We found 70386 price guide item(s) matching your search
There are 70386 lots that match your search criteria. Subscribe now to get instant access to the full price guide service.
Click here to subscribe- List
- Grid
-
70386 item(s)/page
Lot 588
Family group: A fine Second World War O.B.E., Great War M.C. group of seven awarded to Captain C. H. Pigg, Worcestershire Regiment, afterwards R.A.F.V.R. and a Commandant in the Auxiliary Fire Service in the 1939-45 War: extensive extracts from his Great War diaries were published in the regimental journal 1949-50 and represent an important record of the 2nd and 10th Battalions in action on the Somme and elsewhere - and speak of the moving loss of his brother and of his experiences after being gassed The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officers 2nd type breast badge; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. C. H. Pigg, Worc. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. C. H. Pigg); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, rank corrected on the fourth, generally good very fine The Great War campaign group of three awarded to 2nd Lieutenant B. W. Pigg, Worcestershire Regiment, late Honourable Artillery Company, who was killed in action with the 10th Battalion on the Somme in July 1916 1914 Star, with clasp (753 Sjt. B. W. Pigg, H.A.C.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. B. W. Pigg), extremely fine (17) £2500-3000 O.B.E. London Gazette 3 January 1945. M.C. London Gazette 27 July 1916: For conspicuous gallantry. He has done excellent work throughout the operations, and organised his company with great skill. Charles Herbert Pigg was born in January 1887 and was educated at Cheltenham College, where he excelled at cricket, football and hockey, and at Jesus College, Cambridge. He later played for the the Cambridgeshire Cricket XI and played rugby for Blackheath. Pre-war, he was a master at his old school, but with the advent of hostilities was commissioned in the Worcestershire Regiment in October 1914 and first went out to France as a Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion in July 1915. But it was after being attached to the 2nd Battalion that he won his M.C., a typical example of his excellent work being a successful raid on Auchy on 1-2 July 1916, an action recorded in detail in his diary: The bombardment when it came was terrific, and after a minute a 60-pounder shell dropped short and just in front of our noses. For a few seconds when it exploded the men thought the mine had gone up for the advance; but we checked them, and then at last, after what seemed ages, up went the mine with a great shake of earth, and we were in the remains of the enemy wire and through it in a moment. Each man and officer knew his task to an inch and went straight to his post. The German trench, as I stood above it, seemed very deep and much more soundly constructed than ours. Jumping down, I found Private Raven with his bayonet at the throat of a German soldier. Raven was young, dark, devil-may care, up to anything when out of the line, though in the line he was a first rate soldier; the German was a good-looking boy, in appearance about sixteen, wearing a neat and new field grey uniform and cap. He looked like one of our own young cadets, and faced his death fearlessly with his hands at his side. But I told Raven to spare him and take him back safely as a prisoner. We soon fixed Company H.Q. at the point previously determined, and immediately I was speaking to Leman 200 or 300 yards away; the noise was deafening and only by shouting could we use the telephone at all. Our organisation worked perfectly, and at 1.15, after an hour had passed very rapidly, I gave the signal to withdraw. Our own firing ceased and the trenches were rapidly cleared. Presently a runner and I were left alone and we walked along the new empty lines to ensure no one had been left behind. It was a curious experience in the comparative silence; and the climb out of the deserted trench and the walk back across the open uncanny. Direction might have been easily lost, but to guide us we had German guns which were now slowly shelling No Mans Land. The shells rushed past us in the darkness and burst in front of us along the parapet, and we were relieved to pass our wire and drop into our lines. A week or two later, he was gassed at High Wood on the 21st, but managed to remain on duty until being evacuated by No. 1/3 Highland Field Ambulance 48 hours later, and thence to No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station, Rouen and England. Of this episode, his diary states: Now, as I gave orders for the Company to fall in by platoons on the road, I had some hope that the darkness would protect us. But it was not to be. Just as we formed up and were moving off, the Boche turned everything available on to us. I was in the rear of the Company, and with the high explosive came the soft thud of what at first seemed dud shells. One of these fell and burst gently in front of and to the right of the man marching before me; he paused and fell in his tracks, dead in a moment. I shouted gas, and our helmets were on in an instant; but, if gas, it