sold with a number of original photographs, together with a damaged envelope, dated July 1953 and bearing the name and address, Major (Ordnance Executive Officer) J. L. Waring, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 28 Command Workshop, R.E., Stores Section, Hilsea, Portsmouth. Waring attained the rank of Major in the R.A.O.C. on 25 March 1949

Cox, Barry, Lifeboat Gallantry, R.N.L.I. Medals and How They were Won; Boddington, J., A., Medallic History of the Royal Life Saving Society, O.M.S.A. Monograph No.4; Catalogue of Life Saving Awards from the Collection of William H. Fevyer, booklet; Bishop, P. J., A Short History of the Royal Humane Society, 1974, booklet; Poulsom, N., The White Ribbon, A Medallic Record of British Polar Exploration; Galloway, P., The Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick; Perkins, J., The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, a descriptive and historical account, 1913, spine damaged; Hood, F., The Chapel of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; James, G. P. L., The Royal Family Orders, Badges of Office, Royal Household Medals and Souvenirs, illustrated booklet; Lindsay, R. S., The Royal Order of Scotland, 1971 (Masonic); Solly, F.R.S., F.S.A., E., An Index of Hereditary Titles of Honour, 1880; Trendell, H. A. P. (Editor), Dress and Insignia worn at His Majestys Court, 1921, colour plates, annotated; Rules of Ceremony approved by The Queen for Her Majestys Court, 1889 reprint; Fox-Davies, A. C., Heraldic Badges, 1907; Balmer, J. L., Regimental Medals Handbook 1745-1895, Vol. 1: Regular Army, paperback; Cole, Lieut.-Col. H. N., Coronation and Royal Commemorative Medals 1887-1977, paperback; Statutes (3): Bath, 1925; St. Michael and St. George 1911-15; 1923; other booklets (4), fairly good and mostly better condition (23) £50-70