Bellmans
Lot 661
A MILITARY TRUNK, UNIFORM AND EPHEMERA BELONGING TO MAJOR HENRY T. LAWDEN M.C., ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERSPine outer trunk and a metal trunk, both painted with the owner's name, and another metal hat box, containing a very large personal collection of items including dog tags, military badges, a WWI Princess Mary 1914 Christmas Box, a collapsible lantern in canvas bag, uniform including a red military jacket, belts, various military hats, black coat tails, dress shirts, woollen outer coats, a swimming costume, silk dressing gown, monogrammed binocular case and other leather cases, socks, gloves, etc.Major Henry T. Lawden, M.C (1890 - 1981): After qualifying as
a solicitor before WW1, he was called up in 1914 as a member of
the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) and sent to France in September of that year. After being wounded
in December 1914 he was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1915. He
took part in the disastrous first day of the Battle of the Somme (1 July
1916), where his group was one of the few who reached their objectives. However, 3 weeks later, early in the morning he was engaged in reconnaissance in No Man's Land within 30 yards of the German trenches when he was caught in the open and
badly shot in the legs. He spent all day lying wounded in a shell hole until he
could be brought back after dark. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions, which saw his company established in an
advantageous position. After recovering from his wounds he saw further
action in Palestine in 1917, and was brought back to
France in the spring of 1918 to resist the Germans' final attack.
After WW1 he did not go back to the law, but stayed in the army until he retired in 1949. In the 1920s his
regiment was sent to India and for a time he was seconded to be the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the Governor of the Indian states of Bihar and Orissa.
After he retired he was a Councillor on Wandsworth Borough
Council from 1953 to 1962, was Chairman of the Governors of Vauxhall Manor
School and active in charities such as the NSPCC. This lot has been consigned for sale by his family along with Lots 662 and 663 and 2161.
