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The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals worn by Private E. Kenna, V.C., 2/4 Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Military Forces, together with the recipient’s original Hancocks & Co. Victoria Cross case of issue, signed by him Victoria Cross; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Australia Service Medal; Coronation 1953; Jubilee 1977, these court mounted and of modern manufacture; together with the recipient’s original case of issue for his Victoria Cross, the inner lid of the brown leather and gilt-tooled, hinged case inscribed ‘By appointment to the late King George V. Hancocks & Co. (Jewellers) Ltd., 9 Vigo Street, London W1’ and also signed in black ink ‘Edward Kenna V.C.’, the medal group extremely fine; the case with minor scuff marks to leather and some internal wear but overall good condition (8) £800-£1,200 --- Provenance: Warwick Cary Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, November 2020. V.C. London Gazette 6 September 1945: ‘In the South West Pacific at Wewak on 15th May, 1945, during the attack on the Wirui Mission features, Private Kenna's company had the task of capturing certain enemy positions. The only position from which observation for supporting fire could be obtained was continuously swept by enemy heavy machine gun fire and it was not possible to bring Artillery or Mortars into action. Private Kenna's platoon was ordered forward to deal with the enemy machine gun post, so that the company operation could proceed. His section moved as close as possible to the bunker in order to harass any enemy seen, so that the remainder of the platoon could attack from the flank. When the attacking sections came into view of the enemy they were immediately engaged at very close range by heavy automatic fire from a position not previously disclosed. Casualties were suffered and the attackers could not move further forward. Private Kenna endeavoured to put his Bren gun into a position where he could engage the bunker, but was unable to do so because of the nature of the ground. On his own initiative and without orders Private Kenna immediately stood up in full view of the enemy less than fifty yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip. The enemy machine gun immediately returned Private Kenna's fire and with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and his body. Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. Still making a target of himself, Private Kenna discarded his Bren gun and called for a rifle. Despite the intense machine gun fire, he seized the rifle and, with amazing coolness, killed the gunner with his first round. A second automatic opened fire on Private Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into position behind the first machine gun, but Private Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round. The result of Private Kenna's magnificent bravery in the face of concentrated fire, was that the bunker was captured without further loss, and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion, many enemy being killed and numerous automatic weapons captured. There is no doubt that the success of the company attack would have been seriously endangered and many casualties sustained but for Private Kenna's magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety. His action was an outstanding example of the highest degree of bravery.’ Edward Kenna was born in 1919 at Hamilton, Victoria. He volunteered for service in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force in June 1942, was assigned to the 2/4th Battalion and embarked for New Guinea in October 1944. On 15 May 1945, Kenna was involved in an action near Wewak, New Guinea, during which he exposed himself to heavy fire, killing a Japanese machine gun crew and making it possible for his company's attack to succeed. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Three weeks later he was shot in the mouth and spent more than a year in hospital before being discharged from the AIF in December 1946. He was invested with his Victoria Cross by the Governor General of Australia, The Duke of Gloucester, in Melbourne, on 6 January 1947. The last surviving Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross of the Second World War, ‘Ted’ Kenna V.C. died in Geeling, Victoria in 2009, after which a state funeral was held in St Patrick's Cathedral, East Melbourne. Sold together with an Edward Kenna commemorative card, signed ‘To Mathew with regards, Edward Kenna V.C.’; a photograph of Kenna seated behind the desk at Cary Corporation, signed ‘Edward Kenna V.C.’; and a photographic image of Kenna and his wife together with Mathew Cary, the son of Warwick Cary, holding the lot.

The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals worn by Lieutenant Commander J. S. Mould G.C., G.M., Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve George Cross; George Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Australia Service Medal; Coronation 1953, mounted as worn; together with a Boatswain’s Whistle, good very fine (8) £500-£700 --- Provenance: Warwick Cary Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, November 2020. G.C. London Gazette 3 November 1942: ‘For great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty’ G.M. London Gazette 28 April 1942: ‘For gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty’ John Stuart Mould was born on 21 March 1910 at Gosforth, Northumberland and emigrated to Australia at a young age. Educated at Sydney Grammar School and subsequently in London, he returned to Sydney in 1934 and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 14 June 1940. Mould contracted bronchial pneumonia and, while recuperating, qualified through the Yachtsmen Scheme for appointment as sub lieutenant, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve. Discharged from the A.I.F., he was mobilised in the R.A.N.V.R. on 14 September and sent to England where he volunteered for 'special duties ashore' - service in the Royal Navy's Rendering Mines Safe section, primarily concerned with ‘delousing’ German sea mines which had been dropped on land or washed ashore. He was provisionally promoted lieutenant in December and posted to H.M.S. Vernon. Mould received a commendation for bravery in June 1941 and won the George Medal in April 1942 for 'outstanding work on dock clearance operations and those resulting in the stripping of the early German mine Type G'. Mould recovered, defused and investigated the first German magnetic acoustic unit and moored magnetic mine, allowing British scientists to devise countermeasures and in November 1942 he was awarded the George Cross for 'great gallantry and devotion to duty'. Promoted acting lieutenant commander in January 1943, Mould then worked with Professor John Scott Haldane to develop a diving-suit with an integrated air supply system. Later that year Mould, Lieutenant Leon Goldsworthy, R.A.N.V.R., and Lieutenant Commander J. L. Harries, Royal Canadian Navy, trained groups of men in preparation for the invasion of Western Europe. These units were to be dispatched to newly captured harbours to clear them of booby traps, mines and other obstructions. Following V.E. Day, he was sent to Ceylon and Australia to assess the requirement for similar parties in the Far East and Pacific theatres and was appointed commander of two of the parties. Mould was discharged from the R.A.N.V.R. on 26 November 1945 and returned to Australia in 1948. He died at Royal North Shore Hospital, New South Wales in 1957. The story of his wartime service was told in ‘Softly Tread the Brave - A triumph over terror, devilry, and death by mine disposal officers John Stuart Mould, GC, GM and Hugh Randal Syme, GC, GM and Bar’ by Ivan Southall.

