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Family group: a Great War M.C. group of seven awarded to Major W. G. C. Cockaday, Royal Field Artillery military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; 1914 Star, with clasp (Lieut., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medal, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Capt., R.F.A.); Coronation 1911, silver; Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (53342 B.Q.M. Sjt., R.F.A.), this last with some edge bruising three: Second Lieutenant A. G. Cockaday, Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds, 31 October 1918 1914 Star, with clasp (63684 Tptr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (2 Lieut.); Memorial Plaque (Aubrey George Cockaday), this group with adhesive marks/stuck on card, good very fine except where stated (11) £1100-1300 William Godfrey Charles Cockaday was born on 5 February 1872. Serving 22 years in the ranks of the Royal Field Artillery, he attained the rank of Serjeant-Major in December 1908. He was commissioned a Lieutenant (District Officer) in 1912. Serving in the Great War, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 15 October 1914 and in March 1915 was appointed a Temporary Captain. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 19 October 1916) and awarded the Military Cross (London Gazette 23 November 1916). He was promoted to Captain in December 1919 and Major in April 1923. He retired on 6 February 1927. Sold with copied research and a quantity of military and family photographs. trumpeter Aubrey George Cockaday, 25th Brigade R.F.A., entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 16 August 1914. As such, for his services in the first months of the war he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 9 December 1914). He was later commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the R.F.A. (London Gazette 13 July 1918). Whilst serving with the 10th Battery, 147th Brigade R.F.A., he died of wounds on 31 October 1918, aged 21 years. He was buried in the Ramillies British Cemetery. 2nd Lieutenant Cockaday was the son of Major W. G. C. Cockaday and Mrs E. Cockaday of Great Yarmouth. sold with copied research and a photograph of the recipient in uniform. £1100-£1300

A rare Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant T. A. Edwards, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Naval Division - due to appalling casualties, he onetime commanded the Hawke Battalion as an Acting Lieutenant military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. T. A. Edwards, R.N.V.R.); Defence Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (4) £1800-2200 m.C. London Gazette 15 February 1919: ‘In the attack on Niergnies on 8 October 1918, he displayed great skill in handling his company in a difficult manoeurve. After the objective had been taken the enemy made a determined counter-attack, supported by tanks, on the troops on the company’s right flank, as a result of which the latter were compelled temporarily to withdraw. Personally leading the operation he quickly formed a defensive flank, and by his cool courage and good leadership not only were severe losses inflicted on the enemy but an important tactical position was maintained which materially assisted in the reforming of the line at a critical period.’ Thomas Arthur Edwards, a native of Herne Hill, London, was commissioned as a Temporary Sub. Lieutenant in August 1915 and first went to France in July 1916, where he joined Howe Battalion, Royal Naval Division. Over the ensuing year and a half he saw much action, not least on the Ancre, and, in February 1917, following an attack against enemy trenches on the ridge commanding Beaucourt, in which the Brigade sustained casualties of 24 officers and 647 ratings, he was appointed Adjutant of Hawke. having then got married while on leave in the U.K. that July, he returned to the Battalion as an Acting Lieutenant in the following month and was back in action at Passchendaele in November - he was appointed second-in-command on the 11th, saw further action at Welch Ridge and returned to the U.K. on leave over Christmas. he was, however, back in France by the time of the German Spring Offensive, again as second-in-command of Hawke, when the Battalion was forced to retreat from Bus to Barastre, and thence to High Wood and towards the Thirpval Plateau - and Edwards became C.O. when Commander B. H. Ellis, D.S.O., was mortally wounded on 26 February. Placed in command of ‘D’ Company when a new C.O. arrived in April, Edwards and his men remained actively employed in trenches opposite Hamel and on the Auchonvillers Ridge in May-July, and thence in the advance through Logeast Wood and Loupart Wood to the Bapaume Road - a group photograph of Hawke officers taken in June shows a haggard Lieutenant Edwards, who was sent home on a month’s special leave in August. once more rejoining his unit in the Field in September, Edwards won his M.C. for the above described deeds at Niergnies on 8 October - an engagement that made history, for the Germans made use of captured British tanks in their determined counter-attack. Notified of his award in Divisional Orders dated 18 December 1918, he ended his career as an Education Officer in the 63rd (R.N.) Division and was, appropriately enough, demobbed in March 1919 to pursue his civilian profession as a schoolmaster. £1800-£2200

A Great War M.C. group of five awarded to Captain C. Jackson, Royal Garrison Artillery military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1953; together with corresponding miniatures; silver and enamel medal, inscribed on obverse ‘The Municipal Tramways and Transport Association Inc.’, reverse engraved ‘C. Jackson, President 1940-41’, suspended from a neck ribbon and contained in its case of issue; a small head quarter length photograph of recipient contained in a silver frame, generally nearly extremely fine (12) £600-800 M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1918. also included with the lot is a fine leather bound testimonial on vellum, inscribed in illuminated ink ‘The Municipal Passenger Transport Association (Incorporated) to Clement Jackson, Esquire, M.I.A.E., M. Inst. T. We have pleasure in informing you that the following resolution was carried unanimously at the Annual General Meeting of the Association on July 11th 1941. That the members of the Association assembled at the 40th Annual General Meeting, place on record their high appreciation of the devoted services of Clement Jackson, Esquire, in the office of President during the year 1940-41 and express to him their grateful recognition of the application of his time and abilities to the interests of the Association under very trying circumstances created by the war.’ Clement Jackson was commissioned into the Royal Garrison Artillery (North Midland (Staffordshire) from the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps on 7 October 1915. In 1939 he was working as a General Manager and Engineer with the City of Plymouth Transport Department, Milehouse, Plymouth. £600-£800

A fine Second World War Bomber Command operations D.F.C., D.F.M. group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant R. E. Manvell, Royal Air Force, a Flight Engineer who completed a tour of duty in Lancasters of 97 Squadron before joining Pathfinders and participating in the Hamburg ‘firestorm’ and Peenemunde raids: he was killed in action in June 1944 distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’; Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (569921 Sgt. R. E. Manvell, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, generally good very fine (6) £2500-3000 d.F.C. London Gazette 6 June 1944. The original recommendation states: ‘Flight Lieutenant Manvell is the Squadron Flight Engineer Leader and has a fine operational record. He has completed 51 operational sorties, 21 of which have been with the Path Finder Force, against the most heavily defended targets in Germany. Apart from his duties as Engineer Leader, which he has carried out with zeal and efficiency, he has shown outstanding keenness to fly on operations on every possible occasion. His enthusiasm to undertake operational work has been an inspiration and, in particular, an example to the Flight Engineers entrusted to his care. His ability for training and instructing Flight Engineers, and his high sense of devotion to duty and his work on this squadron make him very worthy of the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’ D.F.M. London Gazette 14 May 1943. The original recommendation states: ‘This airman has participated very successfully in numerous operational sorties. His targets have included Essen and other strongly defended industrial centres in the Ruhr. He also took part in raids on Berlin and Italy and with good effect. In daylight, he has attacked Milan, Le Creusot and Danzig. His skill and courage have been an example to all.’ Robert Edward Manvell, a native of New Eltham in London, commenced his operational career as a Flight Engineer in No. 97 (Straits Settlement) Squadron, a Lancaster unit operating out of Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, in June 1942, with three successive trips to Bremen, the first of them a ‘Thousand Bomber Raid’. Thus ensued a busy tour of operations, undoubtedly to targets of the heavily defended kind, including Berlin, Cologne, Duisberg (thrice), Dusseldorf (twice), Essen, Hamburg, Milan (thrice), Nuremburg and Saarbrucken, in addition to three daylight raids: Danzig on 11-12 July, a Bomber Command ‘first’ involving 44 Lancasters and a 1,500 mile round trip, Le Creusot on 17 October, No. 5 Group’s famous dusk attack on the Schneider locomotive and armaments works, and Milan on 24 October, another risky enterprise with 88 Lancasters. manvell was recommended for his D.F.M. in March 1943, having completed 30 sorties and 170 hours of operational flying, and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the following month. returning to the operational scene with No. 156 Squadron in June 1943 - a Path Finder Force unit operating in Lancasters out of Alconbury, Huntingdonshire, and later from Warboys - Manvell quickly carried out a brace of trips to Cologne. So, too, in July, four successive strikes against Hamburg, strikes that culminated in the famous ‘firestorms’. Having then flown sorties to Mannheim, Nuremburg and Milan - the latter on three occasions - he participated in the famous Peenemunde raid on 17 August 1943, in Lancaster EE-926, piloted by Flying Officer A. M. Lutz. his very next raid proved to be the costliest of the War so far, a strike against Berlin on the night of 23rd-24th, in which nearly 60 aircraft were lost. Trips to Nuremburg, Modane and Hanover followed, but he remained grounded in the months of October and November, quite probably to attend a Squadron Flight Engineer Leader’s course - certainly he was advanced to Flying Officer in the former month. A return trip to the ‘big city’ in December, and strikes against Frankfurt, Leipzig and Stuttgart in February-March raised his operational sorties to the 50-mark - and 307 hours of operational flying - and he was recommended for the D.F.C. sadly, however, on the night of 23-24 June 1944, in Lancaster JB230 GT-S, captained by Pilot Officer D. Langford, D.F.C., he was killed in action in a marker operation for a flying-bomb site at Coubronne. His aircraft crashed at Zuytpeene, four kilometres from Cassel, only one member of crew surviving to be taken P.O.W., the remainder being buried in the local churchyard. £2500-£3000

