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South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8 (T. Hunter. A.B. H.M.S. “Active.”) good very fine and scarce £800-£1,000 --- Only 13 medals issued to the Royal Marines with this clasp, and a further 53 to the Royal Navy in total, who formed a small Naval Brigade landed from H.M.S. Active to provide artillery support for the Army. They took with them six 12-pounder guns, one Gatling gun and two 24-pounder rockets, and fought alongside Colonel Glyn with the 24th Foot against Chief Pokwane at the battle of Quintana and in the action at Peri Bush. They were also present at the smaller actions against the Gaika and Galika tribes.

British War Medal 1914-20 (2) (Lt. Col. J. C. Low; Capt. H. L. Gauntlett); Victory Medal 1914-19 (2) (2415 Pte. A. S. Adams. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 2416 Pte. F. J. Adams. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) edge bruising, otherwise very fine (4) £100-£140 --- John Chabot Low was born in Asuncion, Mexico, on 6 September 1854 and appears on the 1891 census as a merchant living in Westbourne Terrace, London. Upon the resignation of his commission as a captain with the 6th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on 17 June 1904, he was appointed with the honorary rank of major, in which description he appears in the 1911 census, living in Lower Berkeley Street, London. Appointed lieutenant colonel with the 7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment on 2 March 1915, he resigned his commission to be granted the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel on 29 September 1915, yet served on Western Front from 16 May 1917, appearing on the Staff Officer’s roll. Awarded a Silver War Badge, he died in Hove, Sussex, aged 87 on 21 August 1942. Harry Leon Gauntlett was born in Wandsworth, Surrey, on 10 January 1884. As a medical student, he attested into the Royal Army Medical Corps Volunteers in London, resigning as a sergeant in November 1907. He was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps Territorial Force on 1 March 1913, attached to the 1/4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was mobilised on 5 August 14, and transferred as the medical officer to the 1/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, with whom he served on the Western Front from 30 May 1915. He was wounded by gun shot to the head on on 6 November 1915 and evacuated to the U.K. In August 1917 he returned to the Western Front and was further wounded by gun shot through his right ankle and invalided home. He died in Devon, aged 72, on 10 March 1956. Albert Stanley Adams was born in Oxford and attested, with his brother Frank, (consecutive numbers), into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry for service during the Great War. He served on the Western Front with the 1st/4th Battalion from 29 March 1915, and was killed in action, on the Somme, on 14 August 196. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Frank James Adams was born in Oxford and attested, with his brother Albert, (consecutive numbers), into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry for service during the Great War. He served on the Western Front with the 1st/4th Battalion from 29 March 1915 and was killed in action on 16 August 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. Sold with copied research.

Four: Warrant Officer Class II C. H. Farindon, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, late Queen’s Regiment and Gloucestershire Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his service in Mesopotamia during the Great War 1914 Star (L-8944 Pte. C. H. Faringdon. [sic] 1/The Queen’s R.); British War and Victory Medals (8944 C.Sjt. C. H. Farindon. The Queen’s R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue with fixed suspension (5172694 W. O. Cl. II. C. H. Farindon. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) BWM polished, contact marks and edge bruising, nearly very fine (4) £120-£160 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 3 June 1919 (North Persian Force) Coryn H. Farindon was born in 1891 in Farnham, Surrey. He attested into the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment on 20 November 1906 and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 August 1914 (entitled to a clasp to his 1914 Star). Appointed colour sergeant, he transferred into the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1917, serving with the 7th Battalion in Mesopotamia, for which he was mentioned in despatches. Post -War, he appears to have transferred to the Connaught Rangers in 1919, and afterwards to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1924, until his discharge to pension on 8 March 1928. In civilian life, he served as a prison officer at H.M.P. Parkhurst, before his death in Wandsworth, London, on 4 January 1938. Sold with copied research.

Seven: Lieutenant (Quartermaster) J. Golden, Royal Field Artillery Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (8679 Sgt. Clerk J. Golden. R.F.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (8679 Serjt: J. Golden. R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (8679. Q.M. Sjt. - A.S. Mjr. - A.C - J. Golden, R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Q.M. & Lieut. J. Golden.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (8679 Q.M. Sjt: J. Golden. R.G.A.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (8679 Q.M. Sjt: J. Golden. 30/Div: H.Q. R.A.) contact marks to the Boer War pair, these nearly very fine; the GVR awards nearly extremely fine (7) £400-£500

Lieutenant D. J. Arnott, Royal Rhodesia Regiment and British South Africa Police Reserve, late Royal Lincolnshire Regiment Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Southern Rhodesia (Cr. 2076 Lt. Denis [sic] J. Arnott.); Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (Dennis J. Arnott.) good very fine and a scarce combination of awards (4) £240-£280 --- Dennis Arnott was born on 28 December 1918 and enlisted in the Rhodesia Regiment (Territorial Force) c.1938 while he was employed as a clerk. He was mobilised on 4 September 1939 but was deemed medically unfit and eventually arrived at the Bulawayo Training Camp on 31 July 1940. He was promoted corporal on 17 June 1941 and then transferred to the office of the Assistant Director of Military Training, being advanced to temporary colour sergeant on 4 February 1943. He subsequently transferred to the East African Army Service Corps and was posted to 55 (Southern Rhodesia) General Transport Company in Nairobi, Kenya, as a staff sergeant on the 25 May 1943 as a staff sergeant. He embarked for the UK to attend an officer cadet training unit in September 1944 and joined 163 (Artists Rifles) OCTU for training. Arnott was commissioned second lieutenant in the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment on 1 December 1945, and having been advanced war substantive lieutenant relinquished his commission on 27 April 1946 on appointment to the Southern Rhodesia Forces. He returned to Southern Rhodesia on 25 May 1946 and was transferred to the Reserve of Officers on 13 June of that year. He was awarded the Efficiency Medal on 28 October 1949. Arnott joined the British South Africa Police Reserve, Salisbury District, on the 9 June 1951 and was awarded his Special Constabulary Long Service Medal in 1962. Sold with copied research.

Eight: Gunner J. C. Harrison, Royal Artillery 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (1055141 Gnr. J. C. Harrison. R.A.); Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army (1055141 Gnr. J. C. Harrison. R.A.) mounted as worn, edge bruise to GSM, generally very fine and better (8) £140-£180

The important and scarce ‘North Nigeria’ campaign group of four awarded to Colonel W. H. O’Neill, Royal Artillery and West Africa Frontier Force, who commanded the operations against the forces of Bida and Kontagora, July - December 1900, culminating in leading a brave but reckless attack which ‘advanced right up to the walls of Bida, entered the town with a few men and fought the Emir Adudekeri in a hand to hand fight. O’Neill was badly wounded and only escaped through the timely arrival of his men.’ The rescue was carried out by Lieutenant H. A. ‘Bertie’ Porter, 19th Hussars, ‘a thruster who has been noted in the Gazette for a brevet on obtaining his troop for a mad show at Bida when his C.O. got the sack for singeing the Emir’s whiskers. He nearly got hacked to pieces, but Porter got him out. Porter should have got a V.C. and he might have, had not the whole thing been contrary to orders. But it put an end to the insolence on the part of the Emir.’ Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (Lieut: W. H. O’Neill. F/1. B.. R.A.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, N. Nigeria (Major W. H. O’Neill, R.F.A.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut: Col: W. H. O’Neill, 62/Bty., R.F.A.); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, unnamed as issued, light contact marks overall, generally very fine (4) £1,800-£2,200 --- William Heremon O’Neill was ‘born in Auckland and was the fourth son of the late Hon. James O’Neill, who was a member of the old Auckland Provincial Council, and later sat in the first Parliament of New Zealand as a member for Auckland City in 1854-55, and member for the northern division of Auckland from 1861 to 1868.’ (New Zealand Herald, 9 June 1925 refers) O’Neill was commissioned into the Royal Artillery, and a letter he wrote to a relation in Lincoln was published in the Lincolnshire Chronicle, 22 September 1882, and gives the following: ‘Ismailia, Sept. 8, 1882 - We start for Kassassin tomorrow, and expect to attack Tel-El-Kebir on Tuesday or Wednesday. After Tel-El-Kebir is taken we go on to Cairo in all probability. I hope Arabi won’t sack Cairo before we arrive. This climate is not half bad, although they tell me it is a good deal worse at the front; however, it agrees with me very well, and I am not likely to knock under. The ammunition, too, is always put in a safe place, so it is a sort of picnic with me. I regret to say that our horses are dying by the dozen. Ismailia is filled with representatives of every nation under the sun. The natives are coming back by degrees; they all bolted when we took the place. I have lots to do, as one of my two junior subalterns is seedy.’ O’Neill was promoted captain in 1885, and advanced to major in October 1893. He was seconded for service with the West African Field Force in September 1899. O’Neill was placed in command of a force for operations against the forces of Bida and Kontagora (North Nigeria), July - December 1900: ‘In July, Lugard [Sir Frederick, High Commissioner] received information that the Sarkin Sudan Emir of Kontagora, and the Etsu Nupe, Emir of Bida, were planning to massacre the small garrison that he had left at Wushishi, the site of his projected new capital of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The bulk of the West African Frontier Force was away on active service in Ashanti, but Lugard in person at once hurried up to Wushishi from Jebba, bringing reinforcements under Major O’Neill, Royal Artillery. The situation was indeed serious. The village heads of Wushishi had been assassinated and the West African Frontier Force soldiers were being attacked virtually on the threshold of their camp. Ngwamachi, the notorious Emir of Kontagora, and the Emir of Bida, had sent messengers to Ilorin, urging the Emir to join in a rising and expel the white man whose troops, it was rumoured, had been exterminated in Ashanti. O’Neill, with Lieutenant [H. A. ‘Bertie’] Porter [whose medals were offered for sale in these rooms as part of the A. A. Upfill-Brown Collection in December 1991] as his second-in-command, patrolled the countryside for some 20 miles round Wushishi, keeping the Nupe and Kontagora cavalry at their distance by a series of masterly skirmishes. A number of small military forts, such as those at Wushishi, Wuya and Maraba, were erected as soon as the rains ceased. In November O’Neill’s force defeated a band of Kontagora levies at Dabb in Egbake district, north of Kutigi, and, crossing the Kaduna, they routed the Bida horsemen. With immense gallantry O’Neill entered Bida town, accompanied by a mere handful of troopers, on December 19th, and endeavoured to kidnap the Emir. Badly wounded, O’Neill escaped only by the greatest of luck.’ (The Second Battle of Bida article by A. H. M. Kirke-Greene refers) Lugard’s despatch for the operations, praises both the gallantry of O’Neill and Porter but stresses that the former had exceeded his orders and was fortunate to escape with his life: ‘On the 19th December Sergeant H. Edwards defeated with heavy loss a force estimated at 100 horse and 700 foot. On the 15th and 16th Major W. H. O’Neill, Royal Artillery, and Lieutenant H. A. Porter, 19th Hussars attacked and defeated the Bida raiders, who are said to have lost 50 killed at least. On the night of the 17th he marched on the hostile forces again and surprised them at dawn. He estimated the enemy at 500 horse and 1,000 foot, and states that they suffered at least 200 casualties. His own force consisted of himself, Lieutenant Porter, Sergeant Edwards, eight mounted and fifty dismounted men. Again on December 18th he advanced towards Bida with Lieutenant Porter and 13 mounted and 25 dismounted men, driving parties of enemy before him. These he pursued up to the walls of Bida and actually entered the town with his handful of men and endeavoured to seize the Emir with his own hand. In a desperate hand to hand encounter he was badly wounded, but the opportune arrival of some of his men [under Porter, for which he was promoted.] enabled him to put the Fulanis to flight and to effect a retirement, during which his party was much harassed. The other casualties, besides Major O’Neill himself, being one man severely and two slightly wounded. Major O’Neill had received distinct and positive orders not to approach too close to Bida, still less to enter it, and I consider that a grave disaster was only averted partly by good fortune and partly by the resource and ability shown by Lieutenant Porter.... There is no doubt that this most adventurous exploit created an immense impression on the people of Bida.’ In 1902 O’Neill was appointed to the ‘command of the 18th Imperial Yeomanry at Ficksburg, Orange River Colony, at present with Col. Ternan’s column. The men do not belong to any particular county, but are picked men and called “Sharp Shooters.” (Lincolnshire Chronicle, 7 March 1902 refers). He subsequently retired, and died as a result of an accident whilst staying at the Mansion House, Kawau Island, in June 1925: ‘When war broke out in 1914 he went Home and offered his services to the Imperial Army, being accepted for home service. In recent years he has resided at Tauranga and Devenport.’ (Obituary refers) Colonel O’Neill is buried in O’Neill’s Point Cemetery, Auckland. Sold with copied research.