The group of eleven miniature dress medals attributed to Colonel St. G. L. Steele, C.B., 2nd Bengal Lancers, Indian Army The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, gold and enamels, complete with gold ribbon buckle; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir; India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, N.E. Frontier 1891, Waziristan 1894-5; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98; India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98; China 1900, no clasp; British War and Victory Medals; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver; Khedive’s Star, undated; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp, display mounted, good very fine (11) £200-£300 --- C.B. London Gazette 19 June 1911: ‘On the occasion of His Majesty’s Coronation’. St. George Loftus Steele was born on 31 March 1859, son of Major-General A. Loftus Steele. Educated at Marlborough College, he entered the Indian Army in 1878. Commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Bengal Cavalry, he served in Egypt at the action of Kassassin and at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (Medal and Clasp, Bronze Star). Appointed Captain in the Indian Staff Corps in 1889, he served on the North East Frontier of India in the Manipur Expedition together with Lieutenant C. J. W. Grant, I.S.C., who gained the only V.C. during this campaign. Steele was mentioned in despatches (Medal and Clasp). Still on the frontier following the attack by the Waziris on the Afghan Boundary Delimitation Party, under the command of Lieutenant-General William Lockhart, Steele was again in action gaining the Clasp to his medal. Having been previously promoted to Captain in his regiment, the 2nd Bengal Lancers, he found himself once again in the sands of the Sudan on the Dongola Expedition in 1896 with the Commissariat Transport Department of the Egyptian Army (Queen’s Sudan Medal and Egyptian Sudan Medal). He next served on the Tirah Expedition of 1897-98, once again under Lieutenant-General William Lockhart, and was once again mentioned in despatches for his services as a Section Commandant on the Line of Communication (Medal and two Clasps). As a Major he next served with the British Contingent of the China Expeditionary Force 1900-01, being mentioned in despatches for good service in duties connected with the communications (Medal). Promoted to Colonel on 1 June 1907, he was subsequently Assistant Quartermaster General to the 1st Peshawur Division and was present during the King’s visit to Delhi for the Durbar in 1911 (Durbar Medal), also receiving the C.B. in the King’s Birthday Honours of that year. In 1914 he held the position of Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General on the Staff of the Indian Army. He was sent on special duty to Canada and U.S.A., 1917-18, and, being fluent in Russian, was sent to Vladivostok in 1918 as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General. In the following year he was appointed Commissioner for Holland (Russian P.O.W. Camps) with the British Red Cross Society. Colonel Steele retired from the army in 1919 after a military career spanning more than 40 years, much of which was in the Field. He latterly resided at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and died there on 13 July 1936, aged 78. For the recipient’s full size awards, see Lot 78.

The mounted group of nine miniature dress medals worn by Colour Sergeant D. Cutterham, C.G.C., 1st Battalion, The Rifles, formerly Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, E.II.R.; General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland; N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Non-Article 5; Iraq 2003-11, no clasp; Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan; Jubilee 2012; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011, mounted as originally worn, good very fine (9) £300-£400 --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, November 2020 (when sold alongside the recipient’s full-sized awards) C.G.C. London Gazette 23 March 2012: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st April 2011 to 30th September 2011.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in recognition of your singular courage during Operation Herrick 14. When your patrol was ambushed on 24 May 2011 you reacted instinctively and without hesitation to protect the lives of your men. Demonstrating the utmost bravery and a selfless disregard for your own safety, you took the conscious decision to run towards and pick up an accurately thrown grenade that had landed in an irrigation channel where your patrol was manoeuvring. Your cool composure and clarity of thought in throwing the grenade into the next ditch minimised the risks of airborne detonation and prevented serious injury. Your gallant and inspirational leadership made a telling contribution to sustained success throughout a demanding tour, upholding the fine reputation of your Regiment.’ Deacon Cutterham joined ‘the British Army on the 9th January 2000 at the age of 16 – It was my childhood dream to be a soldier and I counted down the days until my 16th birthday when I could finally sign up. My journey began at the Army Foundation College Harrogate (AFC). My intake started with 105 recruits, the course lasted almost a year and was tremendously challenging, both physically and mentally, by the end of the course there were only 23 of us left. Before I started basic-training I remember my father taking me to the train station and saying ‘This will be the hardest but the most fulfilling thing you will ever do’ – he was right! I was the lightest boy on my intake (8 stone) and was incredibly quiet to begin with – probably as I was doing an arduous job that most grown men would struggle with. I knew even back then I had something a little extra than the rest and my instructor would say to me ‘you’re like a little piece of iron’ I took that as a compliment. I went on to complete many overseas exercises, operational tours, arduous courses and compete in multiple sports for the British Army at a National level. The opportunities that the British Army gave me were incredible and have shaped me from a 16-year-old boy into the man I am today in so many positive ways. It has enabled me to live a life of excitement and do things most young boys only dream of.’ (Unpublished account of service provided by vendor refers) Cutterham carried out training at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick, and was posted to The Royal Gloucester, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry. In his second year at Battalion he deployed to Northern Ireland on Operation BANNER. Cutterham passed a Non Commissioned Officer cadre in order to become a Lance Corporal in 2004. He then almost immediately completed the Section Commanders Battle Course. On this arduous course he performed so well that he received a recommendation to return as an instructor. Cutterham only remained a Lance Corporal for a year, promoted to Corporal the following year - described as a ‘remarkable feat’ in his Certificate of Service. Cutterham took the Commando Course in 2006: ‘The Commando Course was a childhood dream of mine and a course I’d longed to complete for my own development. My campaign didn’t start well as I broke my lower back on the pre-course training which meant I had to wait for the next course, which was really frustrating! Eventually, I started the course which turned out to be 11 weeks long. It did not disappoint, I really loved it and it was great fun from start to finish. The course didn’t test me much as I was exceptionally fit and already a seasoned section commander. The commando tests were great fun and I excelled at the endurance course breaking the course record. I even called in to see the camp RSM because he couldn’t believe that someone could run it that quick.’ The following year Cutterham deployed with the 1st Battalion, The Rifles to Iraq on Operation TELIC, and then almost immediately to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK. As a section commander on these two operational tours he was at the very front edge of the action, leading a section of around 8 men into combat. During deployment, Cutterham was selected to take the Platoon Sergeants Battle Course (PSBC): ‘This course was a defining moment in my life, I felt like I had something to prove and I wanted to excel. I wanted to transfer to the Engineers as there was some politics in the Rifles. I was then promised that if I went to Iraq they would push my transfer through quicker, sadly that didn’t happen and I was on Herrick 9. Two tours back-to-back! During Herrick 9 I was offered the Platoon Sergeants Battle Course (PSBC) to entice me to stay in the Rifles. I cancelled my transfer and prepared for PSBC best I could whilst on tour. Upon returning from Herrick 9 and having some much-needed rest I went on the PSBC pre course. This is a two-week long course aimed at preparing soldiers for the PSBC. I was extremely happy to find out that I was the top candidate on the pre-course. I was determined to excel, I won everything and for 8 weeks and I made sure I was top, I went the extra mile and never faltered at any task given. I was resistant to the elements, to hunger and to the tiredness that fell due to the arduous nature of the course. At the end of the course we were all in the presentation room/cinema and they started to give out the awards, I’d finished 2nd overall and awarded a distinction. I was the first soldier ever from 1 Rifles to be awarded a distinction on PSBC. At that time, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I returned into camp and the RSM stood me up in front of the CPLs Mess and promoted me on the spot!’ Herrick 14 - CGC Cutterham returned for his second tour of Afghanistan in 2011, and he provides the following account of the actions behind the award of his Conspicuous Gallantry Cross: ‘I was a multiple commander on active operations in charge of Check Point (CP) Leverette with A-COMPANY 1 Rifles. I was initially a multiple 2nd in command (2ic) but due to the death of one my closest friends and confidants Kevin Fortuna [on 23 May 2011] I was given a battlefield promotion and took over command of the multiple (12 men & women) and the check point. I remember that morning [24 May 2011] with great clarity. I woke up and immediately felt like there was something wrong, the atmosphere was tense. I remember briefing the multiple just before setting out on the days patrol. I told them to be extra alert and vigilant. I didn’t want to unnerve them, but I did turn to my 2ic quietly and say can you feel the tension in the air, he replied to me ‘no mate it’s just another day another dollar’. I’ve always had a great sixth sense and I’ve always acted on it – I think this is the reason I’m still alive. We set off on patrol and strangely there weren’t many people ar...