A fine Omdurman D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Colour-Sergeant Michael Mullen, Royal Irish Fusiliers, for services with the Maxim Gun Detachment during the campaign in the Sudan in 1898 distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Corpl. M. Mullen, R. Ir. Fus. (2nd Sept. 1898)); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (3188 Pte. M. Mullan, 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fuslrs.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3188 L/Sgt. M. Mullin, 1/R.I. Fus.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (3188 Sgt. M. Mullen, Rl. Irish Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3188 Serjt. M. Mullen Rl. Irish Fus.); Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.Sjt. M. Mullen, R. Ir. Fus.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (3188 Lce-Sergt. M. Mullin, 1st R.I.F.) mounted as worn, note variations in spelling of surname, contact marks but generally very fine or better and a rare group (7) £3500-4000 D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen on 9 November 1898, and published in London Gazette of 15 November 1898, and in Army Order 153 of September 1899. Awarded for Omdurman, 2 September 1898, one of two such awards to the Royal Irish Fusiliers for the Sudan Campaign. the following details are given in R. de M. Rudolf’s Short Histories of the Territorial Regiments of the British Army: ‘The Omdurman Campaign 1898 - Colour-Sergeant J. Teague and Corporal M. Mullen were the N.C.Os. in charge of the Maxim Gun Detachment, 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers, during the above campaign, and for the excellent and determined manner in which they performed their duties during the campaign and in action they were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.’ The 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles was represented at Omdurman by only a small force, consisting of 4 officers and 91 men, of which 2 officers and 26 men formed a Maxim Gun Detachment, while the remainder constituted a remount depot. The Maxim detachment was commanded by Captain Douglas Churcher, with whom went Lieutenant Wilson. The remount group was led by Captain de Berry and Lieutenant Heard. captain Churcher’s Maxim detachment, travelling by boat and train, reached Atbara, south of Wadi Halfa, on the evening of August 8th. De Berry, who arrived on the barren scene a few days later, wrote while en route: ‘The duties are hard, as we have two boats full of animals which need 10 men always in each of them. We have had rather too much river work and I fancy the men will be rather glad to get out of the boats, although the train is far worse, yet there will be only 24 hours of it from Halfa to the Atbara. The steamers shake very much, and it is hard to write clearly.’ In the battle, the Maxim detachment fought as a self-contained unit in Major-General Lyttelton’s brigade, and was so mentioned in Kitchener’s despatches. After Omdurman most of the Irish Fusiliers returned to Alexandria, but Churcher, with 20 men and 2 Maxims, left Khartoum with General Hunter’s expedition up the Blue Nile. mullen was one of eight signallers of the Royal Irish Fusiliers to receive the medal for the Relief of Chitral 1895, together with Captain T. O’Leary of the regiment, who was Inspector of Army Signalling in the Punjab. Mullen also received the Meritorious Service Medal, anounced in Army Order 122 of 1938. £3500-£4000

A scarce Omdurman D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Staff Quarter-Master Sergeant John Parsons, Army Service Corps, late Commissariat & Transport Corps distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Sergt. J. Parsons, A.S.C. (2nd Sept. 1898)); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse,1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (4199 P[te.], 11th C[ompy. S. &] T.C.), naming details partially worn through bruising; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (S/4199 Sgt., A.S.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (4199 S.-Sejt., A.S.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4199 S. Qr. Mr. Serjt., A.S.C.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (4199 Staff Sgt., A.S.C.); Khedive’s Star 1882; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (4199 Sergt., A.S.C.), the first with (slack) refixed suspension claw, the second with edge bruising and pitted and thus good fine, otherwise generally very fine or better (8) £2500-3000 D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1898. john Parsons was born in Glastonbury, Somerset and enlisted in the Commissariat & Transport Corps in June 1882, aged 19 years. Posted to Egypt in August 1882, he was present at Tel-el-Kebir in 12th Company, and was advanced to Corporal in August 1894 and to Sergeant in September 1897. Re-embarked for Egypt in July of the following year, he participated in the Khartoum operations and was mentioned in despatches by Kitchener for his services at Omdurman that September (London Gazette 30 September 1898 refers), in addition to being awarded the D.C.M., which decoration was presented to him at a parade at Aldershot on 19 March 1899 - ‘The C.O. pinned the decoration to the tunic of the recipient, shook hands with him, and, in congratulating him, trusted he would live long to wear it.’ Parsons was next actively engaged in South Africa from October 1899 until August 1902, when he served variously in ‘C’, ‘E’ and 10th Companies, A.S.C., and added the L.S. & G.C. Medal to his accolades in November 1900 (WO 102/7 refers). He was finally discharged in June 1903, having been advanced to Staff Quarter-Master Sergeant in April 1902. £2500-£3000

A Boer War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant T. W. Vine, City of London Imperial Volunteers, formerly 3rd Middlesex Volunteer Artillery and later South African Constabulary distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (Serjt. T. W. Vine, S.A.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Johannesburg (706 Sgt. T. W. Vine, C.I.V.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (942 T. Sjt.-Maj. T. W. Vine, S.A.C.) mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £2000-2500 D.C.M. London Gazette 27 September 1901: Sergeant T. W. Vine, City of London Imperial Volunteers. Although Vine’s D.C.M. is named to the S.A.C. it was unquestionably won whilst he was serving with the C.I.V. thomas Walter Vine was born on 22 July 1870, and joined the Volunteers on 20 July 1887, serving in the 3rd Middlesex Volunteer Artillery. He received the Royal Humane Society’s Honorary Testimonial in October 1891, ‘for having on the 18th April 1891 gone to the rescue of Gunner Sharman, who was in imminent danger of drowning at Shoeburyness, and whose life he gallantly assisted in saving.’ A jeweller and watchmaker by trade, he volunteered to join the City of London Volunteers in January 1900, then aged 29, and served in South Africa with No. 1 Mounted Infantry Company. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 10 September 1901) and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He was discharged from the C.I.V. Mounted Infantry at Pretoria on 1 October 1900, at his own request to be employed with the South African Constabulary. He served as a Troop Sergeant-Major in the S.A.C. for the remainder of the war and later became a Head Constable. He was discharged from the S.A.C. upon its withdrawal from Swaziland in March 1907, and transferred to the Swaziland Police with whom he served until 1925. sold with extensive file of copied records. £2000-£2500

A Great War D.C.M., M.M. group of eight awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 W. Emmens, Royal Signals, late 15th (Bantam) Battalion Cheshire Regiment distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (19901 Pte., 15/Ches. R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (19901 Pte., 15/Ches. R.); British War and Victory Medals (19901 A. Cpl., Ches. R.); Defence and War Medals; Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (2557110 Sjt., (D.C.M.) (M.M.) R. Signals); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., Territorial (2557110 W.O. Cl. 2, R. Signals), mounted for wear, contact marks, nearly very fine and better (8) £2500-2800 D.C.M. London Gazette 26 January 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When out laying a wire, during an attack, with another N.C.O., they lost direction and met a party of twenty of the enemy with a machine gun, whom they attacked without hesitation, their only weapons being one rifle and a signalling lamp stand. They captured the gun and put it out of action, and brought back two prisoners. They then established communication with the captured position and maintained it, under heavy fire throughout the day, showing great gallantry and determination’. m.M. London Gazette 21 October 1916. w. Emmens came from Leeds. Sold with some copied research. £2500-£2800

A Great War D.C.M., M.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant E. J. West, King’s Royal Rifle Corps distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (R-7339 Cpl., 6/K.R.R.C.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (R-7339 Sjt., D.C.M., 2/K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals (R-7339 Sjt., K. R. Rif. C.); together with a set of four miniature dress medals, good very fine (8) £1800-2200 d.C.M. London Gazette 13 February 1917. ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He got on to the parapet under heavy fire, and drove back the enemy parties on both sides of the trench. Later, he rallied and led forward a party of men’. m.M. London Gazette 7 October 1918. edward James West was born in 1892. Coming from Staines and a Lino Maker by occupation, he enlisted into the K.R.R.C. on 18 November 1914. Serving with the 6th Battalion K.R.R.C. he was awarded the D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry on 22 July 1916. Later serving with the 2nd Battalion he was awarded the M.M. for bravery. He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 10 February 1919. After the war he returned to employment with the Staines Lino Company and worked for a total of 48 years with them until his eyesight failed. He came to St. Dunstans in 1954. He died on 28 January 1972 leaving a widow and a married daughter. According to the vendor who purchased these medals directly from the family he was told that the M.M. was awarded for saving men’s lives on the Somme river. sold with copied research; the recipient’s Certificate of Transfer to Reserve; Certificate of Emloyment during the War; handwritten notes re the forwarding of the D.C.M. and M.M. dated 1919; a letter from St. Dunstan’s re. a pension, dated 2 March 1954; St. Dunstan’s Golden Jubilee 1915-65 London Reunion Invitation Card to Mr and Mrs West; together with a Menu, which includes a list of St. Dunstaners (including West) attending; St. Dunstans Review, March 1972 - with obituary; several photographs including two of the recipient in uniform; and one of recipient’s sweetheart whom he later married; also with a K.R.R.C. cap badge and three metal and two cloth badges and a leather wallet. £1800-£2200

A Great War D.C.M., M.M. group of three awarded to Acting Sergeant Richard Dicker, Royal West Kent Regiment, late Royal Engineers distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (34062 Pnr., 1/Div. Sig. Coy. R.E.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (34062 Pr.-A. Cpl., 1/D.S. Coy. R.E.); British War Medal 1914-20 (7429 A. Sjt., R. W. Kent R.) edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (3) £800-1000 D.C.M. London Gazette 21 June 1916. ‘For conspicuous gallantry when repairing telephone lines under heavy shell fire’. m.M. London Gazette 23 February 1918. richard Dicker entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 9 November 1914. Sold with a riband bar and with a clasp for the 1914 Star to which was entitled. Copied m.i.c. shows entitlement to 1914 Star without clasp. £800-£1000

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M., M.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal Arthur Hutton, Durham Light Infantry distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (15347 L. Cpl., M.M., 2/Durh. L.I.), suspension rod loose; Military Medal, G.V.R. (15347 Pte., 10/Durh. L.I.) edge bruising, contact marks, good fine (2) £900-1100 D.C.M. London Gazette 30 October 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in rushing and capturing a post containing six of the enemy, thus allowing the company to continue its advance. Later, with his company commander, two machine guns in action were located. They worked round and rushed them, the gunners surrendering’. m.M. London Gazette 12 March 1917. arthur Hutton came from Crook, Co. Durham. Serving with the Durham Light Infantry, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 21 May 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery whilst serving with the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in the vicinity of Arras. On 6 January 1917 a raid was carried out upon the German lines, in the hard fighting that followed, casualties to the battalion amounted to 2 officers wounded and 44 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. For the action, one M.C. (to 2nd Lieutenant A. G. Bell) and 6 M.M.’s (including one to Hutton) were awarded. He was subsequently awarded the D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion. Sold with copied research including gazette extracts and m.i.c. £900-£1100