A Second War M.C. group of six awarded to Major C. C. Fraser, Royal Engineers, attached to the 18th Field Company, Royal Bengal Sappers and Miners, for his gallantry leading an attack during an attempt to relieve Indian troops at Mezze, Syria on 20 June 1941. Wounded during this attack, he later died of wounds received in action in Italy, August 1944 Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1941, in Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure; Memorial Scroll ‘Major C. C. Fraser, M.C., Corps of Royal Engineers’, extremely fine (6) £1,000-£1,400 --- M.C. London Gazette 17 October 1941. The original recommendation states: ‘On 20 June 1941, the carrier platoon of an Infantry Regiment supported by guns over open sights were ordered to make a frontal attack on Mezze in an endeavour to make a quick break through and so effect the rescue of a number of the Indian Brigade who were known to be still holding out in the town. There was no Officer of the Infantry Regiment available to lead the carriers in this attack which had to be made over open country under very heavy machine gun and anti tank gun fire from guns sited both in the village and in tanks. Lieutenant Fraser though he had never before been in a carrier and had to take on the job at very short notice, led the platoon with great skill, gallantry and dash. Though the attack was unsuccessful his courage and leadership was a great inspiration to all. His carrier was hit and he himself was wounded.’ Colin Campbell Fraser was born on 20 May 1913, the son of John Fraser, an architect from Dunfermline, and the younger brother of Major John Strachan Fraser, Royal Engineers. He commenced the diploma course at Edinburgh College of Art in October 1936, receiving his diploma in June 1936. During this period he made visits to England to study 'Gothic Architecture and the English Village', and in July 1936 he travelled to France to study housing development and civic design. He was admitted ARIBA on 9 February 1937, his proposers being James Macgregor, John Begg and Frank Charles Mears, and his declaration accepting his admittance was witnessed by fellow architect Frederick Alistair Morrison. Fraser was also an Associate of the Edinburgh Institute of Architects, and his address in the middle and later 1930s was 24 Woodmill Road, Dunfermline. There is a collection of Fraser’s student work in the NMRS RIAS Collection. Fraser was commissioned in the Royal Engineers early in the war and attached to the Indian Army. He was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry on 20 June 1941, during an attempt to relieve elements of the 5th Indian Brigade besieged by Vichy French troops at Mezze, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria. At this time he was serving as a Lieutenant, attached to the 18th Field Company, Royal Bengal Sappers and Miners. Fraser was wounded during this action and was wounded in action a second time in August 1944, whilst serving in Italy. However his wounds were very severe and he died in a military hospital there on 14 August 1944. Sold with a letter of congratulation for award of M.C., signed by General Wavell, dated Simla 21 October 1941, in envelope sent to recipient in hospital, Palestine; copy of citation for the M.C.; a War Office letter to Fraser’s Mother requesting her attendance at Buckingham Palace to receive her son’s M.C. by the hand of the King; a photographic image of the recipient; and copied research. For the medals awarded to the recipient’s brother Major J. S. Fraser, see Lot 437.

A well-documented Second War ‘Arnhem’ ‘Immediate’ D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot Squadron Leader B. P. Legge, Royal Air Force, who served with 601 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, and saw further service in North Africa; as a Dakota pilot on D-Day; and at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden, where his was Dakota was badly hit and both he and his second pilot were severely wounded: despite the loss of blood he remained at the controls and effected a safe landing, for which gallantry he was awarded an Immediate D.F.C. Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945, on original mounting pin; 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, generally good very fine and better (7) £5,000-£7,000 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 2 February 1945: ‘This officer has completed much operational flying and throughout has displayed efficiency and zeal of a high standard. One evening in September, 1944, he piloted an aircraft on a mission involving the dropping of supplies to our ground forces near Arnhem. When approaching the target, the aircraft came under anti-aircraft fire and was hit in several places. Nevertheless, Flight Lieutenant Legge went on to the dropping zone and released his containers with precision. Shortly afterwards the aircraft was again hit Flight Lieutenant Legge was severely wounded in the leg; his co-pilot was also wounded. Undaunted, Flight Lieutenant Legge remained at the controls. Although suffering severe pain and becoming weak through loss of blood he flew the aircraft to base where he effected a safe landing in difficult conditions. This officer displayed great courage and fortitude and was undoubtedly responsible for the safe return of the aircraft and its crew.’ The original Recommendation, dated 26 September 1944, gives some additional information: ‘On the evening of 24 September, Flight Lieutenant Legge was briefed to drop re-supply panniers on a D.Z. to the west of Arnhem. A considerable amount of flak was encountered over the majority of the route and the aircraft was hit in several places. In face of concentrated machine gun and 20mm fire, Flight Lieutenant Legge pressed on over the Drop Zone and carried out an accurate drop. Just after turning away the aircraft was again hit, wounding the second pilot in both legs, and seriously wounding Flight Lieutenant Legge in the right leg, damaging the muscles and denying him the use of his leg. He lost a lot of blood on the route home, and arrived over base in a very weak condition. In spite of a slippery runway and a high cross wind, Flight Lieutenant Legge carried out a successful night landing. The courage and determination of this officer in the face of heavy opposition, is worthy of the highest praise. Remarks by Air Commodore Darvall, Officer Commanding HQ 46 Group: Flight Lieutenant Legge saved his aircraft and crew by a splendid display of courage and airmanship. Strongly recommended for an immediate award of the D.F.C.’ Brian Pauncefoote Legge was born at Snaresbrook, Essex on 5 May 1920, and spent his early years in China, before being educated at Exeter School. He joined the Royal Air Force on 6 February 1939 and was commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 15 April 1939. Following the outbreak of the Second World War Legge received his first operational posting, to 73 Squadron, on 12 May 1940, and his first flight over foreign soil took place the following day, in Hurricane L1826, when he was detailed for a Sector Recce. He notes in his log-book, ‘Did first aerobatics in Hurricane’. His next flight was on 15 May when he was one of six Hurricanes from ‘A Flight’ to take off after lunch to intercept enemy aircraft over Rheims. Legge records in his log, ‘Interception of 20-30 enemy bombers, Rheims - Chased a He 111 but was unable to catch it. Flak over Germany, fight with a Hurricane ensued.’ At the beginning of June, Legge had several attacks of malaria, resulting from his early days in China, and on 10 June he was declared unfit for further flying with the squadron and he was sent back to the UK immediately. It would appear that his days off sick combined with his strong personality did not endear him to the CO and other officers of 73 Squadron (who were a tight knitted bunch having been through rough times in France). Battle of Britain Legge was returned to No. 1 RAF Depot at Uxbridge where he stayed until July, and after a posting to an Officer Training Unit finally rejoined a Fighter Squadron when he was posted to 601 Squadron at Exeter on 13 October 1940. Between 18 and 27 October he was engaged on practice flights/formations, and cross country flights along with sea firing exercises, but finally, on 28 October, he did his first ‘operational sortie’ which would earn him the Battle of Britain clasp. He completed two further sorties on the 29 October when Portsmouth was attacked during the morning, and on 30 October he did another sortie with no contacts, noting in his log on each occasion the single word, ‘Flap’. North Africa At the start of November Legge was posted back to his old squadron, 73 at Debden, who had just been ordered to join the Desert Air Force, and by January 1941 the squadron was up and running, and having taken over from 112 Squadron they were soon on local defensive patrols over Tobruk. As he wrote in a letter to his mother: ‘I can’t tell you very much about the journey out here, except it was the most interesting one I have ever made. A forced landing in the bush followed, but I managed to make a big city for Christmas. The sand gets rather boring after a while; we have it for lunch, tea and supper, sleep in it, breathe and drink it, not to mention the sandstorms, which rip up our tents. Owing to the censorship regulations I can’t tell you about our activities out here, but the last week has been very exciting.’ On 21 January, during a dawn patrol, and with several Fiat G50s appearing over Tobruk, the CO led an attack on them with Legge, Wareham, Wainwright and Griffith, sharing in the destruction of one and Legge damaging another. He was subsequently hit by ground fire resulting in his engine bursting into flames. He made a forced landing at El Adem dousing the fire with sand and water and was rescued by the CO of 113 Squadron in a Blenheim. On returning to base Legge heard on Italian radio that the Italian fighters had ‘encountered five Hurricanes that morning and had shot one down in flames, and the other four had fled.’ Legge himself noted in his log book: ‘Attack on Tobruk begins, attacked several G50s, chased two for ten miles at ‘0 feet’, used up all my ammunition but only damaged one. Was shot in glycol tank by ground fire, when returning, and force-landed at El Adem. P/O Wainwright shot down in flames, Sgt Murray got a G50. (Sgt Murray later recalled ‘I was convinced that we were caught in a trap’). Benghasi fell on 6 February and by the following day the Allied attack captured Tobruk, the retreating Italians were caught at Beda Fomm in a battle that saw their army destroyed, 130,000 prisoners taken along with 850 big guns and 400 tanks, the Italian Air Force being virtually wiped out. Legge flew on the 1st in Hurricane TP-L on a ground strafing sortie in the morning led by Beytagh where they destroyed several Lorries on the road near Apollonia. He notes in his log book: ‘Set alight a (Caproni) Ghiblis which Sgt Murray had shot down, destroyed 2 motorbikes and drivers and one petrol lorry in flames. Ran into heavy A/A on way back.&rs...

Pair: Major T. E. “Teddy” Madden, 17th Musalman Rajput Infantry (The Loyal Regiment), Indian Army, portrayed as a loveable rogue and scoundrel in John Barleycorn Bahadur, Old Time Taverns of India, with his death - contested as ‘murder for diplomatic reasons’ by his wife - gaining international press coverage Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Capt: T. E. Madden, 17th Infty: I.A.) partially officially renamed; Delhi Durbar 1903, silver (Capt. T. E. Madden (17th B.I.) Commdt. 19th & 20th T.Cs.) minor edge bruising to last, otherwise generally very fine or better, A.G.S. unique to officer of the regiment (2) £360-£440 --- Provenance: A. M. Shaw Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 2013. Travers Edward Madden was born in January 1871, and was the son of Colonel T. D. Madden, Indian Army. The latter served attached to the Rifle Brigade during the Indian Mutiny, and shot himself in June 1885. Extensive details about Madden’s subsequent life, and death, can be found in John Barleycorn Bahadur, Old Time Taverns of India, by Major H. Hobbs. Some extracts from which are as follows: ‘At that time Lieutenant Travers Edward Madden - “Teddy Madden” to his intimates, was a bit of a star turn at Spence’s hotel... Clever, humorous, a good amateur actor, able to talk well on most subjects, free from the insignificance of exaggeration... Born in Agra, the city where the famous Willcocks brothers first saw the light, he went to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the South Wales Borderers, then laying at Aden - afterwards moving to Allahabad. Transferring to the Indian Army he started with the 16th Bengal Infantry at Alipore where Colonel Stoddart found him rather too much of a handful.... His popularity resulted in a London decoration - the “F.O.S.” (Friend of Sloper) awarded by Ally Sloper’s Weekly, one of the leading comic papers of the day to prominent men who had endured enough religion in youth to last through life were assumed to be uninfluenced by or unimpaired by sloppy or bilious affection for missionaries. Looking back it is astonishing how popular and important Ally Sloper was for so many years.... Madden, with his “F.O.S.” became more than a local character; no other man in Calcutta had it and as he was in due course depicted in one of the weekly cartoons, Ally Sloper added to cheerfulness in the hotel bar.... Madden volunteered for service in Somaliland where he did good work as transport officer showing capacity for organisation for which he was praised. On return to regiment duty he published a small book on transport. Some time later he came in for £800 a year. Leaving his wife in India, he went home, organised the finest horse show and military tournament ever seen in Dublin and in five years spent every penny. Nobody could understand how he managed to get back into the Indian Army but he did, and stayed there in spite of scores of bitter letters sent by his wife to army officials right up to the Secretary of State for War.... When Madden had put in full time as major he was retired on pension eventually taking the post of Comptroller of the Household in Alwar State. There were not many - that is, very many - anxious to serve that maharajah, but the pay was good, there was plenty of shikar and little interference. One of the conditions laid down was that Madden should give up drink. Unfortunately, in India, nothing keeps well, not even good resolutions. In a place like Alwar any man could be pardoned for taking a rest from his memory, and sobriety, like virtue, is not everything.... During the summer of 1916 he went out after tiger. Alwar State in June is hot enough to melt the sword in scabbard; as someone, surprised to find anybody lived there put it, the air was so dry that fish came out of the water to sneeze... When Madden came in he did what others have done - drank with the moderation of a thirsty camel. Heat stroke supervened. He was brought insensible to Delhi, put in hospital and in spite of care, after three days breathed his last.’ In a final twist, Madden’s wife was convinced of ‘foul play’ with regards to his death. She attempted to sue Lord Winterton, the Under Secretary of State for India. At the time the case was covered by many newspapers across the British Empire, with the widow claiming that her husband had been murdered for diplomatic reasons and the case had been ‘hushed up’. The case was eventually dismissed due to a lack of substantial evidence to support her claim. Sold with copied research, including a photographic image of recipient in uniform.