The mounted group of seven miniature dress medals worn by Corporal A. W. Currie, M.C., 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers Military Cross, E.II.R.; General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland; Iraq 2003-11, no clasp; Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal 2003; Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) 2001; Jubilee 2002; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994, E.II.R., mounted court style as worn, nearly extremely fine (7) --- M.C. London Gazette 23 April 2004: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Iraq during the period 1st April to 30th September 2003.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Corporal Currie was commanding a Fire Team in a Multiple, located at the Al Uzayr Security Force Base, Maysan Province, Southern Iraq on the night of 8th August 2003 when he was instructed by his Platoon Commander to deploy his team, augmented by the Quick Reaction Force, to investigate the continued and heavy weapons fire that was coming from the Southern quarter of the town. At 2115hrs Corporal Currie’s team advanced through the narrow streets and was engaged by a Heavy Machine Gun position. They immediately returned fire and began to suppress the position. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Multiple deployed to reinforce the Team, taking up positions to the South of Corporal Currie. A total of 5 enemy positions were identified; 2 machine gun and 3 rifle positions with an estimated 25 enemy at ranges less than 150 metres. During the subsequent battle Corporal Currie continuously pushed forward in order maintain contact with the enemy positions and came under effective fire on several occasions, from both small arms and machine gun fire. At around 2145 hrs Corporal Currie once again came under heavy gunfire and assessing his position to be untenable repositioned his team behind a large building to give them some cover from fire. Identification of enemy positions in the darkness was proving to be very difficult and an illumination round was called for. Corporal Currie moved forward, exposing his position in order to draw enemy fire and identify their positions. Judging that shock action would have a salutary effect Corporal Currie immediately led his men on a frontal assault into heavy small arms and machine gun fire. During the assault an unexpected enemy appeared between Corporal Currie’s team and the first position. Corporal Currie killed this enemy and maintained the momentum of the assault; clearing two buildings and wounding a further 2 enemy. The team recovered one RPG launcher, two RPG rounds and three rifles with 1000 rounds of ammunition from the buildings. Corporal Currie’s selfless courage and inspirational leadership during this action were instrumental in the success of this assault and the withdrawal and capture of the enemy who were engaging them. He led his men tirelessly, often placing himself in extreme danger to allow his men to better identify targets and engage them. For this exceptional example of leadership in the face of the enemy Corporal Currie deserves public recognition.’ Sold together with an original letter of congratulations from the Right Honourable John Reid M.P., Hamilton North and Bellshill Constituency, dated 14 May 2004. For the recipient’s full size awards, see Lot 86.

An unattributed C.V.O., C.B.E. pair The Royal Victorian Order, C.V.O., Commander’s badge, gilt and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 2nd type badge, silver-gilt and enamel, mounted court-style as worn, very fine An unattributed Royal Household pair Royal Victorian Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue, ‘gold’; Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue, mounted court-style for display, extremely fine (4) £80-£120

An unattributed O.B.E., Order of St. John group of three The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 1st type badge, silver-gilt, on 2nd type lady’s bow riband; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer’s (Sister’s) badge, on lady’s bow riband; Service Medal of the Order of St John, mounted as worn, very fine An unattributed Order of St. John group of five The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Brother’s badge, silver and enamel; British War and Victory Medals; Defence Medal; Service Medal of the Order of St John, mounted court-style for display, very fine An unattributed Order of St. John group of three The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Brother’s badge, silver and enamel; Jubilee 1935; Service Medal of the Order of St John, mounted as worn, very fine An unattributed Second War group of four 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, very fine (15) £60-£80

An unattributed group of seven miniature dress medals British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896, no clasp; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Rel. of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Defence Medal, mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (7) £100-£140

An unattributed campaign group of six miniature dress medals Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Defence of Ladysmith, Orange Free State, Transvaal, last clasp loose on riband; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; India General Service 1908-35, lacking clasp; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, N.W. Persia, mounted for wear, with a space for a further two awards at the end of the bar, good very fine An unattributed campaign group of three miniature dress medals 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, mounted as worn, good very fine An unattributed campaign group of three miniature dress medals British War and Victory Medals; Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19, mounted as worn, good very fine George Cross; Military Cross, E.II.R.; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, South Africa 1901, generally very fine (15) £50-£70

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.V.R.; General Service 1918-62, E.II.R., no clasp [sic] (4); General Service 1962-2007, no clasp [sic]; Gulf 1990-91, no clasp; Operational Service Medal 2000, for Sierra Leone, without rosette; Coronation 1953; Jubilee 2002 (3); Jubilee 2012; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011 (3); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (2); Fire Brigade L.S. & G.C., E.II.R.; together with an Arabian Service 1839-1967 commemorative miniature medal, generally nearly extremely fine (20) £80-£120