A Great War D.C.M., M.M. pair awarded to Company Quartermaster Serjeant L. H. Colbran, Army Service Corps distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (M2-079630 C.Q.M. Sjt., A.S.C.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (M2-079630 C.Q.M. Sjt., A.S.C.) slight edge bruising, good very fine (2) £800-1000 D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1918; citation, 21 October 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while in charge of a heavy artillery ration dump during an enemy attack. When ordered to burn his dump, he said he would rather wait to the last minute, and remained for three days after under heavy shell fire, and succeeded in getting all ordnance and other stores away. He issued what rations he had to troops, who, but for him, would have gone without food’. m.M. London Gazette 16 July 1918. lionel Hyde Colbran was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire. A Motor Driver by occupation, he enlisted on 24 April 1915, aged 38 years. With the A.S.C. he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 31 March 1916 and attained the rank of C.Q.M.S. in July 1917. He was mentioned in Haig’s despatch of 26 December 1917 and in 1918 was awarded the D.C.M. and M.M. Colbran was discharged on 12 June 1919. Sold with copied service papers and other research. £800-£1000

A scarce 1914 ‘Battle of La Bassee’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Acting Sergeant Charles Rogers, Royal Engineers distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (13573 2 Cpl., 17/Co. R.E.); 1914 Star, with clasp (13573 2 Cpl., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (13573 Cpl., R.E.), mounted for wear, nearly extremely fine (4) £2200-2600 D.C.M. London Gazette 1 April 1915. ‘For gallant conduct at Givenchy on 25th October, 1914, in leaving his trench and assisting a severely wounded officer into cover, under heavy shell fire’. charles Rogers was born in Belfast and enlisted in the Royal Engineers on 18 March 1904 for a three-year engagement, aged 19 years, 6 months. He extended his service in 1906 to complete seven years with the colours. He served with 3 Field Troop R.E. who were based at Canterbury, and having been promoted Corporal on 4 January 1911, he transferred to the Reserve on 17 March 1911. Having married in 1908, he was still residing in Canterbury at the outbreak of hostilities. On 5 August 1914 he was mobilized at Chatham and posted to 17 Field Company R.E. on 8 August 1914. They were immediately ordered to France and ten days later the Company disembarked at Le Havre, coming under the command of 5th Division II Corps. introduction to hostilities was swift, as the list of engagements for Corporal Rogers and 17 Field Company attests: Battle of Mons, 23-24 August 1914; Retreat from Mons, 23 August-5 September; Battle of Le Cateau, 26 August; Battle of the Marne, 6-9 September; Battle of the Aisne, 13-20 September; Passage of the Aisne, 13 September; Actions of the Aisne Heights, 20 September; Battle of La Bassee, 10 October-2 November, and 1st Battle of Ypres, 5-19 November. it was at La Bassee that Corporal Rogers won his D.C.M. The battlefield was flat, intersected with streams, and waterlogged. Thus the trenches dug in it could only be shallow, and cover had mainly to be obtained by building up breastworks - very exposed conditions for the Engineers who were working day and night to consolidate the defences. « the official history states that, ‘... the II Corps on the 25th had a quiet day except for artillery fire, the enemy’s being more than usually accurate as the weather permitted aeroplane observation. .... During the morning the bombardment became so heavy that some battalions were withdrawn from their trenches, to reoccupy them at night. ... Work on the defences was continued whenever possible, the engineers collecting fencing posts and plain wire from the neighbouring country by day and erecting them at night in front of the line to form entanglements. ...’ This was not the only act of gallantry that Rogers displayed; as his wife speaking to a local paper stated that she was ‘not able to say definitely for what particular act of gallantry her husband received the D.C.M., but she believes that it was for something he did in connection with the blowing up of a bridge during the battle of the Aisne’. She adds that in a recent letter from him, he wrote, ‘I may as well tell you I have got the D.C.M. Probably you will know by this. More honours for good old Kent - I mean Ireland’. on 16 November, whilst serving at Ypres, Rogers was promoted to Acting Sergeant. He remained with his unit until being wounded in action on 28 April 1915 - this during the Battle of St. Julien during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, when 17 Field Company was on short attachment to the 27th Division. His wounds were severe enough for him to be returned home on 2 May 1915. the remainder of his service was with the ‘Home Establishment’, being posted to the Training Depot. He was discharged on the grounds of no longer being physically fit on 27 January 1919, still with the rank of Acting Sergeant. sold with a contemporary cutting from the Kentish Gazette and Canterbury Press, bearing an article on and a photograph of Sergeant Rogers; also with copied service papers; m.i.c. and other research. £2200-£2600

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 T. W. Russon, Worcestershire Regiment, late Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (41794 C.S. Mjr., 4 Worc. R.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (9702 L. Cpl., 2/Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (9702 A.W.O. Cl.II, Oxf. & Bucks L.I.), B.W.M. suspension bent; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (5239928 W.O. Cl.II, D.C.M., Worc. R.) edge bruising, first four fine, last good very fine (5) £1000-1200 D.C.M. London Gazette 10 January 1920. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and initiative during the advance on Ghelewe on 30th September 1918. Owing to heavy casualties, he took command of the company and succeeded in capturing and consolidating a line west of Gheluwe under very heavy machine gun fire. It was owing to his fine leadership and disregard of danger that his company reached and held this line’. lance-Corporal Thomas W. Russon, 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 14 August 1914. He later won the D.C.M. as a C.S.M. in the 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. sold with an ‘Army Orders’ Certificate from General Sir Herbert Plumer, Commanding Second Army, dated 11 November 1918, in which various awards, including that to Russon, are listed. Also with some copied research including War Diary extract and m.i.c. £1000-£1200

A fine Great War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Lieutenant W. F. Evans, Royal Air Force, late North and South Staffordshire Regiments and Royal Flying Corps: having been awarded his D.C.M. for bravery on the Somme in July 1916, and been wounded as a Subaltern at Ypres in 1917, he qualified as an Observation Officer in the R.F.C. distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (9713 A.C.S. Mjr. W. F. Evans, 8/N. Staff. R.); 1914-15 Star (9713 C. Sjt., N. Staff. R); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.), a little polished, otherwise generally very fine (4) £800-1000 D.C.M. London Gazette 10 January 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. When in a part of a village where there was no officer, he led three attacks against the enemy, who had re-established themselves by a counter-attack. He showed great coolness and courage, and did fine work consolidating.’ Walter Fletcher Evans, a native of Burton-on-Trent, was born in April 1877 and first entered the French theatre of war as a Company-Sergeant in the 8th Battalion, North Staffordshires in the course of 1915. Subsequently employed with his battalion on the Somme in July-November 1916, his D.C.M. was awarded for the attack on La Boiselle on 3 July, when his unit sustained casualties of 12 officers and 272 other ranks - accompanying war diary extract refers. commissioned in the 7th Battalion, South Staffordshires, in May 1917, Evans joined ‘D’ Company out in France that July and was wounded at Ypres in the following month. he subsequently transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, passed the Aerial Gunnery Course at Hythe and was appointed an Observation Officer in the Royal Air Force in April 1918. Evans was demobilised at the end of 1919, having latterly served in an Artillery Co-operation Squadron in the rank of Lieutenant. £800-£1000

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 F. L. Brice, Royal Field Artillery distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (32074 B.S. Mjr., A.58 Bde. R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (32074 B.S. Mjr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (32074 W.O. Cl.2, R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (1019424W.O. Cl.II, D.C.M., R.F.A.), mounted as worn, minor edge bruising and contact marks, very fine (5) £800-1000 D.C.M. London Gazette 28 August 1917. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty although severely gassed and badly shaken by a shell which penetrated his gunpit, he immediately carried a wounded comrade to the dressing station under heavy shell fire. In view of his own condition, his conduct throughout the whole bombardment was particularly gallant’. frank Lea Brice was a native of London. He enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery at Woolwich on 24 August 1903. He served in India, October 1909-October 1914; in the Middle East, March 1915-July 1916, and in France, July 1916-February 1919. Serving in France he was awarded the D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry. Postwar he was employed as Brigade Accountant and Drill Instructor, retiring with excellent references in September 1927. After leaving the Army he lived in Alpha Villa, Dudley Road, Clacton-on-Sea, and was for many years the Secretary of the Clacton Unionist Club. Frank Brice died in December 1935, aged 47 years. In his obituary it was stated that, ‘During a gas attack in France he noticed a batman, who was without a mask, overcome by fumes. At the risk of his own life, Sergt.-Major Brice took off his mask and gave it to the batman thus saving his life. Mr Brice, of course, was badly gassed, the effects of which no doubt accentuated his illness and thus hastened his death. For this act of gallantry he was awarded the D.C.M., which decoration was presented to him at a public ceremony at the triangle at the junction of Station Road and Pier Avenue, Clacton, by the Colonel of the 29th London Regiment in 1918 in the presence of the regiment. ...’ Sold with the recipient’s Soldier’s Small Book; recipient’s Regular Army Certificate of Service Booklet; a group photograph; newspaper cutting with obituary, base silver match case set with two stones (a third is missing), inscribed, ‘F.L.B.’, and a silver presentation box, approx. 165 x 87 x 50mm., hallmarks for London 1927, with wooden interior, case lid inscribed, ‘Presented to Battery Sergeant-Major F. L. Brice, D.C.M. by The Officers of the 364th Field Battery R.A. on his retirement 23rd September 1927’. £800-£1000

