Woolley & Wallis
Lot 264
The rare and historically important Defence of Legations group of medal to Arthur D. Brent, Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank: China Medal 1900, clasp: Defence of Legations (A.D. BRENT. H. K. & S. BANK); U.S.A.: Military Order of the Dragon, China 1900, with original ribbon and pagoda roof suspension bar (ARTHUR D. BRENT BRITISH LEGATION DEFENCE No 738), engraved to the reverse; Peking Seige Commemoration Medal, bronze, 57 mm, burning of the Chien Men, reverse: figures representing Europe, Japan and America trampling a Chinese dragon, in fitted J. Tayler Foot case with original explanatory notice (A.D. BRENT. (H.K.& S. BANK)), impressed to the rim, all extremely fine and rare. [3] When, in the summer of 1900, the foreign legation quarter in Peking was attacked and invested by hostile Chinese factions during the so-called 'Boxer Rebellion', Arthur Brent was assistant to the agent in charge of the Peking agency, Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, having 'come East' in 1897. The Agent, J.K. Tweed. elected to move the bank's cash into the relative safety of the British Legation. This was done by camel cart, under fire, with Brent running behind the cart picking up the coins that fell through the bullet holes. Brent not only endured the subsequent siege, during which such parts of the legation complex as had not been destroyed were defended by a tiny international force of professions and volunteers; but also took part in the fighting. In addition he acted as a news correspondent for Reuters, and his account was published in the London Daily News as 'The Seige of Peking by one who went through it. Diary of a besieged resident' (16th October 1900)'. We read hearing of the firefights in which he participated, and of the experience of living under heavy fire as provisions grew ever shorter. At an early stage of the siege Brent, a German speaker, accompanied a party of British and German marines as an interpreter. The small force (c. 50) set out to rescue refugees from a burned out Catholic Cathedral, and Brent took part in the close quarters fighting that resulted. Following the raising of the siege by a large multi-national relief force, Brent was sent to Shanghai with the bank's mail, arriving unkempt and with rifle in hand. He subsequently rose within the bank, becoming Manager of the Hamburg Branch in the years after the First World War. The British Medal and clasp was only awarded to 78 recipients, mainly Royal Marines, who formed the British component of the desperate defence. The American Order of the Dragon was formed by American officers who had taken part in operations in China in 1900, with provision made for admitting foreign participants as honorary members. The Commemorative medal, struck by J. Tayler Foot, is accompanied by a printed leaflet written by Brent himself, and "a limited number....have been made for those actually present at the seige". Ex. D.N.W., 25/02/1998 References: Frank H. H. King, 'The History of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Volume II'