Distinguished Service Cross (2), G.VI.R., 1st issue; E.II.R.; Distinguished Flying Cross (3), G.V.R.; E.II.R. (2); Air Force Cross, G.V.R. (2); George Medal (3), G.VI.R., 1st issue (2); E.II.R., 2nd issue; Military Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue; Queen’s Gallantry Medal (2), all of recent manufacture, good very fine (13) £70-£90

Pair: Private G. Reed, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, later King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, attached Herefordshire Regiment, who died of wounds on the Western Front on 1 November 1918 1914-15 Star (11046 Pte G. Reed. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (11046 Pte. G. Reed. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) very fine Pair: Private A. C. Allen, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who was killed in action in Salonika on 20 November 1916 British War and Victory Medals (13785 Pte. A. C. Allen. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) very fine Pair: Private F. Hall, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry British War and Victory Medals (31443 Pte. F. Hall. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) very fine Pair: Private J. Mayo, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry British War and Victory Medals (15029 Pte. J. Mayo. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine (8) £100-£140 --- George Reed attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 21 May 1915, before transferring to the 1st Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. He died of wounds on 1 November 1918, whilst attached to the 1st/1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment, and is buried in Harlbeke Military Cemetery, Belgium. Albert Charles Allen was born at Hampstead Norris, Newbury, Berkshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Oxford. He served with the 7th Battalion during the Great War in Salonika, and was killed in action on 20 November 1916. He is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece. John Mayo, a native of a resident of Penrhiwceiber, Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 4 September 1914, and served with the 7th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 21 September 1915. He was discharged due to wounds on 23 December 1918, and was awarded a Silver War Badge, No. B275089.

Egypt, Kingdom, Medal for Meritorious Actions, Second Class, silver, the reverse named ‘Almstr F. W. King’ in Arabic script, the suspension bar dated 1 Sha’abaan 1357 [25 September 1938], in Lattes, Cairo, fitted case of issue embossed with the crowned cipher of Farouk I, extremely fine and rare £200-£300

France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt and enamel, good very fine Ottoman Empire, Liakat Medal, silver, good very fine (2) £60-£80

Germany, Imperial, War Honour Cross 1914-18, non-combatant’s issue, without swords; together with a 1924 Stalhelm badge with the steel helmet detached from the enamel; an Imperial 77th Regiment regimental tradition badge; and a Jubilee Medal for Infantry Regiment 77 from 1813 to 1913 showing the head of the Kaiser wearing Guard du Corps helmet; together with the remnants of the Imperial Austrian Karl Troop Cross, generally nearly very fine (5) £60-£80

Pair: Private G. Robinson, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry British War and Victory Medals (7580 Pte. G. Robinson. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); together with a scarce Aston Rowant Tribute Shield Medal, silver (hallmarks for Birmingham 1919) and enamel, the obverse featuring laurel branches over a Union Flag, ‘19th July 1919 - Grateful Thanks From The Parish’ around, the reverse engraved ‘Aston Rowant’, with pin-back suspension, good very fine (3) £60-£80

Six: Captain J. J. P. Corbett, Indian Army, late Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (6005945 Cpl. J. J. P. Corbett. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; India Service Medal; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (Lt. J. J. Corbett. I.A.) good very fine (6) £120-£160 --- John James Peter Corbett was born at West Ham, London, in 1905 and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, serving with the 2nd Battalion in Burma 1930-32. Advanced Company Quartermaster Sergeant, he was appointed to an Emergency Commission in the Indian Army on 6 April 1944, and was retrospectively awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as a Lieutenant and Honorary Captain, late Indian Army, in the London Gazette of 23 May 1958. He died on 21 July 1976 in London.

Three: Lance-Corporal J. Harling, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War during the retreat from Dunkirk in June 1940 India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (5378266 Pte. J. Harling. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (3) £100-£140 --- J. Harling attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and served as a Lance-Corporal with the 2nd Battalion in Burma 1930-32. Transferring to the Army Reserve, he was recalled for service in the Second World War, serving with the 1st Battalion as part of the British Expeditionary Force. He was captured and taken Prisoner of War in June 1940, during the retreat to Dunkirk, and held at Camp 20B, Marienburg (Malbork), Poland.

Miscellaneous Aviation Badges. Three tinny type badges all commemorating aviation in the Great War, accompanied by a matched pair of stamped aluminium wing propeller motifs for a Third Reich aviation organisation; together with a small Austrian Commemorative Flying badge, three German Wound Badges, one in silver and two in black; a German Honour Cross with swords; an Italian Al Valour Medal in silver, generally good condition (11) £60-£80 --- Sold together with a postcard photograph of a Great War German officer, with period script on the reverse side indicating this was taken in France in April 1916.

Three: Private A. Ayris, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who was killed in action during the retreat to Dunkirk on 28 May 1940 India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (5379574 Pte. A. Ayris. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (3) £140-£180 --- Arthur Ayris, a native of Bicester, Oxfordshire, was born in 1912 and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, serving with the 2nd Battalion in Burma. Transferring to the 1st Battalion, he served with them during the Second World War as part of the British Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action in the retreat to Dunkirk, on 28 May 1940. He is buried in Comines (Komen) Communal Cemetery, Belgium.

Three: Private J. Bourne, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (5378841 Pte. J. Bourne. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); Defence Medal; Civil Defence Long Service Medal, E.II.R., unnamed as issued; together with an Association of Conservative Clubs Medal for Distinguished Service, with two additional five year clasps, gilt and enamel, the reverse inscribed ‘J. T. Bourne - 1956’, suspension claw re-affixed on first, otherwise nearly extremely fine (4) £70-£90

Four: Private P. Somers, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (379093 Pte. P. Somers. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) officially re-impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, very fine (4) £50-£70 --- Confirmed on the medal roll for I.G.S. with clasp Burma 1930-32, where he is recorded as L.Sergt, but noting medal to be named as Pte. Sold together with a portrait photo postcard, head and shoulders superimposed on regimental colours and scroll addressed to ‘Eadie with love from Pat.’