A Great War ‘Gallipoli Mining Operations’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private Thomas Wilkinson, 4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (1381 Pte., 4/E. Lanc. Regt.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (1381 Pte., E. Lan. R.); British War and Victory Medals (20014 Pte., E. Lan. R.) B.W.M. with edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better, rare (4) £1400-1800 D.C.M. London Gazette 16 November 1915. ‘For conspicuous bravery on the 14th September, 1915, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. During mining operations, Private Wilkinson remained at his post in a mine gallery where the enemy’s shaft was expected to break through. When they succeeded in doing so, he shot the first Turk who appeared, and then assisted a Non-Commissioned Officer to lay and fire the charge, so destroying the enemy’s gallery. This was done at great personal risk’. private Thomas Wilkinson, 4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, Territorial Force, entered the Balkan theatre of war on 9 May 1915. Awarded the D.C.M. for mining operations on the Gallipoli Peninsula; possibly the only Gallipoli D.C.M. award to the the 4th Battalion. Sold with copied research and with shoulder badge. £1400-£1800

A Great War ‘Gallipoli’ D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private John Jackson, Essex Regiment, for ‘stalking and shooting snipers’ Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2173 Pte., 7/Essex R.-T.F.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (2173 Pte., Essex R.), mounted as worn, with fragment of ribbon for a 1914-15 Star, some edge bruising and pitting, nearly very fine (3) £1200-1400 D.C.M. London Gazette 21 June 1916. ‘For conspicuous gallantry in stalking and shooting snipers, frequently alone’. m.I.D. London Gazette 11 July 1916. private John Jackson, 7th Battalion Essex Regiment, enlisted on 17 June 1913. During the Great war he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 11 August 1915 and serving in Gallipoli, was awarded the D.C.M. for the highly skilled and dangerous job of stalking and shooting enemy snipers. He was discharged on 5 May 1916 as a result of wounds received. In addition to the above medals he was entitled to both the 1914-15 Star and Silver War Badge. Sold with copied m.i.c., Silver War Badge roll extract, gazette and war diary extracts. £1200-£1400

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of three awarded to Company Sergeant-Major Arthur Graham, Royal Berkshire Regiment distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (1479 C.S. Mjr., 2/4 R. Berks. R.-T.F.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (4833 Pte., 2d Bn. Oxf. Lt. Infy.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (200069 C.S. Mjr., 4/R. Berks. R.) fine scratch marks to last, contact marks and edge bruising, nearly very fine and better (3) £800-900 D.C.M. London Gazette 25 September 1916. ‘For conspicuous bravery and determination in reorganising successive waves in an attack and in supporting ably his Company Commander, who had been wounded early in the action. He showed courage and resource in evacuating casualties’. company Sergeant-Major Arthur Graham, 2/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment, of 81 Catherine Street, Reading, was awarded the D.C.M. for his actions during a raid on German positions at Ferme du Bois during the night of the 13/14 July 1916. He was presented his medal at the barrack square of the 49th Regimental Depot, Reading, by Major-General W. G. B. Western. Sold with copied research. £800-£900

A scarce Great War Honorary D.C.M. group of five awarded to Marechal-des-Logis A. G. Fockeday, 19e Escadron du Train france, Croix de Guerre, with silver star and bronze palm on ribbon; Croix du Combatant; War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-18; G.B., Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R., unnamed as awarded to foreign nationals, the medals with photograph and documents in glass-fronted, wooded framed case, generally good very fine (5) £600-800 Sold with a photograph of the recipient in uniform; ‘Ordre General No.7’ from the Grand Quartier General des Armees du Nord et du Nord-Est, dated 1 March 1917, confirming the award of the British D.C.M. and French Croix de Guerre to Marechal-des-Logis Alphonse Gustave Fockaday, of the 19e Escadron du Train; identification card with photograph confirming Fockaday as an interpreter; a telegram to Fockaday at 12 Rue Lauriston, Paris, from the Queen’s Private Secretary, thanking him for his kind message of sympathy. These documents in display case with medals; also with photocopies of the same. £600-£800

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. awarded to Squadron Sergeant-Major F. W. Peacock, Northumberland Hussars distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (H270016 S.S. Mjr., 1/1 North’d. Hrs.) good very fine, rare £1000-1200 D.C.M. London Gazette 3 September 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of ‘B’ Squadron dismounted Hotchkiss gun teams. Although their flanks were turned, he fought these guns with splendid courage and coolness, doing great execution until they were all knocked out. He then kept the teams firing with their rifles until the last possible moment’. m.I.D. London Gazette 15 May 1917. private F. W. Peacock, Northumberland Hussars, came from Sunderland, and entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 5 October 1914. Later promoted to Squadron Sergeant-Major, by the end of the war he was the senior Warrant Officer of the regiment. The regimental history ‘adds flesh’ to his D.C.M. winning action, recording, ‘S.S.M. Peacock was in charge of ‘B’ Squadron, dismounted Hotchkiss gun-teams from March 21 (1918) onwards, on the Croizat Canal, between Jussy and Liez. These guns did great execution on the 22nd, and fought, though their flanks were turned, until the guns were knocked out. The men were kept in hand by this Warrant Officer, and then fought with rifles, with the nearest unit, until they came into Noyon on the 24th. S.S.M. Peacock himself, by personally keeping in touch with the teams, all the time showed remarkable coolness and bravery, having to be continually moving through severe enemy fire of all sorts’. Squadron Sergeant-Major Peacock was presented with the D.C.M. ribbon on 4 May 1918 at Cocquerel. one of only 12 Great War D.C.M’s. to the regiment. sold with Northumberland Hussars cap badge and copied research. £1000-£1200

A fine Great War ‘Aveluy Wood’ D.C.M. awarded to Private A. H. Bird, Lancashire Fusiliers distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (31363 Pte., 18/Lan. Fus.) good very fine £700-900 D.C.M. London Gazette 30 October 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attacked and captured an enemy machine-gun single-handed, killing the team. He then endeavoured to gain touch with the left and killed several of the enemy he met. He destroyed a trench mortar with a bomb, and all through the action he showed fine courage and determination, and was of the greatest assistance to his officers’. albert H. Bird entered the Army as Private 7956 in the R.A.V.C. but later transferred to the 18th (Bantum’s) Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, entering the France/Flanders theatre of war on 22 May 1915. Bird was awarded the D.C.M. for his distinguished service in the attack on Aveluy Wood, 1 June 1918. In the action the battalion suffered 2 officers and 18 other ranks killed, 7 officers and 144 other ranks wounded and 1 officer and 48 other ranks missing; and in the process gained three M.C’s. and two bars, one D.C.M. (Bird) and 10 M.M’s. sold with copied m.i.c., war diary extracts, regimental history extracts and other research. £700-£900

A Great War D.C.M. awarded to Acting Company Sergeant-Major W. T. Palmer, East Surrey Regiment distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (59 A.C.S. Mjr., 7/E. Surr. R.), with replacement fixed straight bar suspension, slight edge bruising, very fine £300-400 D.C.M. London Gazette 15 April 1916. ‘For gallantry and devotion to duty. In a mine explosion he, with three other men, continued bombing and firing till forced back. On a counter-attack being made he rendered material assistance’. william T. Palmer, East Surrey Regiment, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 1 June 1915. He later served in the Labour Corps. £300-£400

A Great War replacement D.C.M. awarded to Gunner R. Murphy, Royal Garrison Artillery distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (32403 Gnr., R.G.A. (Triplicate)), a late ‘triplicate’ issue, nearly extremely fine £200-300 D.C.M. London Gazette 14 January and 11 March 1916. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when he advanced with the infantry under heavy fire and constantly repaired telephone wires’. £200-£300

A rare Great War D.S.M. group of four awarded to 2nd Lieutenant C. H. Potts, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Air Service distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (M. 1008 C. H. Potts, C.P.O. Mech., R.N.A.S. Dover Patrol 1916-7); 1914-15 Star (M. 1008 C.P.O. 1, R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut., R.A.F.), the first with officially re-impressed naming, good very fine (4) £1500-1700 d.S.M. London Gazette 12 May 1917. The recommendation states: ‘A conspicuous and reliable Chief Petty Officer. He has invented and produced an automatic carburettor which has been fitted to all Clergent engines in the Dunkirk Command.’ Charles Harold Potts was born in Cambridge in March 1888 and entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Electrician 4th Class in May 1909. He subsequently served in H.M.S. Hermes in 1913, in which year Commander C. R. Samson tested a new aeroplane fitted with folding wings, which was launched from a special platform built over the bows of that ship, and by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 he had attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer Mechanic in the fledgling Royal Naval Air Service. entering the French theatre of war in June 1915, he was decorated for the above cited achievements at Dunkirk, and was advanced to Warrant Officer in July 1917. He went on to serve in No. 5 Squadron, 5 Wing, R.N.A.S., which unit was operating out of Condekerque on day bombing duties in D.H. 4s, a unit which was subsequently designated No. 205 Squadron on the formation of the Royal Air Force in April 1918 - see Bomber Pilot 1916-1918, by Squadron Leader C. P. O. Bartlett, D.S.C., for full details of No. 5’s operations and several references to Potts. The latter returned to the U.K. that July as a newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant and was finally placed on the Retired List in 1930. He is believed to have died in Wandsworth, London in late 1968. £1500-£1700