The fine Ashantee 1873-74 medal awarded to Captain A. W. Baker, known as “Baker of the Bobbies”, who distinguished himself as Commissioner of Armed Police, Cape Coast Castle and Inspector-Commandant of Police in Trinidad Ashantee 1873-74, 1 clasp, Coomassie (Capt: Baker, Commr. Of Police, Cape Coast Castle, 73-74) very fine and a rare award to a Special Service Officer £800-£1,000 --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, December 2003 and September 2006. Arthur Wybrow Baker was the son of the Reverend John Durand Baker of Bishop’s Tawton, Barnstaple, and the brother of Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Durand Baker, K.C.B. (whose medals were sold in these rooms in March 2005). Baker was educated at Rugby, originally commissioned into the 66th Regiment in July 1862, and was advanced to lieutenant in August 1865. Sometime thereafter, having obtained a captaincy, he resigned his commission and travelled to Africa, where, as the following letter to Downing Street from Major-General Wolseley reveals, he volunteered his services to the British cause in 1873: ‘I cannot over state the importance of having this post [Inspector-General of Police] filled at the present moment by an able organizer, and by a man full of energy and of great physical health and strength. No one but a military man would be fit for it, as the efficiency of this police force will depend largely upon the manner in which strict discipline is maintained in it. The management of bodies of armed men is an art that few possess intuitively, and is one that can only be acquired by military service. I have therefore selected Captain A. W. Baker, late of the 66th Regiment, who, having left the army, is one of the many similarly circumstanced who have recently come to the coast at their own expense to join the force under my command. He is no relation of mine and I never heard of him until quite recently, but I have selected him for what I consider to be his especial fitness for the post of Inspector-General of Police. The force at present numbers 438 men, but its efficiency is by no means what it ought to be. It has been hurriedly collected and time has not admitted its organization and the selection of men enlisted being properly attended to: much remains to be done before it can really be a thoroughly efficient force. Captain Baker assumed command of it today [16 December 1873] as explained to your Lordship in my despatch previously alluded to ...’ As evidenced by Wolesley’s subsequent despatch regarding the Coomassie operations, dated 7 February 1874, Baker quickly knocked his police force into shape: ‘The police duties in connection with the recent military operations have been most effectively performed by Captain Baker, Inspector-General of Police. He has rendered the force under my command most valuable service and his zeal and energy mark him out as peculiarly suited for the post he occupies ...’ After his success in Africa, Baker went on to be employed as part of the Police Service in Trinidad. He was appointed Inspector Commandant of Police in 1877, Inspector Commandant & Inspector of Weights & Measures in 1881, and as Inspector of Prisons in 1904. The following is given in The Years of Revolt, Trinidad 1881-1888 by Fr. A. de Verteuil, with regards to this period of his career: ‘Baker, the Chief of Police, Arthur Wybrow Baker was a man’s man. At this period he was over forty, but still a fine figure of a man, over six feet tall and broad in proportion, with dark black hair and moustache and striking eyes. He was a “broth of a boy” as the Irish say, with a loving wife and children. Keen on athletic sports, and well mannered on top of that, he was the clean type of man that everyone in that Victorian age could look up to. Even the French creoles who hated the English officials admired him; “With the exception of Captain Baker”, one wrote, “there is not a single one (of the English officials) that any man with the slightest pretension to respectability would introduce to his family or his club.” As a macho man he appealed to the lower class blacks who could measure his worth even on the purely physical level. As Inspector Commandant - Chief of Police - Baker had been an immediate success. A man of integrity and energy, of coolness in action and firmness in decision, possessing a close sense of identification with most of his men, he won their respect and the respect of all. Even “the very rowdies whom he kept down with a strong hand, admired him for his courage and fearlessness in tackling them”. As head of the Voluntary Fire Brigade, he graced their social functions, with his wife and was in the forefront to put out the frequent fires. When Carter’s Races (on 1st August, Emancipation Day) fell into decline, Captain Baker instituted athletic sports which afforded lots of sport to the police, soldiers and the general public for many years. Before his arrival in Trinidad, he had spent three years in the 66th Regiment in India, and was in command of the Houssas on the West Coast of Africa; and by 1884 he had been in command of the police in Trinidad for eight years. After he had been some years in Trinidad, he relaxed the reins a little and let his subordinate officers have more of a free hand. This was regrettable, as some of them at the very least, lacked sound judgement, and gave the police and Baker a bad name. As a man of colonial experience, he fitted in well with the circle of British officials in Trinidad and particularly with the commander of troops at the St. James Barracks. And so - “He was a man, take him for all in all”. But marred, fatally marred by the stamp of one defect. As a typical British official of the time, he looked down on all non-English mortals, and this in an age of growing Trinidad nationalism. In three years in India he had not acquired a word of Hindustani. So he bravely bore alone “the white man’s burden” to the end for better - or perhaps worse. A strong man, in more ways than one, his impact on Trinidad went beyond the police to politics.’ Sold with a photographic imaged of recipient in uniform, and copied research.

Natal 1906, 1 clasp, 1906 (Det: F. G. Tranchell, Natal Police.) suspension slack, good very fine, scarce to rank £200-£240 --- Frederick George Tranchell was born in Brighton in May 1880, and was educated at Brighton College. His brother Henry was an officer in the Indian Army, and Tranchell joined the Natal Police as a Detective in August 1904. He was promoted to Detective Head Constanble in 1919, and served with the C.I.D. in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzberg, Durban and Dundee. Tranchell was also graded as a 1st Class Zulu linguist. Tranchell received a Commendation from the Chief of Police, 8 January 1920, for ‘extraordinary diligence and detective skill displayed in the case of Rex V Nkonyane Siyane and two others who were accused of murder.’ Tranchell retired to Dundee, Natal in December 1924. Sold with copied research.

Five: Attributed to J. Greaves 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘J. Greaves Esq., 16 Grange Road, Rawtenmall, Rossendale’; together with the recipient’s two card identity discs and the remnants of a silver identity bracelet’ 7931609 J. Greaves’, good very fine An unattributed group of four to a member of the Calcutta Police 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; India Service Medal; together with two scarce Calcutta Police Force Badges; a cloth arm badge; and other ephemera, very fine (9) £100-£140

A fine Second War ‘Spitfire Pilot’s’ D.F.C. group of six awarded to Wing Commander D. Secretan, Royal Air Force, a veteran of the Battle of Britain who served with 72 Squadron at Biggin Hill, took part in numerous offensive patrols, and claimed a ‘probable’ M.E.110 on 27 October 1940. He subsequently commanded 242 Squadron in North Africa 1942-43, where ‘he led his Squadron continuously in action during the fiercest fighting against heavy odds’ Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1943; 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted court-style for wear, about extremely fine (6) £6,000-£8,000 --- Provenance: Buckland Dix & Wood, April 1994. D.F.C. London Gazette 26 February 1943: ‘In recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1941. Dennis Secretan was born on 22 July 1920 and trained to become a pilot at Civil Flying School, Hamble between December 1938 and March 1939. Granted a short Service Commission as Acting Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force, he was posted to 3 Flying Training Unit on 20 March 1939. Graded Pilot Officer on 23 September, just over a week later he was posted to Army Operational Pool. On 6 January 1940, Secretan was posted to 81 Squadron, a communications squadron based at Mountjoie, near Amiens, France, flying Tiger Moths. With the imminent threat of German invasion, Secretan spent much of April and into May on Standby. However, the Squadron was forced back to the U.K. shortly after the invasion itself on 10 May 1940. Spitfires and the Battle of Britain On 17 June, Secretan was posted to 26 Squadron, an army co-operation squadron which had itself just been pulled back from France. Equipped with Westland Lysanders and based at R.A.F. West Malling, the squadron remained on active duty on the south coast and whilst the fighting continued in France it was used for a mix of reconnaissance, bombing and supply missions. After the fall of France the squadron flew coastal patrols, especially over the potential German invasion ports. Posted to 225 Squadron at R.A.F. Tilstead on 12 July, Secretan again piloted Lysanders, flying much the same type of operations, though generally flying patrols along the coast of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - watching for the expected German invasion fleet. With the Battle of Britain at its height and in great need of fighter pilots, Secretan was posted to 7 Operational Training Unit, Hawarden, on 24 August, where he converted to Spitfires. The conversion course was condensed and in just seven days he was at Hawarden. Secretan lists 20 flights in Spitfires, learning to fly this type, followed by formation flying, attacks and dog-fighting. Posted to 54 (Fighter) Squadron on 5 September 1940, then based at Hornchurch, that day, the Squadron flew its Spitfire VAs to a new base at Catterick. Over the following 20 days, Secretan lists no less than 53 flights in Spitfires, the majority of short duration; formation, target attacks and such. He lists a ‘Local Dog Fight’ on 7 September, noting in bold ‘Disaster’ and ‘F.O. killed’ and also lists several Operation Patrols. On 18 September after a formation flight, he also notes having ‘turned machine on its nose in landing.’ Appointed Flying Officer on 23 September 1940, five days later, on 28 September, Secretan joined 72 (Fighter) Squadron, then based at the famed R.A.F. Biggin Hill in Kent, a station at the very front of the Luftwaffe offensive. Immediately in action, between 28 and 30 September, Secretan lists taking part in six Squadron Patrols, four of these on 30 September where he notes ‘being attacked by M.E.109s, I chased one with section leader’, ‘engaged M.E.109s’ in another and ‘met M.E.109s’ in the last of the day. Between 2 and 13 October, he took part in 11 Operation Patrols, including four on 5 October. On 16 October, 72 Squadron moved to R.A.F. Leaconfield, Yorkshire, having no operational flying during their short stay, before moving to R.A.F. Coltishall in Norfolk five days later. Between then and 31 October 1940, which was the last officially listed day of the Battle of Britain, Secretan would take part in a further five Operation Patrols. On 27 October Secretan noted in his logbook ‘fired 160 rounds at M.E.110’, the Squadron Records indicating a favourable result: ‘Yellow Section took off to patrol Great Yarmouth at 20,000 feet and, after several vectors, when about 20 miles west of Yarmouth, they sighted an M.E.110 at 26,000 feet. All three aircraft (P./O. Secretan, F./O. Robson and Sgt. Staples) attacked with the result that white smoke came from the enemy aircraft starboard motor. The enemy aircraft disappeared into cloud.’ Later that day, Secretan took part in another patrol and notes ‘attack on Coltishall by HE.111s’. Over the coming months and into 1942, Secretan would continue flying with 72 Squadron, taking part in numerous operations but with the immediate threat of invasion ended and the Battle of Britain won, nothing of particular note is mentioned. Secretan was, however, Mentioned in Despatches, and there is no doubt this was as a direct reflection of his gallant and successful performance during the Battle of Britain. 72 Squadron would return to Biggin Hill on 27 July 1941 and Secretan would remain with them until 29 August, when he briefly transferred to 403 Squadron at Debden. Posted back to 54 Squadron at Hornchurch on 12 September, from here the squadron was tasked with flying fighter sweeps and bomber escort missions over northern France. Five days after his return to 54 Squadron, on 17 September, Secretan claimed a ‘probable’ following a combat over Dunkirk: ‘I was Yellow one, just about to cross the French coast south of Dunkirk on my way home, when a single M.E.109 approached me head on at my height of 15,000 feet. I did a sharp turn and followed him westwards and when within about 250 yards range I gave a short burst of cannon and MG. from quarter astern. He broke away to port and I lost sight of him, but my number 2 saw many large pieces fall off from the engine and fuselage and the whole aircraft went spinning down out of control to about 3,000 feet. I then returned to base at low altitude.’ Appointed Flight Lieutenant on 23 September 1941, after months of costly fighter sweeps over northern France, 54 Squadron moved to Castletown, Caithness, where it undertook coastal patrols. Leaving the squadron on 9 April 1942, Secretan was posted to 14 Group Headquarters as (Acting) Squadron Leader and in October 1942, he was posted as a Commanding Officer, 242 Squadron. Commanding 242 Squadron in North Africa and more ‘Claims’ Equipped with Spitfire VBs, 242 Squadron had just been posted from the U.K. to North Africa to support Operation Torch and would subsequently take part in the invasion of Tunisia, there providing air cover for the British 1st Army. After arriving at 242’s new base at Maison Blanche on 8 November, Secretan’s log book records he was immediately into action. On 10 November, he notes a Junkers 88 claimed as a ‘Probable’ with another pilot and being attacked ‘88s’ when landing on the 15 November. Five days later he notes; ‘Attacked by M.E.109F (shook him off me)’ and on 25 November claimed an M.E.109F damaged. Carrying out numerous operations during December, he also notes firing at an F.W.190 on the way home after a bomber escort ope...

Pair: Private G. B. Alexander, 1st Canadian Infantry, who died of wounds on 22 June 1915 1914-15 Star (18613 Pte. P. [sic] B. Alexander. 1/Can: Inf.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (18613 Pte. G. B. Alexander. 1-Can. Inf.) very fine Pair: Private A. Buchanan, 3rd Canadian Infantry 1914-15 Star (18319 Pte. A. Buchanan. 3/Can. Inf:); British War Medal 1914-20 (19319 Pte. A. Buchanan 3-Can. Inf.) very fine Pair: Private J. A. Kidd, 5th Canadian Infantry 1914-15 Star (424168 Pte. J. A. Kidd. 5/Can: Inf:); Victory Medal 1914-19 (424168 Pte. J. A. Kidd. 5-Can. Inf.) very fine Pair: Private W. J. Hodson, 19th Canadian Infantry, who was killed in action on 5 June 1916 1914-15 Star (55859 Pte. W. J. Hodson. 19/Can: Inf:); Victory Medal 1914-19 (55859 Pte. W. J. Hodson. 19-Can. Inf.) very fine Pair: Private E. Robitaille, Canadian Army Medical Corps 1914-15 Star (32899 Pte. E. Robitaille. Can: A.M.C.); British War Medal 1914-20 (32899 Pte. E. Robitaille. C.A.M.C.) some polishing, otherwise good very fine (10) £120-£160 --- George Bertram Alexander was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 9 September 1872. He attested for service during the Great War on 23 September 1914, declaring previous military service with the Cape Mounted Rifles from 1886-89. He served on the Western Front with the 1st Canadian Infantry from 26 April 1915 and died of wounds on 22 June 1915. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. William James Hodson was born in Bolton, Lancashire. A Boer War veteran who served previously with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, he attested in Toronto, for the 19th Canadian Infantry, on 11 November 1914, for service during the Great War. He served on the Western Front from 14 September 1915 and was killed in action on 14 June 1916 in the trenches at The Bluff, Ypres. He is buried in Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium. Sold with copied service records.