Pair: Private W. Owens, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (23444065 Pte. W. Owens Oxf. & Bucks.); U.N. Medal, on UNFICYP riband, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (2) £50-£70

1914-15 Star (8) (32 C.S. Mjr. E. J. Barrett. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 18749 Pte. E. R. Bedlow. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 8314 Pte. J. Coshell. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 9099 Pte. H. T. Day. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 12153 Pte. W. Hooper. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 10834 Pte. W. Melville. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 9198 Pte. S. F. Simpson. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 12239 Pte. R. Winterburn. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) the last worn and damaged in places with one sword hilt bent, otherwise generally nearly very fine and better (8) £120-£160 --- Edward John Barrett attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and served with the 1st/1st (Buckinghamshire) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 30 March 1915. Advanced Warrant Officer Class II, he was killed in action on 16 August 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. He is also entitled to the Territorial Efficiency Medal. Edwin Richard Bedlow was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Oxford. He served with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 5 October 1915, and was killed in action on 10 December 1915. He is buried at Potijze Chateau Wood Cemetery, Belgium. Harry Thomas Day was born in Newtown, Berkshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Reading. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War in Mesopotamia, and died on 3 May 1916. He is buried in Kut War Cemetery, Iraq. William Gordon Melville was born in Great Nailstow, Leicestershire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Birmingham. He served with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and died of wounds at home on 9 September 1916. He is buried in Kings Norton (St. Nicholas) Churchyard. Samuel Francis Simpson was born in Oxford and attested there for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War in Mesopotamia, and was killed in action on 22 November 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

British War Medal 1914-20 (10) (9648 A. Sjt. R. V. J. Caladine. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 24887 Cpl. G. W. J. Jarvis. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 8741 Cpl. H. E. Searle. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 2618 Pte. T. Bastin. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 10872 Pte. J. Evans. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 235068 Pte. H. Freeman. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 11109 Pte. L. A. Martin. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 285231 Pte. W. J. Sheppard. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 10420 Pte. P. W. Turner. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 19222 Pte. H. G. Wood. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) generally nearly very fine and better (10) £140-£180 --- Harry Edward Searle was born at Tilbury, Essex, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Stratford, Essex. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War in Mesopotamia, and was killed in action on 6 April 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. Lawrence Alfred Martin was born in Dublin and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Rugby, Warwickshire. He served with the 6th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 12 September 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Percy William Turner was born in Oxford and attested there for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He served with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 25 September 1915. He is buried at Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium.

British War Medal 1914-20 (8) (241063 Pte. T. W. Allen. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 14120 Pte. J. Edwards. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 27587 Pte. F. H. Martin. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 28954 Pte. A. Painter. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 49673 Pte. W. E. Phipps. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 20310 Pte. F. J. Rawlings. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 2671 Pte. R. H. Skinner. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 5584 Pte. A. W. Walters. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) generally very fine and better (8) £100-£140 --- John Edwards was born in Swansea and attested there for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He served with the 7th and 5th Battalions during the Great War on the Western Front, and died of wounds on 18 April 1915. He is buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France. Francis Harold Martin, a native of Kingsbridge, Devon, was an undergraduate at Exeter University when he attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in November 1915. He served with the 7th Battalion during the Great War in Salonika, and was invalided with Malaria on 5 December 1918. He transferred to the Army Reserve in April 1919.

British War Medal 1914-20 (10) (22497 Pte. B. C. Blackwell. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 18979 Pte. W. Cooper. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 2354 Pte. T. Cosby. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 4664 Pte. W. E. Dyke. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 17139 Pte. G. Hipwell. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 201010 Pte. J. Hunt. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 20880 Pte. C. H. Maslen. Oxf & Bucks. L.I.; 11320 Pte. W. Morris. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 8929 Pte. F. Pitt. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.; 16694 Pte. T. G. Webb. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) generally nearly very fine and better (10) £120-£160 --- Walter Cooper was born in Cold Harbour, Northamptonshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Oxford. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War in Mesopotamia, and was killed in action on 17 May 1916. He is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Charles Henry Maslen was born in Chalvey, Buckinghamshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at High Wycombe. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 28 April 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. Thomas George Webb was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Oxford. He served with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 27 July 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

The British War Medal awarded to Private W. Jackson, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who died in India on 7 October 1916 British War Medal 1914-20 (20927 Pte. W. Jackson. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); Memorial Plaque (Walter Jackson) good very fine (2) £80-£120 --- Walter Clarence Victor Jackson attested initially for the Worcestershire Regiment, before transferring to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and served with the 1st Garrison Battalion during the Great War in India. He died on 7 October 1916, and is buried at Trimulgherry Cantonment Cemetery, India. Note: The British War Medal is the recipient’s sole entitlement; he did not qualify for the Victory Medal.

The British War Medal awarded to Private J. T. Richards, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 28 April 1917 British War Medal 1914-20 (20305 Pte. J. T. Richards. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); Memorial Plaque (John Thomas Williams) very fine (2) £80-£120 --- John Thomas Williams was born at Winson Green, and attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Birmingham. He served as a Bugler with the 2nd/4th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 28 April 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

A Victorian C.B. group of four awarded to General H. H. Maxwell, Bengal Artillery, who served as Interpreter to Shannon’s Naval Brigade during the Indian Mutiny and was severely wounded in the thigh at the action of Khodagunge in January 1858 The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, gold (18 ct., hallmarks for London 1873) and enamel, complete with all original fixings and integral gold riband buckle; Maharajpoor Star 1843 (2nd. Lieut. H. H. Maxwell 4th Co. 4th. Bn. Beng Arty.) fitted with contemporary smooth back-plate and gold bar suspension, with top gold riband pin; Sutlej 1845-46, for Moodkee 1845, 2 clasps, Ferozeshuhur, Sobraon (1st. Lieut. H. H. Maxwell. 4th. Troop 3rd. Bde. Beng. Arty.); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Relief of Lucknow (Capt. H. H. Maxwell. “Shannon” Naval Brigade.) the campaign medals all slightly later issues, otherwise nearly extremely fine and a rare group (4) £4,000-£5,000 --- Provenance: Buckland Dix & Wood, September 1994. C.B. London Gazette 24 May 1873. Henry Hamilton Maxwell was born on 3 March 1824, and entered Addiscombe on 7 August 1840. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Bengal Horse Artillery on 10 June 1842, and served during the Gwalior Campaign of 1843-44, being present at Battle of Maharajpoor. Promoted to First Lieutenant, he saw further service during the First Sikh War as Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General of Artillery, and was Mentioned in Despatches. Whilst on furlough to Europe Maxwell joined the Turkish Contingent, and was present under Omar Pasha, at the battle of Oltenitza, and the Russian attacks on Kalafat during the winter of 1853-54. Returning to India he was posted to the Artillery of General Havelock's Force and then appointed to Shannon’s Naval Brigade under Captain Peel R.N. to serve as interpreter. Severely wounded at the action of Khodagunge on 2 January 1858 by a musket ball in thigh, Mate Edmund Verney of the Shannon in his letter home states, ‘When Maxwell fell, Dr. Grant galloped forward to dress his wound under heavy fire.’ He was also mentioned by Lord Roberts in Forty-One Years in India: ‘The Interpreter of the Naval Brigade Henry Maxwell, a brother officer of mine who had been standing close to me was very badly wounded in the leg.’ For his services during the Indian Mutiny Maxwell was Mentioned in Despatches and listed in the Governor General’s Order No. 1546 of 1857). Promoted Brevet Major on 27 June 1857, and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 24 March 1858, he was advanced to Colonel on 6 October 1872, and was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the following year’s Birthday Honours’ List. Promoted to Major-General on 1 March 1876, and to Lieutenant-General on 2 October 1877, he transferred to the Unemployed Supernumerary List on 1 July 1881, and was promoted to General on 23 May 1883. He died in Rome, Italy on 28 May 1892. Note: Maxwell’s name appears on the medal roll of H.M.S. Shannon and he is one of only 2 officers and 27 men to receive the single clasp Relief of Lucknow. For the medals awarded to Captain H. J. Hughes, who took over as Interpreter of Shannon’s Naval Brigade after Maxwell was wounded, see Lot 143.