A Great War D.S.M. group of three awarded to Chief Petty Officer L. J. Hofgartner, Royal Navy distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (178122 P.O. Atlantic Ocean 30th July 1917), attempted erasure of name; Victory Medal 1914-19 (178122 Act. C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (178122 P.O., H.M.S. Hindustan); together with an unnamed British War Medal 1914-20, nearly very fine and better (4) £600-800 d.S.M. London Gazette 2 November 1917. ‘... for actions against enemy submarines’. lorenz John Hšfgartner was born in London on 13 October 1878. He entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 31 January 1894, being advanced to a Boy 1st Class in January 1895. Promoted to Ordinary Seaman whilst on the Royal Oak in October 1896; Able Seaman when on the Prince George in December 1897, and Leading Seaman on the Duke of Wellington in January 1903, he became a Petty Officer 2nd Class on Boscawen II in October 1904 and Petty Officer 1st Class on the Hindustan in July 1910. with the onset of war he was based at Attentive II (Dover), serving aboard the destroyer Flirt until December 1914. Based at Cormorant (Gibraltar) from March 1915, he served aboard the torpedo boat No.90, April 1915-May 1918. He was awarded the D.S.M. for his services aboard T.B.No.90 on 30 July 1917. The torpedo boat was on patrol west of Cape Spartal when she observed that the S.S. Ganges had been hit by a torpedo. Proceeding to her assistance she sighted a submarine. The submarine dived and the T.B. passed over her dropping a depth charge. Two further passes were made and a mass of bubbles and oil were seen on the surface. As bubbles were still coming up from the spot the following evening, it was deemed probable that the submarine had been sunk. hšfgartner attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer in September 1918 whilst on the Nimrod. Sold with copied service papers, Admiralty report of the sinking and a postcard featuring a torpedo boat. £600-£800

A good Second World War anti-U-boat operations D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Leading Seaman Matthew Lee, Royal Navy, for the destruction by H.M.S. Swale of the U-657 in May 1943 distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (JX. 276715 M. Lee, A.B.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, with original card forwarding box and Admiralty issuance slip for the campaign awards, good very fine and better (7) £1200-1400 d.S.M. London Gazette 7 September 1943: ‘For gallantry, skill and devotion to duty in actions against enemy submarines’. the original recommendation states: ‘This rating was the Asdic Operator who first gained contact with the U-Boat. His coolness and efficient operating during action resulted in the destruction of the U-Boat.’ Matthew Lee was born at Browney Colliery, Durham in November 1920 and entered the Royal Navy in July 1941. Posted to Osprey at Portland for training as an Asdic Operator that November, he joined the frigate H.M.S. Swale in June 1942, aboard which ship he was quickly employed off North Africa. But it was as a result of that ship’s subsequent convoy escort work in the Battle of the Atlantic that Lee won his D.S.M., namely on 17 May 1943, when, in response to the torpedoing of the S.S. Aymeric, Swale located and sunk by depth-charge the U-657 - there were no survivors. lee, who had already survived SC. 122 / HX. 229 in March 1943, one of the hardest fought of Atlantic convoys in which 22 ships were lost, went on to guide Swale in further noteworthy attacks, not least that leading to the destruction of the U-302 on 6 April 1944 - having just torpedoed two Norwegian merchantmen, Kapitain Herbert Sickel and his entire crew were lost to a devastating depth-charge and hedgehog attack delivered by Swale. latterly employed in the East Indies, Lee departed Swale as a Leading Seaman in August 1945 and was released from the service in April 1946. sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Admiralty letter of notification for the recipient’s D.S.M., dated 9 September 1943, and related Buckingham Palace forwarding letter; his Certificate of Service; a writing pad with his pencilled account of his journey back to the U.K. from the Indian Ocean in December 1945; and several wartime photographs and newspaper cuttings, one of the latter recounting the story of Swale’s rescue of the badly damaged Port Fairy. £1200-£1400

A fine Second World War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Able Seaman H. L. Bray, Royal Navy, a long served member of Coastal Forces who was decorated for his gallant work as an M.T.B. twin-Oerlikon gunlayer in a firefight with E-Boats in January 1945 distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B. H. L. Bray, P/JX. 314097); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals, the first with one or two edge bruises and surface scratches, otherwise good very fine or better (5) £1200-1500 D.S.M. London Gazette 24 April 1945: ‘For leadership, daring and resource whilst serving in Light Coastal Forces, in successfully repelling an attack on a convoy by E-Boats.’ The original recommendation states: ‘This rating was twin-Oerlikon gunlayer on M.T.B. 446 during an action with E-Boats on the night of 22 January 1945. His fire was accurate and well controlled and he scored repeated hits on one of the E-Boats. His bearing throughout the action in the face of heavy return fire was cool and courageous. Able Seaman Bray has served in Motor Gun Boats and Motor Torpedo Boats for two and a half years, taking part in numerous actions against the enemy. At all times his conduct has been exemplary and his gunlaying of the highest order.’ Hammond Leslie Bray, a native of Bilston, Staffordshire, was one of three crew members of M.T.B. 446 to be honoured for the above cited action off the Thames Estuary, the other two, both ratings, being awarded ‘mentions’. That evening, three groups of E-Boats set out to attack our convoys, one of them being engaged by M.T.Bs of the 35th Flotilla near Tongue Sand - a confused action ensued in which one enemy boat, S-119, was sunk, most probably as a result of a collision. sold with a portrait photograph of him, the reverse captioned, ‘Wolverhampton, wounded.’ £1200-£1500

A rare Second World War D.S.M. awarded to Leading Airman F. R. R. Lowe, Fleet Air Arm, who was killed in the Western Desert in July 1942 distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (FX. 79410 F. R. R. Lowe, L. Airmn.), number and initials officially corrected, otherwise extremely fine £3000-3500 D.S.M. London Gazette 11 June 1942. frederick Ronald Rhodes Lowe, a native of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, attended No. 11B Telegraphist Air Gunners’ Course at Worthy Down between August 1939 and January 1940, following which he joined No. 826 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, and would quickly have seen action in the Dunkirk operations, when the Squadron’s Albacores operated out of Detling. So, too, over the coming months, operating out of Bircham Newton under R.A.F. Coastal Command. In fact, between June and November 1940, 826 carried out 22 night attacks against coastal targets in Belgium, France and Holland, dropping seven tons of mines and 56 tons of bombs, in addition to escorting 92 convoys. And it was on one of these bombing missions, against invasion barges off Calais, on 11 September 1940, in Albacore L-7097, that Lowe fought off an attack by 109s - nonetheless, his pilot, Sub. Lieutenant A. H. Blacow was injured and their aircraft severely damaged. embarked for the Mediterranean in H.M.S. Formidable in November 1940, 826’s aircrew remained actively employed in shipborne operations in that theatre of war until coming ashore in the summer of 1941, a period encompassing anti-submarine patrols and bombardment spotting, in addition to a torpedo attack in the Battle of Matapan at the end of March, and a bombing raid on Scarpanto airfield during the evacuation of Crete in May. Once ashore, initially based in the Eastern Mediterranean, but later in the Western Desert, operations continued apace, successful flare-illumination co-operation work with the 7th Cruiser Squadron leading to 826 carrying out similar duties for the Army and the Desert Air Force, more often than not on the El Alamein front - in the four months leading up to that famous battle, 826 dropped 12,000 flares, in addition to carrying out regular bombing strikes against enemy troops and shipping. The Squadron’s war diary also refers to the occasional ‘special mission’, such as that flown by nine Albacores on the night of 9-10 July, a mission 250 miles behind enemy lines to salt flats south of Sidi Barrani, where, refuelled by Bombay transport aircraft, they went on to deliver an attack on an enemy convoy approaching Tobruk. sadly, on the night of 23-24 July 1942, operating out of Grebe, the Naval Air Station at Dekheila, near Alexandria, in Albacore X-9256, Lowe was killed in action in a strike against landing grounds at Daba, so, too, his fellow crew, Sub. Lieutenants J. D. Nunnerley and M. G. A. Whittle. Aged 21 years, Lowe was buried in El Alamein War Cemetery. £3000-£3500

A Great War M.M. and Bar group of five awarded to Private James Christie, Gordon Highlanders military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (9986 Pte., 2/Gord. Hdrs.); 1914 Star, with clasp (9986 Pte., 2/Gord. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals, small M.I.D. oakleaf (9986 Pte., Gordons); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (2865088 Pte. (M.M.) Gordons), mounted as worn, very fine and better (5) £1200-1400 m.M. London Gazette 14 December 1916. bar to M.M. London Gazette 18 July 1917. m.I.D. London Gazette 17 February 1915. private James Christie, 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 7 October 1914, being employed as batman to Captain James Burnett. The battalion was soon in action. On 29 October, during the 1st Battle of Ypres, Captain Burnett was severely wounded whilst leading his company in a counter-attack near Ghevulet. His batman, Private Christie carried him to safety. An account of the action was given by a fellow ‘Gordon’: ‘After the successful counter-attack the battalion retired to their own lines, by which time night had fallen. At this point James Christie realized Captain Burnett was missing. Private Christie made his way back across the battlefield to the point he last saw his company commander, James Christie had covered almost three-quarters of a mile and was within a stone-throw of the German trenches when he found the wounded officer. Capt. Burnett spotted a figure on the skyline and hoping it was a friend he sounded a distinctive call on his whistle. Private Christie had promptly responded when they came under fire from the German trenches. Heaving the wounded officer on to his back, Private Christie returned to the British trenches, still under fire’. for his actions, Christie was subsequently mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Medal. He remained with Captain Burnett for the remainder of the war, later winning a bar to his Military Medal. After the war he continued as Burnett’s chauffeur until the 1930’s. He later lived on the Crathes Castle Estate and died on 14 December 1852. captain Burnett was later Major-General Sir James Burnett, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., 25th Laird of Leys and 13th Baronet. sold with a quantity of copied research on both Christie and Burnett. Also two copied photographs of the recipient. £1200-£1400