Pair: Acting Bombardier J. A. Corp, Canadian Field Artillery British War and Victory Medals (91362 A. Bmbr. J. A. Corp. C.F.A.) mounted for wear, contact marks, generally very fine Pair: Gunner A. T. Jackson, Canadian Field Artillery British War and Victory Medals (348497 Gnr. A. T. Jackson. C.F.A.) contact marks, nearly very fine Pair: Sapper R. Crawford, Canadian Engineers British War and Victory Medals (2007901 Spr. R. Crawford. C.E.) very fine Pair: Private L. H. Drennan, 24th Canadian Infantry British War and Victory Medals (1057243 Pte. L. H. Drennan. 24-Can. Inf.) mounted for wear, generally very fine Pair: Sergeant R. Robinson, Canadian Army Medical Corps British War and Victory Medals (100535 Sjt. R. Robinson. C.A.M.C.) contact marks, good very fine Pair: Private H. J. Tracey, Canadian Forestry Corps British War and Victory Medals (2245593 Pte. H. J. Tracey. C.F.C.) very fine (12) £140-£180 --- Sold with copied service records.

A Second War ‘Fall of Tobruk’ M.C. group of seven awarded to Captain C. R. Featherstone, Union Defence Force, for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when he led 46 men to their escape, following the fall of during Tobruk Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1942; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lieut. C. R. Featherstone); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 8th Army; War Medal 1939-45; Africa Service Medal, these all officially named ‘9527 C.R. Featherstone.’, some scratches, otherwise very fine (7) £1,400-£1,800 --- M.C. London Gazette, 5 November 1942. The original Recommendation states: ‘Lieutenant C. R. Featherstone, No. 14 Platoon, Die Middelandse Regiment, when advice was received that the garrison had surrendered and that all weapons or anything of value to the enemy had to be destroyed. Although enemy tanks were approaching, this officer, without hesitation, rallied his men and others in the vicinity to escape. He led six trucks loaded with men through freshly made gaps in the minefields, and later came across and picked up a small number of men whose truck had broken down, abandoning all personal equipment to do so. The trucks were engaged by enemy mortar and artillery fire, one man being killed, but Lieutenant Featherstone kept on, boldly pressing through gaps in enemy columns. He was continually harassed and frequently in difficulties, having to elude enemy elements, including tanks. As a result of this officer’s determination, initiative and devotion to duty, 46 men were restored to their units.’ M.I.D. London Gazette, 24 December 1917. Cecil Rhodes Featherstone was born on 16 October 1896. He attested for service during the Great War with the 3rd Battalion, South African Infantry and was commissioned into the 7th Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment. He served during the Great War from 1916 onward (not entitled to a 1914-15 Star, despite being shown wearing the riband in the photograph), and for his services he was Mentioned in Despatches. Returning to South Africa, he was commissioned during the Second World War into the Die Middelandse Regiment, and was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry following the fall of Tobruk. He died, aged 68, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 30 May 1965.

MILITARY, selection, inc. complete (5), Wills (3), Britains Part in the War, Recruiting Posters, Allied Army Leaders; Players (2), ACDS 1st & 2nd; part sets, BAT War Incidents, (46), Wills, Britains Defenders (8) , Lambert & Butler Naval portraits (7), G to EX, 251*

LAMBERT & BUTLER, complete (6), inc. Garden Life, Horsemanship, Interesting Customs and Traditions of the Navy, Army and Air Force, Rhodesian Series etc., in modern album, VG to EX, 225

WILLS, selection inc., complete (9), inc. Life in the Royal Navy, Britains Part in the War, Allied Army Leaders, Military Motors, The Reign of King George V etc.; part sets & odds, inc. British Beauties, Authentic Portraits, Gallant Grenadiers, Flags of the Empire , in modern album, G to EX, 595*

SALMON & GLUCKSTEIN, Traditions of the Army & Navy, complete, small numerals, generally VG, 25

MIXED, complete (18), inc. mainly Players, Army Life, Victoria Cross, Regimental Uniforms, Aeroplanes, Motor Cars, R.A.F. Badges, Military Headdress; Wills, Historic Events, Famous Inventions etc., in modern album, a few FR, mainly G to EX, 840

WILLS, British Army Boxers, complete, Scissors, G to VG, 43

A large collection of vinyl LP Records in 8 boxes -  including rock, pop from the 60s to 80s including some country and compilations. Artsits include, Neil Young, The Beatles, Slade, Babe Ruth, Prince, Happy Mondays, The Who, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Diana Ross, George Benson, New Order, Nancy Wilson, The Jam, Tubeway Army, Soundtracks, Compilations from 70s and 80s,RnR , Meatloaf, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Marillion, Jethro Tull, Pet Shop Boys, etc etc ( approx 400 plus records )

TWO QAJAR LACQUERED LEATHER PAPIER MACHE BOOK COVERS PERSIA, 19TH CENTURY with central reserves of lovers on white grounds adorned with peacocks and flowers within script borders, the opposing sides with panels of script on red and gilt grounds; one comprising front cover only, framed; the other comprising front and back cover, unframedDimensions:46cm x 31cm eachProvenance:Provenance: Kimmerghame, Duns, the Estate of the Late Major General Sir John Swinton K.C.V.O., O.B.E., D.L. (1925-2018)Major General Sir John Swinton began his military career in 1944 with the Scots Guards, rising in rank to Major General in 1976. He was also Brigadier of the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) in 1977, and retired from Army life in 1979. With his strong military background, he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Berwickshire in 1980 and Lord Lieutenant from 1989 to 2000. A high point of his tenure was escorting the Stone of Scone back to Scotland in 1996.The Swinton family history and ownership of land in Berwickshire can be traced to the early part of the 12th century, when Ernulf de Swinton received one of the first private charters recorded in Scotland which confirmed his property from David I of Scotland (1084-1153). This is one of two original charters of David I kept in the cartulary of Durham; both are to Ernulf and also refer to Ernulf’s father (Udard), grandfather (Liulf) and great-grandfather (Eadulf) as holding the land before him. This would make Eadulf the first landowner of Scotland whose ownership could be proved, and means that the Swinton family would by this hypothesis be one of only three (the two others being the Arden and Berkeley families) that could trace its unbroken land ownership and lineage to before the Norman Conquest, making it one of the oldest landed families in Britain.Kimmerghame itself was the site of an earlier house, the home of Sir Andrew Home in the 1730s. The lands and estate of Kimmerghame came into the ownership of the family of Swinton in 1776 when Archibald Swinton of Manderston married Henrietta Campbell of Blythswood in Glasgow. This older house was demolished and rebuilt in the early 1850s, the architect being the celebrated David Bryce, who employed some materials from the older house. Bryce’s Scots Baronial house was substantially damaged by fire in 1938 and only partially rebuilt. The family still retains Kimmerghame and its contents.Captain Archibald Swinton (1731-1804) went to India in the service of the East India Company as a surgeon. He reached Madras in 1752 and took part in the campaigns being waged between the French and English Companies for supremacy in the south. He also took part in an expedition 1756-57 to Negrais in Burma. He reached eastern India for the first time in 1759 when he arrived at Ganjam in Orissa and from there went on to Calcutta. He also transferred from being a surgeon to an ensignship in the Company’s Bengal army.When Archibald Swinton left the Company’s service at the end of 1765, he took with him a letter from the Emperor to King George III asking for help to reseat him on the throne of his ancestors, since Clive would not do so unilaterally; Swinton took a munshi with him in case the answer should be written in Persian. So ‘Captain Swinton, bringing with him the Munshy (sic) (and including in his baggage the large Indian jars, the Indian pictures, Chinese pictures painted on glass, numberless ivory, silver and crystal handled arms, jewels, Persian books, etc. etc.), sailed from India …’ The important group of Indian paintings and other works of art are now in the care of the National Museum of Scotland having been accepted by the nation in lieu of inheritance tax.The Swinton family have had strong connections with the Army and the legal profession. Part of their impressive collection was sold at our saleroom in Five Centuries: Furniture, Paintings and Works of Art sale on 23 Feb 2022, and subsequently Fine Asian & Islamic Works of Art on 13 May 2022, lot 150-159

A collection of diecast metal and plastic figures, including No. 00264 Delhi Durbar Lord & Lady Curzon, boxed, Britains Deetail knights and other figures, Timpo knights and Romans and various Second World War soldiers, together with a group of Lone Star army vehicles and a Hobbycraft Bedford gun tractor.Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.

A small collection of Britains army vehicles and accessories, comprising No. 2102 Austin Champ, No. 2026 Howitzer, No. 1715 AA gun, all boxed, Beetle lorry, limber and field gun (paint chips and faults, boxes badly damaged).Buyer’s Premium 29.4% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price. Lots purchased online via the-saleroom.com will attract an additional premium of 6% (including VAT @ 20%) of the hammer price.

A GERMAN MILITARY ARMY WOUND BADGE

A QUANTITY OF THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD MAGAZINES, POETS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR, DAD'S ARMY, ETC

A COLLECTION OF PEN KNIVES TO INCLUDE SWISS ARMY STYLE, MOTHER OF PEARL, ETC PLUS A QUANTITY OF COSTUME JEWELLERY BROOCHES

2016 GOLD PROOF COIN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER THE ARMY £2

2016 BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED ARMY £2

2016 SILVER PROOF PIEDFORT COIN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER THE ARMY £2

SILVER QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S ROYAL ARMY NURSING CORPS MEDAL

A selection of Swiss Army knives

‘We have strong and numerous armies, but it is necessary to have forces equal to those of the Enemies…’ CLARKE HENRI-JACQUES-GUILLAUME: (1765-1818) 1st Duc de Feltre. Franco-Irish General in the French Revolutionary Wars, also a politician who served as Minister of War 1807-14, 1815 & 1815-17. Marshal of France. A fine Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, two pages, folio, n.p., n.d. (July/August 1809), in French. Clarke's manuscript, entitled Analise, provides his observations on Napoleon's military achievements to date, and assesses the threat of the English, in part, 'L'Emp[er]eur maitre de plus de la moitie de l'Autriche commande a l'armee la plus formidable que la France ait eue au -dela du Rhin. Il a vaincu a Thann, &, quand la moitie de cette armee etait a peine formee. Soit paix, soit guerre l'Emp[er]eur a dans ses depots de quoi recruter l'armee d'Allemagne. Le parjure de la cour de Vienne forca S. M. a laisser sa vieille armée en Espagne. Elle suffisait contre les Espagnols. Mais l'Angleterre a vu sa ruine dans le nouveau sisteme de l'Espagne. Elle a fait les plus grands efforts - - Malgre les pertes de Moore une nouvelle armee est venue a Lisbonne et forte de plus 40.000 h[omme]s elle s'est avancee jusqu'au milieu de l'Espagne avec les Insurges - - on les a repousses au Portugal….. Une expedition de meme force s'est presentee sur l'Escaut pour secourir Anvers....Flessingue a eu nombreuses garnison - & L'empressement des soldats & a forme 3 armees redoutables. La gend[armer]ie est accourue et l'exp[editi]on anglaise a échoué. L'Empereur a defendu l'offensive, les Anglais ont perdu un tiers et le reste va se rendre en Portugal…. 36.000 rassembles a Bayonne suffis[ent] pour repousser les forces que les Anglais pourr[aien]t faire avancer et pour reparer les pertes faites dans une guerre aussi acharnee. Le grand eloig[nemen]t des champs de bataille empeche qu'on puisse porter une armee de l'un a l'autre. L'Empereur veut epargner a l'armee du Danube les fatigues de l'Espagne et d'ailleurs…. Nous avons de fortes et nombreuses armees, mais il faut avoir des forces egales a celles des Ennemis.....Les Anglais 3 armees, une a Naples, une en Hollande et la 3e en Portugal. Nos ennemis s'agitent car il s'agit de la grandeur de la France et ce moment va la decider......Conduite insensee de l'Angleterre qui outre les moyens et qui veut lutter corps a corps avec la F[ran]ce. Elle n'en eprouvera que de la honte - - promesse de paix si les Anglais s'occupent encore du Continent.....Lutte inegale redoutee par les ministres anglais qui ont precede ceux-ci. S'ils viennent sur le Continent la paix g[ener]ale n'est pas eloignee, leurs sacrifices determineront le peuple anglais a la faire l'horreur pour les hommes cruels amis de la guerre. L'Espagne et le Portugal seront leur tombeau' (Translation: 'The Emp[er]or, master of more than half of Austria, commands the most formidable army that France has had beyond the Rhine. He conquered at Thann, &, when half of this army was barely formed. Either peace or war the Emp[er]or has in its depots enough to recruit the army of Germany. The perjury of the court of Vienna forced H.M. to leave his old army in Spain. It was enough against the Spaniards. But England saw its ruin in the new system of Spain. She made the greatest efforts - - Despite Moore's losses a new army came to Lisbon and more than 40,000 men strong it advanced to the missile of Spain with the Insurgents - - they were repelled in Portugal….An expedition of the same force presented itself on the Scheldt to rescue Antwerp…..Vlissingen had numerous garrisons - & the eagerness of the soldiers & formed 3 formidable armies. The gend[armer]y came running and the English exp[editi]on failed. The Emperor defended the offensive, the English lost a third and the rest will go to Portugal….36,000 gathered at Bayonne suffi[cient] to repel the forces that the English could advance and to repair the losses made in such a fierce war. The great distance from the battlefields makes it impossible to transport an army from one to the other. The Emperor wants to spare the Army of the Danube the fatigues of Spain and elsewhere…..We have strong and numerous armies, but it is necessary to have forces equal to those of the Enemies….The English have 3 armies, one in Naples, one in Holland and the 3rd in Portugal. Our enemies are agitated because it is a question of the greatness of France and this moment will decide it…..The insane conduct of England which, beyond the means and which wants to fight hand to hand with the F[ren]ch. She will only feel ashamed - - promise of peace if the English still take care of the Continent….Unequal struggle feared by the English ministers who preceded them. If they come to the Continent, general peace is not far off, their sacrifices will determine the English people to hold it in horror for the cruel men who are friends of war. Spain and Portugal will be their tomb'). A manuscript of excellent military content. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG

[DE LA CATHELINIERE LOUIS-FRANCOIS RIPAULT]: (1768-1794) French military officer who participated in the War in the Vendee alongside the Royalist soldier Francois de Charette and who was guillotined in Nantes at the age of 25. An interesting D.S. by four politicians of the French Revolution, each members of the National Convention, comprising Marie Pierre Adrien Francastel (1761-1831), Pierre-Anselme Garrau (1762-1819), Nicolas Hentz (1768-1830) and Pierre Louis Prieur (1756-1827), four pages, folio, Nantes, 2nd March 1794, in French. The manuscript document is a certified copy of the interrogation given to Ripault de la Catheliniere, detailing the background to his military service, in part, 'noble, age de 25 ans, ne a Frossay....precedemment lieutenant de navire marchand....pris les armes contre la republique le 12 mars 1793.....il commandait environ dix mille hommes tires des 23 paroisses....Il tenait ordinairement poste au port St Pere avec 600 hommes.....le reste de ses troupes restait dans ses foyers et pouvait se reunir en trois heures....les signaux ordinaires etaient un coup de canon, les moulins a vent et il employait quelques fois des courriers' (Translation: 'nobleman, 25 years old, born in Frossay….previously a lieutenant in a merchant ship….took up arms against the Republic on 12th March 1793…..he commanded about ten thousand men drawn from 23 parishes…..He ordinarily held post at St. Pere port with 600 men…..the rest of his troops remained in their homes and could assemble in three hours…..the usual signals were a cannon shot, the windmills, and he sometimes used courriers') and continuing to refer to the arming of his men, the fighting, his wounding and the dispersal of his army and cavalry 'qu'il croit reunie a Charette, il y avait.....plusieurs allemands, quelques negre et plusieurs mulatres. Il a declare qu'il combattait pour le retablissement de la royaute et de l'ancien clerge.....qu'il imaginait qu'il se trouverait par la environ cinquante mille hommes.....qu'il y a deux ou trois mois seulement il avait eu un entretien avec Charette.....que le but des Chefs des Rebelles en passant la Loire et dans leur attaque de Granville etait de se joindre aux Emigres....que ces grandes mesures etaient dirigees par l'Elbee' (Translation: 'whom he believes reunited with Charette, there were…..several Germans, a few negroes and several mulattoes. He declared that he was fighting for the restoration of royalty and the old clergy…..that he imagined there would be about fifty thousand men there…..that only two or three months ago he had an interview with Charette…..that the object of the Chiefs of the Rebels in crossing the Loire and in their attack on Granville was to join the emigrants…..that these great measures were directed by the Elbee') and also adding that he was well informed of what was happening in Nantes where he used black women, children and men as spies. A document of significant historical content not only regarding Ripault de la Catheliniere himself, but also the counter-revolution in Vendee. A couple of very small areas of paper loss and a minor, neat split at the foot of the central vertical fold, otherwise VG 

 [NUREMBERG TRIALS]: JODL ALFRED (1890-1946) German Generaloberst, Chief of the Operations Staff of the German Armed Forces High Command 1939-45. An historically significant A.L.S., Jodl, (and also signed Alfred Jodl at the head of the first page), two pages, folio, n.p. (Nuremberg), 22nd October 1945, to the Major of the Royal British Army who is charged with the retaining of Defence Counsels [i.e. Airey Neave], in German. Jodl states that he would like to quote several extracts from letters which he has received from his wife regarding the appointments of a defence counsel, in part, '6.9. I make a most fervent plea that you will not undervalue the importance of a good lawyer for your defence. Dr. Sack, Berlin, and Prof. Grimm, Muenster, have been especially recommended to me. 25.9. I have been advised that a good criminal lawyer would perhaps be better than a civil lawyer…..26.9. I have been able to find out that if we want to retain privately a legal counsel that we shall have to pay him ourselves. From what? I suggest that we just let the Americans appoint the German counsel. If you want to retain one privately, perhaps I can find someone who will take the case without pay. I'll have to get at that right away, so that no time will be lost later'. Jodl concludes his letter by remarking 'In answer, I wrote my wife that I should like to have Prof. Mitteis, Rostock. I don't know whether my wife ever received this letter, and. If so, whether she will be able to get in touch with Prof. Mitteis. The Court should do that'. Neatly inlaid and with several file holes to the upper edge, only very slightly affecting a few words of text. Some very light, minor age toning, about VG Airey Neave (1916-1979) British Lieutenant Colonel, the first British prisoner-of-war to succeed in escaping from Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle during World War II. After the war Neave served with the International Military Tribunal at the Nuremberg Trials. As a well-known war hero (as well as being a qualified lawyer who spoke fluent German) Neave was honoured with the role of reading the indictments to the Nazi leaders on trial. After the end of World War II, Jodl was indicted at the Nuremberg Trials on charges of conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The principal charges against him related to his signing of the criminal Commando and Commissar Orders. Found guilty on all charges, he was sentenced to death and executed in Nuremberg in 1946. Provenance: The present document originated from the archives of Dr. Hans Werner who was responsible for directing the printing of the Record of the Trial of Major War Criminals in 42 volumes and in three different languages (English, French & German) immediately following the Nuremberg Trials. 

HANCOCK WINFIELD SCOTT: (1824-1886) American military officer with the United States Army who served as a Union General in the American Civil War and distinguished himself with his personal leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. A fine dark fountain pen ink signature ('Winfd. S. Hancock'), with rank as Major General beneath, and inscription, on an 8vo sheet of notepaper, dated Governors Island, New York, 14th June 1884, in his hand. VG 

PACINO AL: (1940-     ) American actor, Academy Award winner for Best Actor in 1992 for his role as Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman. Signed 8 x 10 photograph of Pacino in a three-quarter length pose, in costume from his Oscar winning performance as the blind medically retired army officer Slade, walking along a New York street accompanied by Chris O'Donnell, in costume as Charlie Simms, in a scene from the drama film Scent of a Woman. Signed by Pacino with a typically hurried signature in blue ink to a clear area of the image. EX

ALBERT VII: (1559-1621) Archduke of Austria who served as Sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands with his wife Isabella Clara Eugenia from 1598-1621, and as Viceroy of Portugal 1583-93 and, briefly, as Archduke of Lower and Upper Austria from March-October 1619. An interesting L.S., Alberto, one page, large folio, Brussels, 22nd December 1605, in French. The manuscript letter is addressed to all of the lieutenants, governors, colonels, captains and men of war, provosts, mayors, aldermen and other justices, officers and subjects who may have cause to read it, and is a commission for Pierre Launay, an archer of the guard, to lead the tercio of Don Pedro Carmiento (?), lately arrived from England, asking that they be allowed free passage 'et le chemin accomodes de vivres et aultres choses necessaires pour leur meilleur passaige, Et enchargeons aud. Archier de tenir la main vers le Me de camp, Capnes et officiers dud. Tercio de faire vivre leurs gens en bon ordre et discipline militaire, et faire de sorte quilz se contentent raisonnablem. des viandes ordinaires que les subiectz auront en leur maison, sans leur demander ou les contraindre d'aller cercher du pain blancq, vin, poisson, chair de mouton, de veau et semblables boissons et viandes extraordinaires' (Translation: 'and the route accommodated with provisions and other things necessary for their better passage, and charge the said archer to join with the master of camp, captains and officers of the said tercio to make their people live in good order and military discipline, and to do so that they are reasonably content with the ordinary meats that the subjects will have in their house, without asking them or forcing them to go and get white bread, wine, fish, meat of mutton, veal and similar drinks and extraordinary meats') and also advising that the archer will notify the governor or principal officer of the province in advance of their arrival. With the small remnants of the affixed seal. Some extensive, small holes to the text and some splitting at the folds, slightly affecting the text and signature. FR The tercio military units of the Spanish Army, active during the reign of the Spanish Habsburgs in the early modern period, were renowned for the effectiveness of their battlefield formations and provided a crucial step in the formation of modern European armies. 

[HITLER ADOLF]: (1889-1945) Fuhrer of the Third Reich 1934-45. Two small (2.5 x 0.5) swatches of gold and green coloured and patterned upholstery fabric removed from chairs in Adolf Hitler's Fuhrerbunker by Sapper Billingsby of No. 2 Platoon, 672 Army Company, in July 1945 and sent home to his parents. Accompanied by a copy of an A.L.S. by Billingsby, two pages, 4to, Berlin, 14th July 1945, to his Mother and Father, on the printed stationery of Hitler's Chancellery ('Kanzlei des Fuhrers der NSDAP'). Billingsby writes, in part, 'I am very pleased to say we are getting along much better now. We have got rid of the bugs alright....last night our Company arranged a trip sight seeing into Berlin, me and about 20 of our fellows went....we visited the place where Hitler spent the last few hours. The Hitler Chancelery (sic) a most wonderful building I have ever seen. The Russians are keeping guard over it but they allowed us in to inspect the inside. We found quite a lot of usefull (sic) stuff. I gathered quite a lot of the old boys writing paper....you will see a bit of German on the top. The whole place has caught a most severe battering, most of the place is all ruins....I can tell you the Coventry people can certainly rest assured that those German swine were repaid with a little interest for what they did to them....I am sending you a little of materials out of the chancelery (sic) The bit of green off his sette (sic) and the other bit off his chair out of his sound proof room '. A rare and unusual pair of artefacts from the place where Hitler was to kill himself by gunshot on 30th April 1945. VG, 2 Billingsby's reference to removing the present swatch from Hitler's 'sound proof room' must clearly be taken as a reference to the Fuhrerbunker where Hitler was to commit suicide. Billingsby's further comment in his letter in regard to visiting the place where 'Hitler spent the last few hours' reinforces this.

VINCENT FRANCOIS-NICOLAS: (1766/67-1794) French radical, Secretary General of the War Ministry in the First French Republic, a significant figure in the French Revolution and a prominent member of the Hebertist faction. Guillotined. L.S., Vincent, one page, 4to, n.p. (Paris), 27th June 1793, in French. Vincent writes, in full, 'Laisser Tisson chef d'un bataillon de volontaires nomme gal. de brigade dans un autre armee. A quelle armee Pille adjutant general est-il employe?' (Translation: 'Leave Tisson, leader of a battalion of volunteers named Gal. Brigade, in another army. In which army is Pille, adjutant general, employed?'). A manuscript note in an unidentified hand, made in response to Vincent's instructions and enquiry, appears in the left margin. Autographs of Vincent are scarce as a result of his execution by guillotine at the age of 27 having been tried and found guilty, along with fellow Hebertists, of conspiring in an attempt to overthrow the Committee of Public Safety and ensure the reestablishment of the monarchy. Some light age wear and a few minor stains to the lower edge, otherwise VG

VALERY PAUL: (1871-1945) French Poet and Philosopher. A very fine A.L.S., `Paul Valery´, three pages, 8vo, n.p. [Paris], Thursday 2nd March 1944, to Monsieur Bourguignon, in French. On his personal stationery, bearing his blind embossed Parisian address to the upper left corner, Valery explains to his correspondent the reason of his absence at the council session, stating `Mon état de santé, encore bien incertain, ne m´a pas permis d´assister à la séance d´hier du Conseil, et d´avoir le plaisir de vous y rencontrer. Je vous aurais vivement remercié de l´envoi que vous avez bien voulu me faire de ce bel album napoléonien´ (“My health, still very uncertain, did not allow me to attend yesterday´s Council meeting, and to have the pleasure of meeting you there. I would have sincerely thanked you for sending me this beautiful Napoleonic album”) Valery further refers to the Emperor, Napoleon, and to the Malmaison museum which his under the direction of his correspondent, saying `…ravivant mes souvenirs de la Malmaison et du Musée de l´armée. Il faut avouer qu´on ne peut pas se lasser de songer à l´Empereur. Tout ce qui contribue à nous faire imaginer plus précisément cet être extraordinaire nous est précieux…´ (“…rekindling my memories of Malmaison and the Army Museum. We must admit that one cannot get tired of thinking of the Emperor. Anything that helps us imagine this extraordinary human being more precisely is precious to us...”) Further again Valery comments that during his next visit he will relate to his correspondent few very interesting things related to Napoleon, stating in part `…je vous raconterai une ou deux choses qui vous intéresseront… et une troisième qui vous intéressera certainement, toutes les trois relatives à notre héros…´ (“… I will tell you one or two things that will be of interest to you… and a third that will certainly be of interest to you, all three relating to our hero…”) Paper with a Verge Muller watermark. Very light crease to the bottom right corner, otherwise VG Jean Bourguignon (1876-1953) French Historian. Curator of the Malmaison Museum 1917-46, a house which was offered by Napoleon Bonaparte to his spouse Josephine de Beauharnais. He was also curator of the Museum of the Armies, and a specialist in the French Revolution and Napoleonic era, publishing several works. Bourguignon was the author of the first biography of Arthur Rimbaud. 