The superb Egyptian War C.B. group of four awarded to Colonel D. Hammill, Gordon Highlanders, who led the 1st Gordons in the charge of the Highland Brigade at Tel-el-Kebir, and again commanded the regiment at the battles of El-Teb and Tamaai, and in the Nile Expedition The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1857, maker’s mark ‘WN’ for William Neale, complete with swivel-ring gold bar suspension and gold ribbon buckle; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 4 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 (Lieut-Col. D. Hammill. 1/Gord: Highrs.); Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, Third Class neck badge, silver, gold and enamels; Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed as issued, the first with chipping to obverse wreath, otherwise very fine or better (4) £5,000-£7,000 --- Provenance: A. J. Henderon Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 2007. Denzil Hammill was born at New Brighton, Cheshire, on 11 July 1840, and was commissioned as an Ensign into the 75th Regiment on 16 January 1858. He rose steadily through the ranks to that of Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1880, when he succeeded to the command of the 1st Gordons. He served throughout the Egyptian War of 1882 in command of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, when the Highland Brigade stormed the trenches in the dark, the 1st Gordons between the Camerons and the Black Watch, led by Colonel Hammill and Major Boyes, who jumped their horses over the parapet amidst a hail of fire from the enemies trenches. For his services during the campaign he was mentioned in despatches, made a Companion of the Bath and received the 3rd Class of the Medjidie. Hammill next served in the Soudan Expedition under Sir Gerald Graham in 1884, again in command of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and was present at the battles of El-Teb and Tamaai; ‘surely soldiers never saw a finer sight than the Gordons presented when, led by Colonel Hammill and Major Boyes, both mounted, they advanced over the rifle pits to storm the battery at Teb.’ Hammill was again mentioned in despatches and received the brevet of Colonel. He subsequently commanded the 1st Gordons in the Nile Expedition in 1884-85 and with the River Column under Major-General Earle. In addition to his other honours, Hammill received the Egyptian medal with four clasps and the Khedive’s Bronze Star. He retired and was made Honorary Major-General in October 1885. Sold with full research and muster details.

The 1911 Coronation C.B. group of eleven awarded to Colonel St. G. L. Steele, 2nd Bengal Lancers, Indian Army The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, complete with ribbon buckle; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (Lieut: St. G. L. Steele. 2nd Bengal Cavy.); India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, N.E. Frontier 1891, Waziristan 1894-5 (Capt. St. G. L. Steele S.C.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (Cpt. St. G. L. Steele Cmt. Trnspt Dpt E.A.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Captn. St. G. L. Steele 2d Bl: Lcrs:); China 1900, no clasp (Major St. G. L. Steele 2d Bl. Lcrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Col. St. G. L. Steele.); Delhi Durbar 1911, silver (Colonel St. G. L. Steele, A.Q.M.G., 1st Pesh. Div.) privately named; Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed as issued; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp (Capt. St. G. L. Steele 2d Bl. Lcrs.) the last ten mounted court-style for display, the second with contact pitting from star, good fine, otherwise generally very fine and better (11) £2,000-£2,600 --- C.B. London Gazette 19 June 1911: ‘On the occasion of His Majesty’s Coronation’. St. George Loftus Steele was born on 31 March 1859, son of Major-General A. Loftus Steele, and was educated at Marlborough College and later the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in 1878 and transferred to the Indian Army in 1880. Commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Bengal Cavalry, he served in Egypt at the action of Kassassin and at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (Medal and Clasp, Bronze Star). Appointed Captain in the Indian Staff Corps in 1889, he served on the North East Frontier of India in the Manipur Expedition together with Lieutenant C. J. W. Grant, I.S.C., who gained the only V.C. during this campaign. Steele was mentioned in despatches (Medal and Clasp). Still on the frontier following the attack by the Waziris on the Afghan Boundary Delimitation Party, under the command of Lieutenant-General William Lockhart, Steele was again in action gaining the Clasp to his medal. Having been previously promoted to Captain in his regiment, the 2nd Bengal Lancers, Steele found himself once again in the sands of the Sudan on the Dongola Expedition in 1896 with the Commissariat Transport Department of the Egyptian Army (Queen’s Sudan Medal and Egyptian Sudan Medal). He next served on the Tirah Expedition of 1897-98, once again under Lieutenant-General William Lockhart, and was once again mentioned in despatches for his services as a Section Commandant on the Line of Communication (Medal and two Clasps). As a Major he next served with the British Contingent of the China Expeditionary Force 1900-01, being mentioned in despatches for good service in duties connected with the communications (Medal). Promoted to Colonel on 1 June 1907, Steele was subsequently Assistant Quartermaster General to the 1st Peshawur Division and was present during the King’s visit to Delhi for the Durbar in 1911 (Durbar Medal), also receiving the C.B. in the King’s Birthday Honours of that year. In 1914 he held the position of Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General on the Staff of the Indian Army. He was sent on special duty to Canada and U.S.A., 1917-18, and, being fluent in Russian, was sent to Vladivostok in 1918 as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General. In the following year he was appointed Commissioner for Holland (Russian P.O.W. Camps) with the British Red Cross Society. Colonel Steele retired from the army in 1919 after a military career spanning more than 40 years, much of which was in the Field. He latterly resided at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and died there on 13 July 1936, aged 78. For the recipient’s miniature awards, see Lot 500.