A fascinating Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. and bar group of four awarded to Serjeant Irvin Hullah, Royal Field Artillery, killed in action 4 April 1918 military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (62495 Sjt., 53/By. R.F.A.); 1914 Star (62495 Bmbr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (62495 Sjt., R.A.); Brighouse Tribute Medal (Sergt. I. Hullah. M.M., 62495, R.F.A.), complete with embroidered ribbon and ‘Victory’ top bar; Memorial Plaque (Irvin Hullah) extremely fine (6) £1000-1400 m.M. London Gazette 27 October 1916. bar to M.M. London Gazette 18 July 1917. irvin Hullah was born on 16 May 1892 at Lyagate Hipperholme, Brighouse, Yorkshire, the son of James and Emma Hullah. In March 1900, Emma Hullah, nee Martin, married Benjamin Hollings at Halifax Parish Church; the family then went to live at St. Sampsons, Guernsey. Irvin Hullah enlisted into the Army at Bradford and served with the Royal Field Artillery. As a Bombardier serving with the R.F.A. he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on ............. Serving with the the 53rd Battery R.F.A. he was awarded the Military Medal and Bar for his several acts of bravery. Two handwritten reports provide the details: ‘(62495 Cpl. Hullah, 53 Battery R.F.A.) Your Commanding Officer and Brigade Commander have informed me that you distinguished yourself on (2nd and 20th August 1915) near (at Hooge). I have read this report with much pleasure. [Signed] Major-General Commanding 6th Division, British Army in the Field, 5th October 1915’. ‘62495 Sgt. Irvin Hullah, 53rd Battery R.F.A. Your Commanding Officer and Brigade Commander have informed me that you distinguished yourself by your great gallantry on 18/5/17 at ______ when under very heavy fire, you endeavoured to rescue two men from a dugout which had been destroyed by an 8 inch shell. I have read this report with much pleasure. C. Ross Major-General Commanding 6th Division’. shortly after, on 17 June 1917, Sergeant Hullah was wounded but was able to rejoin his unit on 17 July and was on home leave in October. He was killed in action whilst serving with ‘C’ Battery, 107th Brigade, on 4 April 1918, aged 25 years. A letter to his mother written by Battery Quartermaster Serjeant Brooks, dated, 4 July 1918, gave the circumstances of his death: ‘........ I have obtained the following particulars from a fellow Sgt. who was in action at the time. On the morning of the 4th April, he was just behind his gun talking to our late Commanding Officer, Major J. R. Grieve, M.C., when a shell came over and struck both. A piece struck Irvin in the head and it is one consolation to know that death was practically instantaneous. He & I were chums, and in him I lost a companion who possessed and displayed the best virtues of manhood.....’ Major Grieve and Serjeant Hullah were buried where they fell near the Bois de Senecat (?), not far from the village of Hailles, 10 miles S.W. from Amiens. Both bodies were later removed to adjacent graves at the Moreuil Communal Cemetery Allied Extension, in the Avre Valley to the S.E. of Amiens. His name was also recorded on the Brighouse War Memorial. His Military Medal and Bar was presented to his mother, Mrs Emma Hollings, by the Lieutenant Governor and G.O.C. Guernsey at a public parade at the Fort Field, Guernsey, on 26 February 1919. sold with an array of original documents and letters, including: the recipient’s Birth Certificate; handwritten reports from the G.O.C. 6th Division, on two postcards, providing details of his M.M. actions; Army B.104 Forms (3) reporting his wounding, his return to duty, and his death in action; 1914 Star and British War Medal forwarding slips addressed to ‘Mrs E. Hollings, Rocq Rd., St. Sampsons, Guernsey’; Commemorative Scroll; Memorial Plaque enclosure; two letters to his mother from B.Q.M.S. Brooks concerning her son’s death, dated 6 May 1918 & 4 July 1918 (both damaged); a letter from Army H.Q. Guernsey to Mrs Hollings giving the place, date and time of the presentation of her son’s M.M. and Bar; a letter from the Rev. E. S. Merriman, attached 107th Brigade H.Q., R.F.A. concerning his grave, dated 14 March 1919; a letter from the next-of-kin of Major Grieve concerning the graves of Major Grieve and Serjeant Hullah. also with a letter to his mother from his fiance, Jane Ruckin, of 17 Vale Road, Brighouse, dated 2 October 1918, giving poignant details of his last home leave: ‘I feel that I must write a few lines .... Poor Boy, it will be just a year on Saturday since he came on leave .... One morning he said to me, ‘You know Janie, I am afraid Mother will be hurt because I have not spent my leave with her, what do you think I should have done?’ I told him that I thought until one was married, ‘Mothers’, should come first. He answered, ‘Yes, but I am thinking of my future, I shall want a home & a wife when the war is over’. Poor Boy, he was sure of his Mother’s love & he wanted to make sure of the other. But it was not to be, God has taken him to a Brighter Home. ....’ £1000-£1400

A rare Great War M.M. and Bar group of four awarded to Leading Seaman William Thewlis, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Hawke Battalion, Royal Naval Division, who was twice severely wounded military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (TZ-5052 A.B.-H.G. W. Thewlis, Hawke Bn., R.N.V.R.); 1914-15 Star (T.Z. 5052 A.B., R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (T.Z. 5052 L.S., R.N.V.R.), very fine and better (4) £2000-2500 m.M. London Gazette 11 February 1919. bar to M.M. London Gazette 20 August 1919. william Thewlis, a native of Chirton, North Shields, was born in January 1895 and worked as a miner with the Preston Coal Company prior to enlisting in the Tyneside Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, in June 1915 - aged 20 years, he stood at just five feet, three and a half inches tall. posted to Hawke Battalion, Royal Naval Division, in December 1915, which unit he joined out in Imbros in the New Year, he was re-embarked for France in May 1916 and wounded in action on 13 November of the same year. Treated at No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne for a gunshot wound to his left shoulder, Thewlis was invalided home in the hospital ship St. Denis and did not rejoin his battalion out in France until May 1917. again severely wounded during a gas attack in March 1918, he was invalided home to the Admiralty Edinburgh War Hospital at Bangour, West Lothian. Here, however, he was quickly discharged, pressure from the German Spring Offensive having taken its toll, but an endeavour to get him quickly back in the Field failed, his records noting that he was again invalided from France in May. Finally, at the end of August, he rejoined the Hawke Battalion proper and was advanced to Able Seaman (H.G.) in the following month. A few days later he received confirmation that he had been awarded the M.M., by Routine Order dated 24 September 1918, an award no doubt reflecting his gallant services earlier in the year, when he was wounded. further advanced to Leading Seaman, Thewlis was awarded a Bar to his M.M. in Routine Orders dated 15 January 1919, and just three weeks later he was re-embarked for England, where he was demobilised at Ripon. £2000-£2500

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. and Bar group of three awarded to Private W. H. Lewis, Royal Welsh Fusiliers military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (4353 Pte., 9/R. W. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (4353 Pte., R. W. Fus.) first with signs of brooch mounting to obv., suspension refitted, slight edge bruising, very fine (3) £550-650 M.M. London Gazette 2 November 1917. bar to M.M. London Gazette 29 August 1918. private W. H. Lewis, 9th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was born in Newport. In action in France, he was awarded the M.M. on 4 September 1917 for his bravery when he was wounded in action (possibly in the attack of 31 August 1917?). He was subsequently awarded a bar to the M.M. for a later action in France. Sold with some copied research. £550-£650

A Great War M.M. and Bar awarded to Gunner A. Bicknell, Royal Field Artillery, killed in action, 5 September 1918 military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (95153 Gnr., D.63/Bde. R.F.A.) nearly extremely fine £400-500 M.M. London Gazette 19 February 1917. bar to M.M. London Gazette 10 March 1918. alfred Bicknell was born in Fulham and enlisted at London. Serving as a Corporal with ‘D’ Battery, 63rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, he was killed in action on 5 September 1918. He was buried in the Combles Communal Cemetery Extension. He was the son of Mrs Alice Sarah Chapman of 461 North End Road, Fulham. £400-£500

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M., Second World War ‘Home Guard’ B.E.M. group of six awarded to Sergeant W. G. Strong, Kent Home Guard, late Scottish Rifles military Medal, G.V.R. (19770 Pte., 9/Sco. Rifles); British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Sgt., H.G.); 1914-15 Star (19770 Pte., Sco. Rif.); British War and Victory Medals (19770 L. Cpl., M.M., Sco. Rif.), these three late issues; Defence, unnamed; Silver War Badge (433994), lacking pin fitting, nearly extremely fine (10) £500-600

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Private C. G. Pearce, 1st Battalion, Scots Guards military Medal, G.V.R. (6172 A. L. Cpl., 1/S. Gds.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (6172 Pte., S. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (6172 Pte., S. Gds.) minor edge bruise to first, otherwise generally very fine or better (4) £400-500 M.M. London Gazette 14 January 1918. sold with copy m.i.c. confirming that he first served in the French theatre of war from 13 August 1914. £400-£500

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant E. J. Westbrook, Middlesex Regiment military Medal, G.V.R. (7792 Cpl., 4/Middx. R.); 1914 Star (L-7792 Pte., 4/Midd’x. R.), rosette on ribbon; British War and Victory Medals (L-7792 Pte., Midd’x. R.), on the ‘Victory’ the rank has been erased and privately engraved, ‘Sjt.’, contact marks, nearly very fine (4) £380-420 M.M. London Gazette 23 August 1916. £380-£420

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant G. Griffin, Scottish Rifles, killed in action in Palestine, 23 November 1917. military Medal, G.V.R. (8918 L. Cpl., 2/Sco. Rif.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8918 L. Cpl., 1/Sco. Rif.); British War and Victory Medals (8918 Sjt., Sco. Rif.), mounted for display; Memorial Plaque (George Griffin), in card envelope, good very fine (5) £650-750 M.M. London Gazette 11 November 1916. george Griffin was born in Old Ford, Middlesex and enlisted at Stratford. Serving with the 1st Battalion Scottish Rifles he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 31 August 1914. Serving with the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles, he was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery. When serving with the 7th Battalion, he was killed in action in Palestine on 23 November 1917. He was buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery. £650-£750

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Corporal H. A. M. Bilston, 27 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, who was killed in action on 27 September 1918 military Medal, G.V.R. (40934 Cpl., 27/Sge. By. R.G.A.); 1914 Star, with clasp (40934 Gnr., R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (40934 Cpl., R.A.) single edge bruise to first, otherwise good very fine or better (4) £350-400 M.M. London Gazette 13 November 1918. henry Augustus Morris Bilston was born and lived in Bermondsey, Surrey. He was killed in action in France and Flanders on 27 September 1918. £350-£400