MASSENA ANDRE: (1758-1817) French military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, one of the original eighteen Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon. D.S., Massena, one page, slim oblong 4to, General Headquarters of Genoa, 8th March 1800, addressed to the Commissioners of the National Treasury in Paris, in French. The partially printed document, completed in manuscript, is signed by Massena in his capacity as the General in Chief of the Army of Italy, and requests that, in sixty days, the sum of 2000 Francs be paid to Citizen Vissei, Treasurer of the Ligurian Republic. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG  

KLUGE GUNTHER VON: (1882-1944) German Field Marshal of World War II, Knight's Cross winner with Oak Leaves and Swords. A brief T.L.S., v. Kluge, one page, 4to, Munster, 2nd October 1936, to Tschudi, on the printed stationery of the Commanding General of the VI Army Corps and Commander in military district VI, in German. Kluge writes to offer his correspondent his warmest congratulations on their promotion. Two file holes to the left edge, some light overall wrinkling and minor discoloration to the edges, and a small, neat tear to the lower edge, G   

[KLEBER & DAMAS]: [KLEBER JEAN-BAPTISTE] (1753-1800) French General during the French Revolutionary Wars & [DAMAS FRANCOIS-ETIENNE DE] (1764-1828) French General who served as chef d'etat-major under Jean-Baptiste Kleber. Printed Document issued in the names of Kleber and Damas and signed by the adjutant general Rene, two pages, folio, Headquarters, Cairo, 2nd June 1800, in French. The document is an Ordre du jour in which Kleber confirms that the paymaster general will pay the whole army for pluviose an 8 (February 1800), further stating that the surgeons of the armed corps will send all soldiers affected by serious injuries to the nearest military hospitals as soon as possible, although 'Ceux affectes seulement de gonorrhee ou de gale simple, d'ophtalmie legere, ou de toute autre indisposition ephemere, seront traités sous la tente ou dans les casernes' (Translation: 'Those affected only with gonorrhoea or simple scabies, mild ophthalmia, or any other ephemeral indisposition, will be treated in tents or in the barracks') also issuing guidance for the expense of treatment and supervision of medicines and dressing apparatus, and continuing 'Les demi-brigades qui sont au Kaire fourniront chacune huit ouvriers, macons, charpentiers ou menuisiers, pour les travaux du genie, y compris ceux que ces corps y ont deja donne: ces hommes.... seront inscrits chez le chef de brigade Bertrand, directeur des fortifications du genie, qui en enverra l'etat nominatif au chef de l'Etat-major general' (Translation: 'The demi-brigades which are in Cairo will each provide eight workmen, masons, carpenters or joiners, for the work of the engineers, including those which these corps have already given there: these men…..will be registered with the chief of brigade Bertrand, Director of Engineering Fortifications, who will send the list of names to the Chief of the General Staff'). The document concludes with an instruction to arrest a deserter, 'Les generaux commandant les divisions, et les commandans de place feront arreter et conduire au 4me regiment d'artillerie a pied le nomme Pierre Renault, canonnier de 2me classe, deserte le 7 prairial' (Translation: 'The generals commanding the divisions, and the local commanders, will have Pierre Renault, 2nd class gunner, deserted on 7 Prairial, arrested and taken to the 4th foot artillery regiment'), and provides a brief description of the individual, 'Pierre Renault.....natif de Landrecy, department du Nord, age de vingt-huit ans, taille de cinq pieds un pouce, cheveux et sourcils chatains, yeux gris, nez long, bouche grande, menton rond, visage plein' (Translation: 'Pierre Renault…..native of Landrecy, department of the North, twenty-eight years old, five feet one inch tall, brown hair and eyebrows, grey eyes, long nose, wide mouth, round chin, full face'). Some light staining and minor age wear to the edges, otherwise VG The present document was issued just less than two weeks before Kleber’s assassination in Cairo on 14th June 1800.  

ROUVROY LOUIS DE: (1675-1755) Duc de Saint-Simon. French soldier, diplomat and memoirist. Saint-Simon's enormous memoirs are a classic of French literature, giving the fullest and most lively account of the court at Versailles of King Louis XIV. A.L.S., Le Duc de St. Simon, one page, 8vo, n.p., n.d. (1722), to a gentleman, in French. Saint-Simon writes to inform his correspondent of 'du mariage de ma fille avec M. le B de Chimay et je compte que vous voudres bien prendre part en la satisfaction que nous en ressentons' (Translation: 'of my daughter's marriage to M. le B de Chimay and I trust that you will take part in the satisfaction we feel from it') continuing to explain that the groom is 'de la Maison de Bossu Chev. de la Toison du feu Roy d'Espagne et......il est aussi lieut. gl. des armees du Roy et du Roy d'Espagne' (Translation: 'of the House of Bossu Chev. de la Toison of the late King of Spain and……he is also a Lieutenant General of the King's Army and of the King of Spain') further referring to his brothers, one of whom is a cardinal and the Archbishop of Mechelen, and explaining that he is very rich and very honest, and a widower without children, before concluding 'Il y a longtemps que je resiste a son desir et a son empressement parce que j'aurois voulu avoir a luy donner une femme plus aimable' (Translation: 'For a long time I have resisted his desire and his eagerness because I would have liked to have had to give him a lovelier wife'). With blank integral leaf. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VGThe Duc de Saint-Simon's eldest child, and only daughter, Charlotte de Rouvroy (1696-1763) married Charles-Louis de Henin-Lietard d'Alsace, Prince of Chimay, on 16th June 1722. In his memoirs Saint-Simon rarely makes reference to his daughter, whom he thought he would have to care for all of his life; 'There are people made in such a way that they are happier to remain girls with the income of the dowry that we would give them. Madame de Saint-Simon and I were right to believe that ours was one of those, and we wanted to use it that way with her. My mother thought otherwise, and she was accustomed to deciding. The Prince of Chimay persuaded himself of chimeras by marrying my daughter in the situation in which he saw me…..As soon as I returned [from his post as ambassador extraordinary to Spain] his entreaties redoubled to a point that had to be concluded, and the marriage took place at Meudon with as little ceremony and company as it was possible for us….'  

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. L.S., `Np´, a bold ink signature, one page, oblong 4to, being the upper half part of a 4to page, Fontainebleau, 24th August 1810, in French. Napoleon signs to the left border of the document, approving a report, on the Minister of war printed stationery, bearing the large printed heading “Rapport A Sa Majesté l´Empereur et Roi” (“Report to His Majesty the Emperor and King”). The report relates to the request received from General of Brigade Moreau, serving in the Army of Italy at Ancona, who requests a convalescent leave of three months which will permit him to return to France to get recovered. Lower cropped edge very slightly trimmed, otherwise G

 [CATHERINE DE' MEDICI]: (1519-1589) French and Italian noblewoman, Queen of France 1547-59 by her marriage to King Henry II. A good, historic A.L.S., Loise de bretaigne, by Louise de Bretagne (d.1602; Baroness of Castelnau and of Clermont-Lodeve, one of the ladies of honour who accompanied Elisabeth of Valois to Spain for the festivities following her marriage to King Philip II), three pages, folio, Toledo, Second Day of Lent [15th February?] 1561, to Catherine de' Medici, in French. Louise de Bretagne sends news to the Queen on a variety of events including Elisabeth of Valois's recovery from small-pox, the death of Francois II and Queen Mary's return to Scotland, in part, 'Madam, the health of the queen your daughter grows better and better since I wrote to you; because two days after I sent you the last despatch they made her take a little medicine to finish purging her, which has done her so much good that she has no ailment in the world since……It is now several days since she complained of anything; and the day before yesterday, which was Shrove Tuesday, she went to dine in the garden, by order of the doctors…..I fomented her with milk and saffron, and was obliged then and there to give her a clyster…..the doctors have bidden her to begin every meal with Prunes from Tours…..which makes me beg of you, Madam, to send us some of them by every courier. They have ordered her a bath today to make her menses come on, the date of passing we had noted, the ninth of this month…..Her face is quite free of crusts now, and we wash it every day with asses milk; and yesterday we began to anoint her nose with balm, where she has some pits. I hope the balm will make them disappear. The reason for these is that when she got the small-pox she had a cold and blew her nose so much that the pustules got broken. She is much freer of the migraine than she used to be, but I am in great need of marjoram seeds……the season for sowing them here has passed, and it is not possible to get any more. The King has not come to sleep with her yet, for which I am very glad for she is not quite well enough…..The Prince [Don Carlos] has his fever again rather badly, the cause being I think the great army which they say the Turks are preparing to bring this summer to Goletta [Tunis]……From the last couriers who came…..there is much comment here about the story that the funeral of the late King [Francis II] was conducted with one little candle, which is thought very strange. It is also said for about a fortnight, that Monsieur the Cardinal of Lorraine is going to Metz after Easter, and Queen Mary either to Joinville or to Scotland……Our Lenten services last five hours every morning, and they do not finish until between one and two, which makes fasting easier for us. The Queen your daughter is dispensed from it this Lent on account of her illness and eats meat. They make no difficulty about it. However, none of the Frenchwomen eat it except her and mademoiselle, who is very well. We are told here that she is soon to be married. They are very anxious to know the truth about it, for the King is resolved to make her a very handsome present…..You will be informed of everything. At present I know of nothing more except that all are very well at this court and very glad at the power you have, and greatly wish that it may last long…..' With the address panel to the verso of the final page, 'A La Raine, ma souveraine daime'. Loosely contained within a dark brown morocco presentation folder (slight wear and damage to the inside) with gilt decorations to the borders of the interior and exterior and with a gilt stamped title to the front Louise de Bretagne - Letter to Catherine de Medicis relative to the Queens of Spain & of Scotland 1561. Also included are a series of interesting typed research notes and a French transcript and English translation of the letter, apparently prepared for (or by) Frank Lester Pleadwell (1872-1957) American physician and autograph collector. A letter of fascinating content, including intimate details from within the Royal court. Neatly inlaid and with some minor slits and a small area of paper loss to the left edge as a result of the letter having originally been tied with ribbon. About VG A remarkable, intimate letter relating to Elisabeth of Valois, Queen of Spain, who was recovering from small-pox, the death of Francis II, and Queen Mary's return to Scotland. Elisabeth, the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici, was born at Fontainebleau in 1545. Henry VIII was her Godfather and she was at first destined to be the wife of Edward VI, who had previously, by Treaty, been engaged to marry Mary, Queen of Scots. Edward's death, in 1553, put an end to this project, and a marriage was then arranged between her and Don Carlos, the son of Philip II of Spain. Philip's wife, Mary I, died in 1558, and in the year following he himself married Elisabeth, ignoring the engagement to his son, to whom Elisabeth appears to have been attached. The marriage was an unhappy one. The bride was not yet fifteen years of age and had been brought up with every care in a refined and luxurious Court. Philip, although only thirty-two years old, was morose and severe. The marriage took place (by proxy) in the Church of Notre Dame at Paris in June 1559, Philip being represented by Ferdinand de Toledo, Duke of Alba. Elisabeth first met her husband in the following year, on 2nd February 1560, at Guadalaxara, but the meeting was unfortunate. She died in October 1568, and the cause of her death was not without suspicion, especially as her former lover, Don Carlos, had died under very suspicious circumstances just a few months earlier.  Francis II, whose funeral is mentioned in the present letter, had died on 5th December 1560, and the occasion was perhaps the most important event in the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, when her power and prospects in France were shattered in one blow, and her life-long enemy Catherine de' Medici again placed in a position of authority. Hence forward the struggles between Catherine and the Guises went more in her favour since she possessed absolute power over her young son, Charles IX, who succeeded to the throne, and usurped complete control of the Kingdom.  The forecast given in the present letter regarding Queen Mary's future movements proved correct. Mary, who had lived in complete seclusion since her husband's death, spent Easter at Rheims and then set out to Joinville to visit her grandmother, Antoinette de Bourbon, dowager Duchess of Guise. Thence she returned to Rheims and spent some weeks in seclusion in the Convent of St. Pierre with the Abbess, her aunt, Renee de Lorraine. Finally, she went to Paris where she stayed until July, when she set out for Scotland. At the time when the present letter was written, early in 1561, great endeavours were being made by Mary's relatives to bring about a marriage between her and Don Carlos, a scheme very nearly concluded, in which case she would have become a step-daughter-in-law of Elisabeth, Queen of Spain, who was still supposed to be in love with her stepson herself. This scheme was strongly opposed by Catherine de' Medici, who wanted Don Carlos to marry her younger daughter, Margaret, who is referred to in the present letter as 'Madame your little daughter' Louise de Bretagne was one of the maids-of-honour who accompanied Elisabeth to Spain. The 'mademoiselle' of the letter was another maid-of-honour, Anne de Bourbon Montpensier.  