A Great War Divisional Cavalry Commander’s C.B. and Boer War group of twelve awarded to Major-General R. L. Mullens, who served with the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) in South Africa and was severely wounded at Leeukop in April 1902; he later commanded the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards in France in 1914 where it was the first British regiment to engage German troops in the Great War, and afterwards commanded the 1st Cavalry Division until April 1919 The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (Capt: & Adjt: R. L. Mullens, 2/Drgn: Gds:); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Maj. & Adjt. R. L. Mullens. 2/Drgn. Gds.); 1914 Star (Lt: Col: R. L. Mulens. 4/D. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Maj. Gen. R. L. Mullens.); Defence Medal; Jubilee 1897, silver; Coronation 1911; Belgium, Order of the Crown, Commander’s neck badge, gilt and enamels, of recent manufacture; Belgium, Croix de Guerre, A.I.R.; France, Croix de Guerre, avec Palmes, campaign medals mounted court-style for display, good very fine or better (12) £4,000-£5,000 --- C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1917. M.I.D. London Gazette 20 October 1914; 9 December 1914; 17 February 1915; 1 January 1916; 4 January 1917; 11 December 1917; and 20 December 1918. Richard Lucas Mullens was born on 25 February 1871, and educated at Eton. He was commissioned into the 16th Lancers in 1890, transferred to the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) in 1896, and was promoted to Captain in 1899. He served in South Africa as Adjutant of the regiment and was present in operations on the Orange Free State, including actions at Houtnek (Thoba Mountain), Vet River and Zand River. Operations in the Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill. Operations in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, including action at Elands River. Operations in Orange River Colony, including actions at Bethlehem and Wittebergen. Operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange River 1899-1900, including actions at Colesburg. Operations in the Transvaal, March to April 1902; Operations in Orange River Colony, January to March 1902, April 1902; Operations in Cape Colony, December 1901 to January 1902, April to May 1902. He was severely wounded and mentioned in despatches for valuable work in action at Holspruit (Leeukop) on 1 April 1902 (Despatches, London Gazette 10 September 1901, and 18 July 1902; Brevet of Major; Queen’s medal with 4 clasps; King’s medal with 4 clasps). From 1903 to 1905 he was at the Staff College, and after holding an appointment as a Brigade Major was given command of the 4th Dragoon Guards in 1911. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he took the 4th Dragoon Guards to France where, on 22 August 1914, C Squadron of the Regiment became the first unit of the B.E.F. to engage the enemy in action. On this date they charged a column of Uhlans outside Mons, Belgium, capturing a number of prisoners. Two days later, the 9th Lancers and the 4th Dragoon Guards attempted a charge across an open field at Audregnies. Facing an unbroken German line of rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire, their ranks were decimated. Within two months  Mullens was selected to command 2 Cavalry Brigade (4th Dragoon Guards, 9th Lancers, and 18th Hussars) and, after 12 months in this command he was promoted to the command of 1 Cavalry Division, and retained the appointment until April 1919. He was made a C.B. in January 1917, and retired in 1920. Sold with comprehensive research including copied Medal Index Card which possibly suggests that Great War medals were replaced ‘11/11/83’ but the trio offered above appear to be original issues.

Three: Sergeant W. E. Smith, M.M., Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, later Worcestershire Regiment 1914-15 Star (11127 L. Cpl. W. E. Smith. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (11127 Sjt. W. E. Smith. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) very fine (3) £80-£120 --- M.M. London Gazette 18 July 1917. William E. Smith attested for the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and served with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 16 July 1915. He later transferred to 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (no. 42554), and was wounded on 13 December 1916, when serving with the Worcestershire Regiment. For his services during the Great War he was awarded the Military Medal.