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant L. Bennett, Royal Field Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (59549 Cpl., 41/By. R.F.A.); 1914 Star, with copy slip-on clasp (59549 Gnr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (59549 Sjt., R.A.) nearly very fine and better (4) £300-340 M.M. London Gazette 27 October 1916. £300-£340

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Private Herbert Pollington, Grenadier Guards, who accidently drowned on 31 January 1919 military Medal, G.V.R. (20454 Pte., 3/G. Gds.); 1914-15 Star (20454 Pte., G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (20454 Pte., G. Gds.) good very fine (4) £400-450 M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919. herbert Pollington was born in Northallerton, Yorkshire. A Farm Labourer by occupation, he attested for service in the Grenadier Guards at Thirsk on 14 November 1914, aged 18 years, 1 month. With the Grenadier Guards he served in France/Flanders, 5 October 1915-18 September 1916; 19 January-2 December 1917, and 1 April 1918-until the end of the war, and thence with the Army of Occupation. He was wounded on 14/17 September 1916, with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. For his services with the 3rd Battalion he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. Information from the family indicates that Pollington accidently drowned on 31 January 1919, whilst trying to save some German children who had fallen through the ice on a frozen pond. He was buried with full military honours in the Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany, on 8 February 1919. sold with copied attestation papers and other research. £400-£450

The Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Corporal F. H. Higgins, Dorsetshire Regiment, killed in action, 1 October 1918 military Medal, G.V.R. (10084 L. Cpl., 5/Dorset. R.); 1914-15 Star (10084 Pte., Dorset. R.); British War and Victory Medals (10084 Cpl., Dorset. R.); Memorial Plaque (Frederick Henry Higgins) first with slight edge bruising, nearly very fine; others good very fine (5) £600-700 M.M. London Gazette 6 January 1917. frederick Henry Higgins was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, and living in Puddletown, Dorset, enlisted at Dorchester. Serving with the 5th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 11 July 1915. With the same unit he was subsequently awarded the M.M. for bravery in the field, being presented with the medal at Pernois, Somme, on 15 November 1916. He was killed in action on 1 October 1918 as the 5th Battalion advanced near Epinoy. Corporal Higgins was buried in the Chapel Corner Cemetery, Sauchy-Lestree, Pas de Calais, France. Sold with original card envelope and slip for the Memorial Plaque and a folder containing copied m.i.c., diary and gazette extracts, photographs of his grave stone and the cemetery and other research. £600-£700

A good Great War Salonika operations M.M. group of five awarded to Corporal H. R. Wateridge, Royal Lancaster Regiment military Medal, G.V.R. (16430 Pte. H. R. Wateridge, 9/R. Lanc. R.); 1914-15 Star (16430 Pte., R. Lanc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (16430 Cpl., R. Lanc. R.), single initial ‘H.’ on these three; Russian Medal of St. George, 3rd class, silver, the reverse officially numbered ‘167762’, contact marks and polished, good fine and better (5) £600-800 M.M. London Gazette 12 December 1916. The following information was taken from Order No. 558, 12 Corps, dated 30 September 1916: ‘He has repeatedly shown coolness and initiative and bravery while with carrying parties. He was out again on the afternoon of 14 September and took a prominent part in helping wounded during the severest fire.’ Russian Medal of St. George London Gazette 15 February 1917. herbert Reginald Wateridge originally entered the French theatre of war in September 1915, prior to his gallant exploits in the Salonika operations. the relevant war diary reveals a good deal of activity on 14 September 1916 in the 9/Royal Lancaster’s positions in Macedonia, including a heavy bombardment and resultant casualties - ‘All ranks behaved splendidly and showed great courage and coolness’; so, too, the award of Wateridge’s Russian Medal of Zeal on 7 November; sold with an old typed copy of the announcements for his M.M. and Russian Medal of St. George, as per Corps and Regimental Orders. £600-£800

A Great War M.M. group of five awarded to Corporal D. Harris, 6th Battalion, London Regiment military Medal, G.V.R. (320185 Pte., 6/Lond. R.); 1914-15 Star (1460 Pte., 6-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1460 Cpl., 6-Lond. R.); Defence Medal 1939-45, edge inscribed ‘D. Harris’, some minor contact wear and edge bruising, therefore nearly very fine or better (5) £350-400 M.M. London Gazette 17 April 1917. £350-£400

A Great War M.M. group of five awarded to Private C. H. Crump, Royal Army Medical Corps military Medal, G.V.R. (11780 Pte., R.A.M.C.); 1914-15 Star (11780 Pte., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (11780 Pte., R.A.M.C.); Special Constabulary Long Service, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Charles H. Crump); together with a mounted set of four miniature dress medals (M.M. detached), nearly extremely fine (9) £280-320 M.M. London Gazette 23 July 1919. charles Harold Crump was born in 1896. A Plumber by occupation from Walsall, he enlisted at Darlaston on 23 March 1915. He served as a Stretcher Bearer with 19 C.C.S., ? 1915-November 1916 and with 88th Field Ambulance, November 1916-June 1919. Serving in the 38th Field Ambulance he was awarded the M.M. for bravery in the field. He was transferred to the Reserve on 2 August 1919 and was discharged from the Reserve on 22 March 1935. sold with a good collection of original documents, including: recipient’s Discharge Certificate; Character Certificate; Certificate of Employment during the War; letter of congratulations on the award of the M.M. signed by Lieutenant-General Aylmer Hunter-Weston, Commanding VIII Corps; two photographs; and a 38th Field Ambulance Menu, Xmas 1918, signed by many of the members of the unit. £280-£320

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant B. E. Pearce, Royal Army Medical Corps military Medal, G.V.R. (36420 Sjt., 43/F.A. R.A.M.C.); 1914-15 Star (36420 Sjt., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (36420 Sjt., R.A.M.C.); together with a Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes War Commemorative Medal 1914-19 (Bro. B. Pearce M.M.), with enamelled ‘RAOB’ ribbon emblem and top bar, good very fine and better (5) £300-350 M.M. London Gazette 21 December 1916 benjamin Ernest Pearce, serving with the 43rd Field Ambulance R.A.M.C., entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 21 May 1915. He was subsequently awarded the M.M. for bravery in the field, being notified of his award on 11 October 1916. in a newspaper cutting it was reported, ‘Sergeant Ben Pearce, R.A.M.C., son of Mr and Mrs Pearce of 54, Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, has this week returned to France after a few days’ special leave, granted in view of his having been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the field. For 21 consecutive days during the Somme battle he led his ambulance to and from the firing line conveying wounded to shelter over a distance of more than four miles, under continuous and heavy shell fire, his gallant work receiving recognition in the above reward. Sergeant Pearce who was formerly engaged with Messrs. Whatley and Co., of Cirencester, is the eldest of four brothers, all of whom volunteered for service early in the war, and all of whom are now serving abroad. ... He joined the R.A.M.C. from the Red Cross camp in Earl Bathurst’s Park in August, 1914, and in less than four months had been promoted to the rank of sergeant, while yet short of his 21st birthday. Sergeant Pearce was for several years of the 1st Cirencester Company Boys’ Brigade, becoming a sergeant and eventually lieutenant in that corps, holding the latter rank at the time of his enlistment, and the training received in the ranks of the Brigade has proved of the utmost value in his military career’. a second newspaper cutting reported that three of the brothers were awarded the Military Medal. A third cutting reports on the coroner’s inquiry into the death of Benjamin Pearce. He died in Cirencester Memorial Hospital in March 1924 following a motor cycle collision. A verdict of accidental death was recorded. Sold with a folder containing newspaper cuttings and copied m.i.c. and war diary extracts. for a group to one of his brothers, see Lot 1148. £300-£350

Family group to three brothers: a Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Private H. Johnstone, Royal Army Medical Corps military Medal, G.V.R. (354182 Pte., R.A.M.C.); 1914-15 Star (372 Pte., R.A.M.C. ); British War and Victory Medals, these two with erased naming three: Private J. A. Johnstone, Royal Army Medical Corps 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-20, these two with erased naming; Victory Medal 1914-19 (355 Pte., R.A.M.C..) three: Private A. M. Johnstone, Royal Army Medical Corps 1914-15 Star (277 Pte., R.A.M.C. ); British War and Victory Medals (277 Pte., R.A.M.C.) very fine and better (10) £220-260 M.M. London Gazette 13 March 1919. ‘Pte., 44th Fd. Amb. (Manchester)’. harold Johnstone of 53 Clarendon Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, attested for service in the R.A.M.C. at Manchester on 1 September 1914, aged 20 years, 10 months. With the R.A.M.C. he entered the Egypt theatre of war on 26 September 1914 and served with the E.E.F. until 1 June 1915. He then served in Gallipoli, 7 June-20 October 1915 and with the B.E.F., 12 May 1917-7 July 1919. For his bravery in the field whilst serving with the 44th Field Ambulance he was awarded the Military Medal. He was discharged on 31 March 1920. Sold with copied service and m.i.c. john Arthur Johnstone of 53 Clarendon Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, attested for service in the R.A.M.C. at Manchester on 4 September 1914, aged 19 years, 1 month. With the R.A.M.C. he entered the Egypt theatre of war on 26 September 1914 and served with the E.E.F. until 5 May 1915. He then served in Gallipoli, 10 May-8 July 1915; Malta, 16 July 1915-28 March 1916; with the E.E.F., 27 March-5 April 1918, and with the B.E.F., 17 April 1918-10 April 1919. He was discharged on 31 March 1920. Sold with copied service papers and m.i.c. alexander Mortimer Johnstone of 53 Clarendon Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, attested for service in the R.A.M.C. at Manchester on 23 February 1914, aged 21 years, 10 months. With the R.A.M.C. he entered the Egypt theatre of war on 26 September 1914 and served with the E.E.F. until 5 May 1915. He then served in Gallipoli, 10 May 1915-12 January 1916, with the E.E.F., 18 January 1916-2 March 1917 and the B.E.F., 12 March 1917-9 January 1919. He was discharged on 31 March 1920. Sold with copied service papers and m.i.c. £220-£260