DREYFUS ALFRED: (1859-1935) French artillery officer of Jewish ancestry whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most polarising political dramas in modern French history. Known as the Dreyfus Affair, it ultimately ended with Dreyfus's complete exoneration. A.L.S., with his initials A D, to one side of his personal printed oblong 12mo Visiting Card, featuring his printed name, as Chef d'Escadron d'Artillerie, at the centre and address at Boulevard Malesherbes to the lower right corner, n.p. (Paris), n.d. (post July 1906), to [Alexandrine Zola], in French. Dreyfus writes, in full, 'Merci vivement, chere Madame et amie, de votre aimable envoi. En lisant la correspondance de notre regrette Zola, je vais de nouveau vivre avec lui, avec sa pensee' (Translation: 'Thank you very much, dear Madam and friend, for your kind communication. Reading the correspondence of our late Zola, I will once again live with him, with his thought'). An attractive piece with good association. About EX Eleonore Alexandrine Meley (1839-1925) French seamstress, wife of Emile Zola from 1870.  Emile Zola (1840-1902) French novelist, a major figure in the political liberalisation of France and in the exoneration of Alfred Dreyfus, encapsulated in Zola's renowned newspaper opinion headlined J'Accuse...! Dreyfus had been reinstated in the army with the rank of Chef d'Escadron on 13th July 1906.

HUSSEIN SADDAM: (1937-2006) President of Iraq 1979-2003. A.L.S., in Arabic, one page, 8vo, n.p. (Republican Palace, Baghdad?), 27th November 1990, to the press secretary of the Foreign Minister, on printed stationery featuring the coat of arms of Iraq, in Arabic. Hussein gives directions in response 'to the accusations of the traitor of the two Holy Mosques [King] Fahd, as he claims that if it were not for Saudi Arabia and its support for Iraq, then Iran would have defeated us', remarking 'Forgetting the convoys of martyrs who fell in defence of Iraq and the Arab nation, especially the Gulf countries that you plotted and are plotting against us at this moment'. Two file holes to the right edge and a couple of small holes and light creasing to the upper edge, otherwise VGFahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1921-2005) King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia 1982-2005. After ascending the throne in 1982 King Fahd spent considerable sums in supporting Saddam Hussein's Baathist Iraq in its war against Iran, fearing that the 1979 Revolution in Iran could lead to similar Islamic upheaval in Saudi Arabia. Less than a decade later, in 1990, Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, placing the Iraqi army (the largest in the Middle East at the time) on the Saudi-Kuwait border. During the Gulf War that followed King Fahd agreed to host American-led coalition troops in his Kingdom and later allowed American troops to be based there, a decision which brought him considerable criticism and opposition.    

SALICETI ANTOINE CHRISTOPHE: (1757-1809) French Corsican Politician and Diplomat of the Revolution and First Empire. An exceptional A.L.S. `Saliceti´, two pages, 4to, Florence, 21st September 1796, to Charles Godefroy Redon de Belleville, in French. The letter bears the French Republic printed heading of the “Commissaire of the Executive Directory of the Army of Italy”. An extremely interesting historical anti-papal letter by Saliceti, stating in part `…il faut que les nobles Luquois payent la contribution que je viens de leur imposer, et je me reserve même de l´augmenter. Ce sera ce moyen-là qui les fera parler, car ils ne voudront pas payer deux fois. Que l´argent entre dans la cause de la République…´ (Translation: `…the noble from Lucca must pay the contribution that I have just imposed on them, and I even reserve to myself the right to increase it. It will be by this means that we will make them speak, because they will not want to pay twice. Let´s make the money enter into the cause of the Republic…”) Further adding a threatening sentence against Papacy, stating `Menez-moi rondement les négotiants: il faut que cette affaire finesse de manière ou d´autre. Le Pape a refusé de signer les conditions au moyen desquelles le Directoire Exécutif consentait a le laisser exister. Son refus acté envoyé dans la nuit pour Paris par un Courier extraordinaire que j´ai dépéché. Pour le coup, la Papauté est en danger; j´espere de voir l´univers délivré de ce fléau qui en fait le malheur. Le Directoire Exécutif, guidé par la raison, va prendre des mesures décisives. La guerre avec Naples va se rallumer´ (Translation: “Lead the negotiators smoothly: this business must be smooth one way or another. The Pope refused to sign the conditions by means of which the Executive Directory consented to let him exist. His official refusal was sent in the night to Paris by an extraordinary Courier that I dispatched. For once, the Papacy is in danger; I hope to see the universe delivered from this scourge which makes it so unfortunate. The Executive Board, guided by reason, will take decisive action. The war with Naples will reignite…”) Paper with watermark. With blank integral leaf. With two extremely small holes not affecting the text or signature. VG Charles Godefroy Redon de Belleville (1748-1820) Consul of France at Livorno in 1796 when the French army occupied the city. Pius VI (1717-1799) Pope of the Roman Catholic Church 1775-99. Pius VI condemned the French Revolution and the suppression of the Gallican Church that resulted from it. French troops commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the papal army and occupied the Papal States in 1796, the year of the present letter. In 1798, upon his refusal to renounce his temporal power, Pius was taken prisoner and transported to France. He died eighteen months later in Valence in the French Republic. On account of his friendship with Maximilien Robespierre, Saliceti was denounced by the Thermidorian Reaction and was saved only by the amnesty of the French Directory. In 1796 Saliceti was commissioned to organize the French Revolutionary Army in the Italian Peninsula and the two departments into which Corsica had been divided after its recapture.Although an adversary of Napoleon's 18th Brumaire Coup which created the Consulate in November 1799, he was kept by Napoleon as his representative to the Republic of Lucca and Liguria, engineering the territory's annexation to the Empire. In 1806, he followed Joseph Bonaparte to the Kingdom of Naples, where Joseph had been imposed as King, and served as minister of police and of war. Saliceti died in Naples in mysterious circumstances, possibly poisoned.Napoleon said about Saliceti `Saliceti, les jours de danger, valait cent mille hommes´ (Translation: “Saliceti, on the dangerous days, was the equivalent of a hundred thousand men”)

SUCHET LOUIS GABRIEL: (1770-1826) Marshal of France. Duc d´Albufera. One of the most brilliant of Napoleon´s Generals. An excellent A.L.S., with his initials, two pages, 4to, Pultusk, 28th December, n.y. [1806], to his brother Gabriel Suchet, in French. In this very interesting content letter, Suchet reports to his brother the extremely difficult situation lived during a terrible battle, with a large inferiority in number of soldiers, stating in part `Je t´écris mon bon ami, d´un champ de bataille… J´ai combattu pendant près de dix à douxe heures, avec une seule division contre quarante mille russes commandés par Benningsen…. Nous avons contraint l´ennemi à fuir malgré la supériorité et sommes maitres du passage de la rivière…´ (`I am writing to you my good friend, from a field of battle… I fought for nearly ten to twelve hours, with a single division against forty thousand Russians leaded by Benningsen…. We forced the enemy to flee despite the superiority and the passage of the river is now under our control...´ Suchet further refers to the loss of close officers saying `J´ai fait dans cette journée des pertes terribles et particulièrement celle d´un de mes aides de camp, jeune homme de la plus belle espérance…. Il est tombé à mes côtés pendant la nuit, tandis que mon chef d´Etat Major tombait blessé par son cheval… par un boulet, plusieurs adjoints avec leurs habits percés de balles…´ (`I suffered terrible losses during this day and particularly the of one of one of my aides-de-camp, a young man of the greatest hope…. He fell at my side during the night, while my Chief of Staff fell wounded by his horse... by a cannonball, several adjutants with their clothes pierced by bullets...´) Further again, Suchet curiously reports that he was lucky because he was injured by a hard blow in his penis, stating `…j´en ai été quitte pour une contusion extrêmement douloureuse à la verge, j´en souffre beaucoup mais j´espère que cela n´aura pas de suite. Nous avons fait quatre à cinq cents prisonniers…´ (`I got off with an extremely painful contusion on my penis, I suffer a lot from it but I hope it won't have a sequel. We took four to five hundred prisoners…´) A letter of extraordinary historical content, written from the battlefield. Paper with a C & I Honig watermark. With address leaf and remnants of a former red wax seal. G The Battle of Pułtusk, in Poland, took place on 26th December 1806, two days before the present letter was written by Suchet, during the War of the Fourth Coalition. Despite the strong numerical superiority and artillery of the Russians, they suffered the French attacks, and had to retire the next day having suffered greater losses than the French. Count Levin August von Bennigsen (1745-1826) German Officer who entered the Russian service under Catherine the Great. In 1812, he commanded at Borodino the centre of Kutuzov´s army. His actions at Leipzig in 1813 led to his being made a Count, a title which was awarded to him on the battlefield by Tsar Alexander I. 

ROUGET DE LISLE CLAUDE: (1760-1836) French Officer of the French Revolutionary wars. Best known for being the creator of the words and music of the “Chant de Guerre pour l´armée du Rhin” (“War Song for the army of the Rhin”) in 1792, and which would become later the French National anthem La Marseillaise. A good A.L.S., `R. de Lisle´, one page, 8vo, n.p., [Paris], Wednesday 25th November 1823, to Monsieur de Montrol, in French. De Lisle kindly thanks his correspondent for his invitation, but rejects it, stating `Mille remerciements de votre obligeante invitation. Mais nous demeurons si loin l´un de l´autre! Les soirées commencent et se prolongent si tard....´ (“Many thanks for your kind invitation. But we live so far apart! The evenings start and continue so late....”), and further explains in detail the reasons, stating in part `... et puis, je ne me porte pas bien; j´ai du chagrin, et de plus d´une manière. En somme je ne suis plus qu´une vieille patraque qui se détraque pour parler en rimeur, et comme tel, très peu propre à figurer dans vos joyeuses réunions´ (“... and also, I'm not well; I grieve, and in more than one way. In short, I am nothing more than an old clumsy who breaks down to speak in rhyme, and as such, very little suited to appear in your happy meetings”) With address leaf bearing a postmark and a small area of paper loss due to the letter opening. G to VG 

[DREYFUS AFFAIR]: PICQUART GEORGES: (1854-1914) French Army officer who served as Minister of War 1906-09. Picquart played a key role in the Dreyfus Affair, in 1896 discovering (whilst chief of the army's intelligence section) that the memorandum used to convict Dreyfus had actually been the work of Major Esterhazy. After Emile Zola's trial Picquart was himself accused of forging the memorandum and he was subsequently arrested. A.L.S., G. Picquart, two pages, 8vo, Paris, 21st April 1901, to a gentleman, in French. Picquart writes on the subject of photography and states, in part, 'Je suis a peu pres sur que Baudelaire n'existe plus. D'ailleurs les vues Strasbourg n'ont pas ete seulement publiees par lui mais encore par d'autres photographes de la ville.....La derniere photographie d'E. Valentin a ete faite par E. Carjat, 10 rue N.D. de Lorette a Paris. La photographie du tableau representant l'entrevue entre Valentin et Uhlrich a ete faire par Braun. Le tableau original est a St. Cyr' (Translation: 'I'm pretty sure that Baudelaire no longer exists. Besides, the Strasbourg views were not only published by him but also by other photographers of the city…..The last photograph of E. Valentin was made by E. Carjat, 10 rue N.D. de Lorette in Paris. The photograph of the painting representing the interview between Valentin and Uhlrich was taken by Braun. The original painting is in St. Cyr'). With blank integral leaf. Some light age toning and a neat split at the base of the central vertical fold. About VG 

[DREYFUS AFFAIR]: [DREYFUS ALFRED]: (1859-1935) French artillery officer of Jewish ancestry whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most polarising political dramas in modern French history. Known as the Dreyfus Affair, it ultimately ended with Dreyfus's complete exoneration. A pair of vintage unsigned French postcard photographs relating to Dreyfus; the first, from a photograph by Charles Chusseau-Flaviens, depicting Dreyfus and Commanding Officer Antoine Targe standing in full-length poses, wearing their uniforms, in the courtyard of the military school at Paris, as Dreyfus prepares to be decorated with the Legion d'Honneur by General Gillain, on 21st July 1906, and the second, also at the military school on the same day, depicting Dreyfus seated in a full-length pose in a horse drawn carriage as he leaves the school, with several men standing to one side as they bid him farewell. Some very light, minor silvering to the base of the second postcard, otherwise VG, 2Antoine Targe (1865-1942) French general who played an important role in the rehabilitation of Dreyfus. On 12th July 1906 Dreyfus had been officially exonerated by a military commission and the day following was readmitted into the army with a promotion to the rank of major. Later in the month he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour.