was something new to us, not tear, shell, nor deadly chlorine. Soon the low valley through which we stumbled in the darkness was full of smoke and gas, nor was it easy to read a map and find our destination; to do this I had to make intervals to take a deep breath and pull up my helmet. It was the inferno of Dante made real ... He was subsequently employed as an instructor, being advanced to Staff Captain with command of an Officer Cadet unit and, in August 1918, was appointed Brigade Major. Returning to Cheltenham College after the War to resume his teaching career, he was a popular housemaster and member of staff in the 1920s and 1930s, prior to retiring in 1940, but quickly returned to duty with an appointment as a Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Resigning his commission in late 1942, he next served as Commandant of the National Fire Services Officers Training School in London, in which capacity he was awarded the O.B.E. He died in February 1960; sold with research, including copied entries of his published wartime diary. Bernard William Pigg, brother of Charles, originally entered the French theatre of war as a Sergeant in the Honourable Artillery Company in September 1914, but was invalided home at the end of the year. Subsequently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in his brothers battalion - the 10th - Worcestershire Regiment, in February 1915, he returned to active duty, and was killed in action leading his company into action at La Boiselle on the Somme on 3 July 1916. On that date, his unit launched an early morning attack in the face of formidable opposition, the regimental history noting that the German dug-outs were so deep and of such solid construction that even after the terrific bombardment of the previous week, many of them were still undamaged; and the defenders, troops of the German 13th, 23rd and 110th Reserve Regiments, had fought to the last. The 57th Brigade captured 153 prisoners, nearly all wounded. But their success had been dearly purchased. The Battalion had lost a third of its fighting strength, including the C.O. and Adjutant. A moving glimpse of Piggs conduct and fate is to be found in his brothers diary, which source also confirms, though only a 2nd Lieutenant, that he commanded B Company - the eye-witness account was written by the young subalterns Company Sergeant-Major, F. Yeates, D.C.M., a veteran of Mons, who received a bayonet wound but survived: It was during this period that the Company saw what a gentleman they had commanding them, for if ever a man proved himself a man he did that night. He himself and Mr. Hadley, his dear chum, also killed, simply walked up and down the Company during the hail of shrapnel, endeavouring to keep the men steady, which I am pleased to say they were successful in doing ... at 3.15 the signal came and we were off just like a lot of schoolboys and quite as happy, for we were all eager to get to close quarters. We had got to the first German line when a German officer jumped up and shouted in English, ôRetireö. Mr. Pigg at once shot him dead and at almost the same moment was shot himself. Mr. Hadley ran towards him but it was all over. After the assault, survivors of the Battalion were left out in No Mans Land for the rest of the day, and were only able to withdraw after dark - Private Turrall won the regiment a V.C. for his gallant deeds in attending to a mortally wounded officer. Bernard Pigg has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Lot 3253
An all bisque figure of a pilot doll, moulded and painted wearing a flying helmet, goggles and jacket with side glancing eyes, height approx 11cm, a Nippon all bisque Pixie doll, an all bisque doll wearing a hat and gun to his side and inscribed `Barry Island` to his chest and stomach, and four other all bisque child dolls.
Lot 260
An Edwardian silver helmet creamer and a coin based bowl, the creamer by Charles Stuart Harris, London 1909, of dodecagonal form below a reeded edge, 15cm high; the bowl by George Gillett, London 1897, of plain tapering circular shape, the base inset with a Charles II coin, 9.5cm diameter, 9oz (2).
Lot 580
Fine Edo Period Nineteenth Century Japanese composite suit of armour comprising brown lacquered iron helmet with lobster tail neck guard and chin mask, shoulder guards, cuirass, armoured sleeves, thigh guards and shin guards and other accessories in original black painted and iron mounted armour box - sold with letters of provenance.
Lot 48
A Great War trench art tank model, in copper and brass and incorporating an Imperial German Army button; another Great War tank model in wood, with much carved detail; a metal `Tank Bank`, in the form of a Great War tank; and a pottery tank model, surmounted by a head in a British helmet, and bearing the motto `Where`s That Blinking Kaiser?`. (4).
Lot 192
‡ An interesting Japanese helmet, or hachigane, of lightweight form, skull formed of three laced plates of russet steel, a further large plate riveted to the front with two small plates laced to either side, suspending a neck guard and face mask of quilted brigandine incorporating hexagonal dished plates of iron.
Loading...-
70386 item(s)/page