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of five awarded to Serjeant T. Allcock, Royal Horse Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (39003 S.S. Cpl., R.H.A.); 1914-15 Star (39003 S. Sth. Cpl., R.H.A.); British War and Victory Medals (39003 Cpl., R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (1035983 Sjt., (M.M.) R.A.) some contact marks, very fine and better, scarce with citation (5) £400-500 M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1918. the citation for the M.M., taken from a listing of men of the 29th Divisional Artillery who received honours, reads: ‘Alcock (sic), T., 39003, Cpl./S.S., ‘B’ Battery, R.H.A. Flanders, 1918 - During the operations from September 28th to October 22nd between Ypres and Courtrai, this N.C.O. showed great gallantry and skill in handling men and horses under fire. He has frequently taken teams and ammunition over heavily shelled roads, and on one occasion when horses were stampeded by shell fire did splendid work in restoring order, caring for the wounded and inspiring the men with confidence. On another occasion near Kruiseecke he displayed great courage and powers of command when the wagon lines of which he was in charge came under heavy machine gun fire’. £400-£500

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Gunner B. A. Robinson, Royal Garrison Artillery, killed in action, 11 May 1917 military Medal, G.V.R. (48649 Gnr., 32/Sge. By. R.G.A.); 1914-15 Star (48649 Gnr., R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (48649 Gnr., R.A.); Memorial Plaque (Bertram Albert Robinson), in card envelope, nearly extremely fine (5) £500-600 M.M. London Gazette 18 July 1917. bertram Albert Robinson was born in and enlisted at Birmingham. As a Gunner in the R.G.A. he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 2 October 1915. Whilst serving with the 32nd Siege Battery, R.G.A. he was awarded the M.M. for bravery. He was killed in action on 11 May 1917 and was buried in the Feuchy British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. sold with copied m.i.c., war diary extract and other research. £500-£600

A Great War M.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 C. Lott, Royal Garrison Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (37963 Sjt., 26/Sge. By. R.G.A.); 1914-15 Star (37963 Cpl., R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (37963 A.W.O. Cl.2, R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (1408090 W.O. Cl. II, M.M., R.A.) some contact marks, about very fine and better (5) £300-340 M.M. London Gazette 26 March 1917. corporal Charles Lott, R.G.A., entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 3 August 1915. Sold with copied m.i.c. and gazette extract. £300-£340

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Gunner C. Taylor, Royal Field Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (L-5630 Gnr., A.153/A.F.A. Bde. R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (L-5830 Gnr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (L-5630 Gnr., R.A.) good very fine and better (4) £280-320 M.M. London Gazette 18 June 1917. £280-£320

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Battery Quartermaster Serjeant J. T. Russell, Royal Field Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (42609 Sjt., C.124/Bde. R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (42609 Bmbr. (A. Cpl.), R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (42609 B.Q.M. Sjt., R.A.) good very fine (4) £280-320 M.M. London Gazette 12 December 1917. The recipient came from Winchester. £280-£320

A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant W. H. Holmes, 282 London Brigade Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (47620 Sjt., 282/Lond. Bde. A.C. R.F.A.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (47620 Sjt., R.F.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (47620 Sjt., R.A.) good very fine (3) £180-220 M.M. London Gazette 21 August 1917. £180-£220

A scarce Great War ‘Italy’ M.M. group of three awarded to Private V. C. T. White, 1/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, who was killed in action on 20 October 1918 military Medal, G.V.R. (200986 Pte., 1/4 R. Berks. R.); British War and Victory Medals (200986 Pte., R. Berks. R.); together with a bronze religous medal, nearly extremely fine (4) £400-450 M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918. victor Charles Thomas White was born at Uffington, Berkshire and enlisted at Reading. He was killed in action in Italy on 20 October 1918, just one day before the award of his Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette. £400-£450

A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Private H. Hall, Royal West Kent Regiment and Royal Fusiliers military Medal, G.V.R. (G-21048 Pte., 10/R. W. Kent R.); British War and Victory Medals (4691 Pte., R. Fus.); together with Royal West Kent Regiment cap badge; Royal Fusiliers shoulder badge; two General Service buttons; B.R.C.S. ‘East Lancs’ brass and enamel medal; and a spent bullet, nearly extremely fine (3) £350-400 M.M. London Gazette 9 December 1916. sold with a photograph of recipient in later life and a contemporary newspaper cutting entitled ‘For Bravery in The Field’, which includes a photograph of recipient in uniform and which states: ‘Private Henry Hall, Royal Fusiliers (attached Royal West Kent Regiment), has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in conveying messages under heavy shell fire. Private Hall is a member of the Manchester Branch, and prior to enlistment was employed as a compositor at the office of Percy Gill, Tib-lane, Manchester.’ £350-£400

A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Lieutenant L. G. Hills, East Surrey Regiment, late London Regiment, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force military Medal, G.V.R. (1343 L. Cpl. L. G. Hills, 21/Lond. R.-T.F.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut., R.A.F.); War Medal 1939-45, this last in its original card forwarding box, with related Army Council condolence slip, together with 21/London Regiment and R.A.F. badges, generally good very fine (6) £500-700 M.M. London Gazette 10 August 1916. leslie Goldston Hills, a native of Streatham, London, who was born in March 1893, originally enlisted in the 21/London Regiment in September 1912. First entering the French theatre of war in March 1915 - and thereby gaining entitlement to a 1914-15 Star - the award of his M.M. most likely stemmed from the Battalion’s part in heavy fighting on Vimy Ridge in May 1916, although accompanying extracts from the Battalion’s war diary also reveal much activity in the vicinity of Loos earlier in the year, including patrol work and heavy enemy bombardments. Absolutely certain is the fact the 21st was decimated in an attack on High Wood on the Somme in mid-September, just two officers and 60 men remaining out of the 570 that had started out. commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers in May 1917, Hills was accepted as an Observer on probation in the Royal Flying Corps in March 1918, and was attached to No. 7 Squadron out in France from June until the end of hostilities. He was placed on the Unemployed List as a Lieutenant in May 1919. Recalled to the Colours on the renewal of hostilities, Hills was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the East Surreys, and died in the U.K. on 11 February 1941, aged 47 years. He is commemorated on a panel in West Norwood Cemetery. £500-£700

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of five awarded to Acting Corporal A. J. Barnes, Royal Engineers, late Middlesex Regiment military Medal, G.V.R. (107400 L. Cpl., 8/D.S. Co. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (13837 Pte., Midd’x. R.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (1858977 A. Cpl., R.E.); together with a 1914 Star, with copy clasp, this with erased naming, good very fine (6) £250-300 M.M. London Gazette 6 January 1917. arthur Joseph Barnes, a Wire Rope maker by occupation, entered the Middlesex Regiment in November 1911. He was transferred to the Royal Engineers in August 1915. During the Great War he served in France/Flanders, 5 November 1914-24 December 1916; Salonica, 5 December 1918-4 January 1919, and Trans-Caucasia, from 4 January 1919. For his service in the 8th Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers, attached 23rd Infantry Brigade, he was awarded the Military Medal. He was transferred to ‘Class Z’ Reserve on 20 July 1919. Sold with Middlesex Regiment cap badge; a number of copied service papers, m.i.c., etc. Several times listed for misdemenours on his Regimental Conduct Sheet. £250-£300

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Private A. Gray, Royal Army Service Corps military Medal, G.V.R. (M-281244 Pte., R.A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (M-281244 Pte., A.S.C.), mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £200-240 M.M. London Gazette 20 August 1919 - attached to the 51st Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C. the recipient came from Dundalk. £200-£240

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to 2nd Corporal A. Jones, South African Railways Overseas Dominion Section military Medal, G.V.R. (5832 Cpl., S.A.R.S.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (2/Cpl., S.A.R.O.D.S.) edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (3) £350-400 M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1919. ‘93rd Broad Gauge Operating Company, 2nd South African Railway Service’. albert Jones was born in Maritzburg, Natal. An Engine Driver by occupation, he had previously served in the suppression of the Natal Rebellion of 1906. He attested for service in the S.A. Expeditionary Force at Roberts Heights on 22 November 1916, giving his place of residence as Durban. Serving with the S.A.R.O.D.S. he was posted to France. For his services there he was subsequently awarded the Military Medal. He was discharged on 29 May 1919. Sold with copied service papers which show that he was accidently wounded in the face by a bayonet in January 1919. £350-£400

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Gunner A. E. Miller, Royal Garrison Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (60992 Gnr., 156/Sge. By. R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (60992 Gnr., R.A.) nearly extremely fine (3) £300-350 M.M. London Gazette 16 July 1918. arthur Edward Miller was born at 53 Rainbow Street, Camberwell on 21 April 1888. During the Great War he enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery and served in France, was wounded and was awarded the Military Medal. During the Second Word War he served in the Home Guard and Police. Latterly he was employed as Security Officer at the Piccadilly Hotel, London. sold with recipient’s Birth Certificate; three photographs; copied m.i.c. and gazette extract; two notebooks, handwritten by the recipient, containing poems; one inscribed, ‘Written on the Battlefields of France in 1916, A. Miller, M.M.’, and ‘Property of A. Miller, M.M., 3 Grange House, 229 Church Street, Stoke Newington’. Also with a third notebook, written during the Second World War, containing his handwritten reminiscences of his time in the Army during the Great War - this with a typed version (plus floppy disk) entitled, ‘A Soldier’s Story’ (by) ‘A. E. Miller, M.M.’ In it, Miller relates his adventures in the Army, his brushes with authority and wartime action. ‘.... Then came the great retreat of March 1918, when we were machine gunned from our position, and lost five guns out of 6. At that time our artillery fire had played much havoc with the bosche that it was common knowledge that no allied prisoners were taken. When it looked as though we should be captured, I cut all my gun buttons off my tunic and great coat, and put a couple of red cross armlets in my pocket, so if I was captured I could say I was a stretcher bearer. We retreated 80 miles in five days, and each night we stopped and fired our 8in. howitzer, that fired a shell of 220lbs. I was given the job of plotting out the gun position (ie the line of fire) each night. ...’ £300-£350