SLAVERY: CESPEDES DEL CASTILLO CARLOS MANUEL (1819-1874) Cuban Revolutionary. Known as the ''Father of the Motherland'', Cespedes is considered a Cuban hero who freed slaves and leaded the declaration of Cuban Independence in 1868. A good A.L.S., `C.m.de Cespedes´, one page, small 4to, Bayamo, 27th December 1868, in Spanish. The document bears an attractive revolutionary vignette to the heading and the printed title beneath ''Liberator Army of Cuba and its Provisional Government''. Cespedes on this Manumission missive states `En esta fecha y como encargado del Gobierno Provisional, he otorgado carta de Libertad al negro nombrado Jonas, como de 23 años de edad, natural de Cuba…´ (Translation: “On this date, and in my capacity as representative of the Provisional Government, I have granted freedom to the negro named Jonas, of 23 years old approximately, native of Cuba…”) The document bears to the front a blind embossed seal and to the lower left corner an ink stamp of the ''free town council of Bayamo''. Overall age wear, with trimmed edges and few small pinholes. About G

[BESSIERES JEAN-BAPTISTE]: (1768-1813) Marshal of France, Duc d´ Istria. Killed in the battle field in Rippach, the day before the battle of Lutzen. An extremely interesting content letter, sent to Marshal Bessieres by Baron Jean-François Dudon (1778-1857), reporting in full detail about the loss of the city of Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain, close to the Portuguese border. A cleanly written letter with important historical content.  A.L.S., `Dudon´, two pages, folio, gilt edges, n.p. [Spain], 29th January 1812, to Marshal Bessieres, in French. The present letter being a copy of Dudon´s letter which was forwarded to Marshal Bessieres. The French officer Dudon, states in part `Votre excellence apprendra par les journaux nos success, mais personne ne parlera de nos revers, de nos malheurs et peut-être l´Empereur lui-même les ignore t-il. Nous avons perdu Ciudad Rodrigo le 19 de ce mois après trois jours de siege. Les ennemis ont suivi le plan d´attaque de l´Armée Française lorsqu´elle s´est emparée de cette ville avant d´entrer en Portugal; la breche avait été tres mal réparée, elle a été bientot rendue practicable. La garnison s´est vaillament défendue, quoiqu´elle eut été considérablement diminuée par la désertion, surtout de la part du 113º composé en grande partie d´Italiens. Le General Barrie, Gouverneur, le commandant de la place, le Commandant d´artillerie, ont été tués, on s´est battu de rue en rue´ (Translation: "Your Excellency will learn from the newspapers of our successes, but no one will speak of our setbacks, our misfortunes and perhaps the Emperor himself is unaware of them. We lost Ciudad Rodrigo on the 19th of this month after three days of siege. The enemies followed the plan of attack of the French Army when we seized this city before entering Portugal; the breach had been very badly repaired, it was soon made passable. The garrison defended itself valiantly, although we were considerably diminished by desertion, especially on the part of the 113º, which was largely composed of Italians. General Barrie, Governor, the Commander of the place, the Commander of artillery, were killed, we fought street by street") Further wondering why the French Army has not reacted in time and indirectly accusing the officers leading the troops, saying `Les préparatifs des Anglais, la reunion de leur grosse artillerie a Almeida, leur marche et la prise de Ciudad Rodrigo, tout cela s´est fait avant que nous n´eussions fait avancer un bataillon. D´où vient cette apathie, est-ce insoussiance pour le service de l´Empereur? Personne dans l´armée n´en peut être accuse. Est-ce ignorance des mouvements de l´ennemi?... Nous étions a Burgos, je fus d´avis de revenir immédiatement a Valladolid… Votre Excellence connait toutes les lenteurs et les difficultés d´un ravitaillement pour Ciudad Rodrigo; mon conseil fut mal accueilli, on décida que nous continuerions notre voyage pour Pamplune, et quelques jours apres un aide de camp fut envoyé a Paris demander mon rappel; le Prince de Neuchatel, sans m´entendre, me fit donner l´ordre de passer a l´armée du Portugal´ (Translation: "The preparations of the English, the assembly of their heavy artillery at Almeida, their march and the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo, all this was done before we had brought forward a battalion. Where does this apathy come from, is it carelessness in the service of the Emperor? No one in the army can be accused of this. Is it ignorance of the enemy's movements?... We were in Burgos, I decided to return immediately to Valladolid... Your Excellency knows all the delays and difficulties of a supply for Ciudad Rodrigo; my advice was badly received, it was decided that we would continue our way to Pamplona, and a few days later an aide-de-camp was sent to Paris to ask for my recall; the Prince of Neuchatel, without listening to me, made me give the order to go to the army of Portugal") Further again, saying `Les habitants du pays ne conçoivent pas comment une armée française a pu laisser prendre une place, sous ses yeux sans faire un movement.Les projets des anglaise n´étaient pas caches, et les journaux du 8 Decembre de la Galice en donnaient les details. A peine arrive a Valladolid et informé de l´état des choses, M. le Duc de Raguse a voulu y porter remede, il n´était plus temps…´ (Translation: "The inhabitants of the country do not conceive how a French army could let take such place, under its eyes and without making a movement. The projects of English were not hidden, and the newspapers of December 8th from Galicia gave the details of them. As soon as he arrived in Valladolid and was informed of the state of things, the Duke of Ragusa wanted to remedy it, it was too late…") Further again and before concluding, Dudon reports on the `disgraces´ and `disasters´ experienced in different cities of Spain, stating in part `…Soria a été assiégé par les insurgés sous le commandement du Comte de Montijo, mais ils y ont perdu assez de monde, et ils viennent de se replier sur Aranda, la Division Roguet marche au secours de cette ville. En Navarre, Mina a battu completement le Général Abbé. Il nous a pris 700 hommes & 2 pieces de canon… Si votre Excellence pouvait me faire rappeler de ce maudit pays…´ (Translation: "the city of Soria has been besieged by the insurgents under the command of the Count of Montijo, but they have lost many people there, and they have just returned back to Aranda, the Roguet Division is marching to bring aid to our troops at this city. In Navarre, Mina completely defeated General Abbé. He took 700 men & 2 cannons from us… If Your Excellency could bring me out of this damned country…") A letter of excellent content. With blank integral leaf, bearing a large and attractive circular waterwark showing a bust of Napoleon, with the text "Napoleon le Grand Empereur et Roi" ("Napoleon the Great Emperor and King"). Small professional repair to the spine, otherwise VG Provenance: the present letter originates from the Bessieres family archive. Jean-François Pierre Dudon (1778-1857), appointed baron of the Empire in 1808. He served in the military campaigns of Holland and the Rhine before being sent to the Spanish front. Prince of Neuchatel, Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753-1815) Marshal of France Duc de Raguse, Auguste Marmont (1767-1847) Marshal of France. 

[OPERATION FELIX]: An interesting archive of four A.Ls.S. and twelve T.Ls.S., all relating to Operation Felix, the codename given to the plans formulated by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) between June and August 1940 for the proposed capture of Gibraltar and a Nazi German invasion of Spain. The archive comprises, in chronological order - (i) Walter Warlimont (1894-1976) German General of World War II, deputy chief of the Operations Staff with the OKW from 1939-44. T.L.S., Warlimont, three pages, 4to, Rottach-Egern, 14th October 1959, to Dr. Charles Burdick, in German. Warlimont provides his correspondent with his recollections of Operation Felix, in part, 'For a long time all military preparations existed only in thoughts or discussions. The source of all plans was with the German Army leadership who after the Western campaign started to analyse all possibilities to come to an end with England. Whether Hitler himself or whoever else came up with the idea to conquer and take Gibraltar, I really do not know. The trip to the Canary Islands in the second half of July 1940 arose out of these plans, yet not for the purpose “to study the problem”, but to complement all diplomatic steps starting at the beginning of July with all military positions in Spain……You probably already know……the original idea to just bomb the harbour of Gibraltar from the air was dismissed, then came back because of Spain's objection in Sept/Oct 1940, and then dismissed again, after which the objective was to totally confiscate all of Gibraltar which then again was the basis for Spain's total involvement in the war. All these things were discussed with Hitler on Aug. 13 and then recorded in written form by the leaders of the Army….On the basis of two conferences….the plan…for Operation Felix was developed, yet not totally finished since Franco's response was “no”'. (ii) Alan Brooke (1883-1963) 1st Viscount Alanbrooke. British Field Marshal of World War II, Chief of the Imperial General Staff 1941-46. A.L.S., Alanbrooke, six pages, oblong 8vo, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, 16th September 1960, to [Charles] Burdick. Alanbrooke responds to his correspondent's letter requesting information regarding Gibraltar in 1940/41, stating, in part, 'Gibraltar is a naval base which has formed part of the British Commonwealth for many years. In the last war it….formed a useful base for naval forces….It was provided with an air landing strip which was too short in the early days of the war, but was greatly improved by lengthening it into the bay with rocks & stones from Gibraltar Rock. The aerodrome was most useful as a staging post for flights to Malta, Middle East and India. Churchill & I repeatedly made use of it in flights to Cairo, Tehran, Moscow, Casablanca etc…..It was used for Eisenhower's H.Q. when the operation for the liberation of North Africa was carried out….Many fighter aircraft for the operation were assembled at Gibraltar. The base was of course very vulnerable to attack from the land side by a force equipped with modern heavy artillery armament. The actual Rock of Gibraltar is honey combed with passages….and could put up a strong defence, but all their defences were built in days when offensive weapons were not as powerful as they are now. The whole situation was of course dependant on the Spanish attitude & our relations with Spain. We had to rely that Spain would not side with Germany & that Hitler would not invade Spain. There were uncertainties of war which caused us anxieties at times, but fortunately our confidence in Spain was not misplaced'. (iii) Hasso von Manteuffel (1897-1978) German General of World War II who commanded the 5th Panzer Army. Knight's Cross winner with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. T.L.S., H v Manteuffel, two pages, 4to, Ammersee, 16th November 1960, to [Charles] Burdick, in German. Manteuffel responds to his correspondent's enquiries regarding the 7th Panzer Division's involvement in a potential invasion of Gibraltar, explaining that many wartime records and diaries were destroyed at the end of the war and recommending several books including one by Paul Schmidt which recounts Hitler's conversations with Franco, Petain, Mussolini and Badoglio regarding a planned attack on Gibraltar, as well as another by Helmuth Greiner in which he dedicates a chapter to Operation Felix based on the meeting between Hitler and Franco in October 1940, Manteuffel explaining 'The result was quite negative for Hitler, as were all further diplomatic negotiations, so that on 10th December 1940 he decided that the undertaking should not be carried out because the political prerequisites for it were no longer given', although also adding that a special group under the leadership of General Kluber of the 49th Army Corps were assembled in the south of France and trained for a planned attack. (vii) Walter R. Dornberger (1895-1980) German Major General and engineer, leader of Nazi Germany's V-2 rocket programme and other projects at the Peenemunde Army Research Centre. T.L.S., Walter R Dornberger, three pages, 4to, Buffalo, New York, 9th May 1961, to Dr. Charles Burdick, on the printed stationery of the Bell Aerosystems Company. Dornberger states that his correspondent's letter 'brought some memories back to my mind I thought long forgotten' and continues to inform Burdick, in part, 'The German Army General Staff, after consulting with experts from the Army, the Air Force and Navy were convinced (I believe it was in the spring of 1941) that the rock of Gibraltar could not be forced to surrender by the use of conventional weapons, such as bombers, heavy artillery or even gas. As I remember, one employee of the Research Dept…..came up with the idea to use fluorine. The intention was, by using bombs, shells and Nebelwerfer ammunition filled with fluorine and fired in salvos to cover the entire rock with a cloud of fluorine gas. The toxicity and especially the aggressiveness of fluorine against any metal was well known. The fluorine gas was supposed to be sucked in by the ventilation system and to corrode, burn and destroy this system, thereby forcing the garrison to surrender. A fluorine factory in Falkensee (east of Berlin) was erected with high priority. In the fall of 1941 or spring 1942….I was present at a test firing against shelters and pill boxes equipped with ventilation systems, at the proving ground “Raubkammer”…..in the presence of the German High Command of the Army and several Generals of the Air Force. Thousands of shells, up to 15 cm caliber and Nebelwerfer ammunition (50 cm), containing up to 50 kg fluorine were fired in salvos and bombs were dropped by airplanes against these targets. The following inspection showed only minor effects by the gas. The ventilation systems did not even get warm and did not corrode the way they were supposed…..After this negative result, the use of fluorine was cancelled, and the factory made available for the production of fluorine as a rocket oxidizer. We made some tests with fluorine in Peenemunde but since we were already to far progressed with the V-2 we decided not to change the propellant combination of this missile at that time'.OWING TO RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALERROM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED. PLEASE REFER DIRECTLY TO IAA FOR FURTHER DETAILS.