A fine Great War D.S.C. group of four awarded to Gunner, later Lieutenant-Commander, F. Grinney, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant part in the celebrated ‘Swift and Broke’ action of April 1917; he saw further service during the Second World War and died in service on 8 February 1944 Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1916, the reverse contemporarily engraved ‘F. Grinney, H.M.S. Broke. 21.4.17’; 1914-15 Star (Gnr. F. Grinney. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Gnr. F. Grinney. R.N.) mounted as worn, very fine (4) £1,800-£2,200 --- D.S.C. London Gazette 10 May 1917: ‘Awards for services in the action between H.M. Ships Swift and Broke and German destroyers on the night of 20th - 21st April 1917 ... Gnr. (T.) Frederick Grinney, R.N. (”Broke”) gave orders for the firing of the torpedo which struck one of the enemy destroyers.’ Of the events on the night of 20-21 April, Taffrails’ Endless Story recounts: ‘The vessels on both sides were now a blaze of gun-flashes, which made it very difficult to see what was happening, and Peck, in the Swift, was temporarily blinded by the flame of the 6-inch gun on the forecastle. Losing sight of the enemy for several seconds, and now travelling at full speed, he passed astern of the German line, though not before firing a torpedo at the fifth ship in the opposing line, which probably took effect. Altering course out of the wake of the Swift, Evans, in the Broke, held his fire for a moment to bring the sights of the torpedo director on the bridge on their target. Despard, the First Lieutenant, actually fired it, and after an interval it, or the Swift’s torpedo, fired at much the same time, struck the fifth ship in the enemy line full amidships, to explode in an upheaval of smoke and whitened spray which glowed redly in the blaze of gun-flashes. Both sides were steaming fast. Things were happening in seconds, and once more the Broke’s foremost guns had opened fire. Evans had been steering to ram; but, seeing the ship he was aiming for - G. 85 - struck by the torpedo, realised it was now unnecessary, put his helm to port, and swung outwards for a few seconds to give himself room to swing back again and ram the destroyer astern of G. 85. “If you put the helm over now, sir, you’ll get this next one all right, sir,” said Hickman, the Broke’s navigator, to his captain, who himself was conning the ship. Under heavy fire, and in a coruscation of gun-flashes and the sparkle and smoke of exploding shells, Evans put his helm over and drove straight for his enemy at 27 knots. There was hardly time to breathe, let alone to think coherently. The German, G. 42, increased speed, smoke and showers of sparks pouring from her funnels as she strove to escape. But it was too late. With a grinding thud, and the screech of tearing steel, the Broke’s bow crashed into her opponent’s port side abreast the after funnel. The terrific impact hurled the German practically over on her beam-ends as the Broke’s ram pushed her bodily through the water. It is impossible to describe the sensations of those on board both these ships as the collision occurred - the Broke’s grimly triumphant; the Germans filled with terror-stricken amazement and horror. It was a dreadful moment; but worse was yet to come. Man were screaming and shouting for help as the Broke’s guns, at their maximum depression, pumped shell after shell at a few yards’ range into the mass of men huddled on the deck of her stricken enemy. One of the German’s torpedo-tubes had stuck into the Broke’s side and was torn off its mounting. The anti-aircraft 2-pounders added to the din with their stuttering uproar, while the British seamen that remained alive in the forepart of the ship, with rifles and fixed bayonets, and revolvers and naked cutlasses, headed by Mr. Midshipman Donald Gyles, R.N.R., already wounded by a shell splinter in the eye, swarmed forward on to the Broke’s forecastle to repel boarders. They were taking no chances. No quarter was given. Every German who clambered over the bows was shot or bayoneted. A deadly small-arm fire was poured from the forecastle into the terrified men on G. 42’s deck. Even the officers on the Broke’s bridge used their automatic pistols. Few of their enemies survived the storm of lead and nickel. But the Broke did not escape unpunished. When things were happening every second, it is impossible to describe events in their strict chronological sequence; but early in the action, which cannot have lasted more than a few minutes, a shell explosion on the forecastle had hurled a box of 4-inch cartridges into the air to scatter them round about the bridge, where they burnt with the fierce red glow and leaping flames of consuming cordite. She was also blazing amidships. Illuminated like a beacon, she made a conspicuous target. A hostile destroyer slammed in salvo after salvo until she disappeared into the night. It was nearly impossible to miss at so short a range. In the space of a few moments the Broke was converted into a smoking shambles. In places, her decks were literally running in blood. She sustained 57 casualties, of whom 21 were killed outright, and no part of the ship was immune. Two shells had hit the bridge structure, to kill a signalman, and seriously to wound the helmsman and a man at the engine-room telegraphs. But the former, Able Seaman William George Rawles, who afterwards received the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his bravery, continued to steer the ship until G. 42 had been rammed. Then he collapsed from loss of blood. Many casualties had occurred among the guns’ crews of the forecastle through two enemy shells, one of which had detonated projectiles in a ready rack. All the electric cables and voice-pipes from the bridge had been shot away, while the after compass, after wireless-room, and searchlight were demolished. The foremost funnel was pierced through and through by splinters until it resembled a huge nutmeg-grater. A shell passing in through the side above the waterline had penetrated a coal-bunker, to explode in the boiler-room beyond, killing or wounding every man in the compartment and severing the main steam-pipe, from which the steam escaped with a deafening roar. And, besides the damage from enemy shell, the British flotilla-leader had a badly bent and crumpled bow, and two huge gashes forward above the waterline. Dead and wounded lay everywhere. With her bows locked in G. 42, she still steamed ahead, her speed gradually diminishing. Every man in sight on the German’s deck had been killed or wounded. Her stern portion was gradually sinking. Finally it disappeared altogether as the Broke ground her way clear. For a time Evans and his officers thought their ship was about to sink; but, once clear of G. 42, they set about trying to inflict further damage upon the flying enemy. Two were still in sight, one ahead and one to starboard, with the Swift in chase, long flames pouring from the funnels of all three as they steamed at full speed. But the Broke’s speed was dropping fast, and presently an engineer-officer arrived on the bridge with the sad news that the loss of feed-water was so great that she could not steam more than half-speed. He also pointed out that the ship must eventually come to a standstill. Evans accordingly turned and steamed slowly back towards the two sinking destroyers. About a mile from the spot, they passed through a number of German seamen in the water, who cried “Save!  Save!” But at any moment the enemy might return to continue the fight. The Broke could not affo...

The Second War 1945 North West Europe ‘Paarlo’ M.C. group of eleven awarded to Captain Robert Maxwell, Queen’s Royal Regiment, who fought across Europe from the Normandy Landings to the capture of Berlin. Later rising to prominence as a flamboyant and controversial media magnate, Member of Parliament, fraudster and suspected spy - his mysterious drowning off the Canary Islands in 1991, ruled accidental by a subsequent inquest, left behind financial scandal and a fallen business empire and continues to excite speculation and conspiracy theories Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945, in Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Poland, Republic, Cross of Valour 1944, bronze, unnumbered; Czechoslovakia, Republic, Military Medal for Merit; War Commemorative Medal 1939-45; Bulgaria, People’s Republic, Order of Stara Planina, First Class neck badge, 68mm, silver, gilt and enamel, in (damaged) case of issue; Finland, Republic, Order of the White Rose, Second Class set of insignia, by Tillander, Helsinki, comprising neck badge, 51mm, silver-gilt and enamel, and breast star, 78mm, silver, with gilt and enamelled centre and gilt retaining pin; Poland, People’s Republic, Order of Merit of the People’s Republic, Second Class set of insignia, comprising neck badge, 60mm, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, 81mm, silver and gilt, with silver and red enamelled centre; together with the related miniature awards, these also including Swedish Order of the Polar Star, the four campaign medals all official later issues, generally extremely fine (lot) £6,000-£8,000 --- Provenance: Sotheby’s, January 1993, when sold by direction of the Joint Court-appointed Receiver to the Estate of the late Robert Maxwell, M.C. M.C. London Gazette 12 April 1945: ‘For gallant and distinguished service in North West Europe’ The original recommendation states: ‘During the attack on Paarlo on 29 January 1945, Lieutenant Maxwell was leading his Platoon when a heavy artillery concentration fell on and near the Platoon killing and wounding several men. The attack was in danger of losing momentum but this Officer, showing powers of leadership of the highest order, controlled his men with great skill and kept up the advance. During the night another Platoon of the Company was counter attacked and partially overrun. An attempt to restore the position with another Platoon failed but Lieutenant Maxwell repeatedly asked to be allowed to lead another attempt; this request was eventually granted. This Officer then led two of his Sections across bullet swept ground with great dash and determination and succeeded in contacting the Platoon who had been holding out in some buildings. Showing no regard for his own safety he led his section in the difficult job of clearing the enemy out of the buildings, inflicting many casualties and causing the remainder to withdraw. By his magnificent example and offensive spirit this officer was responsible for the relief of the platoon and the restoration of the situation.’ Robert Maxwell was born Ján Ludvîk Hyman Binyamin Hoch in 1923 in the small town of Slatinské Doly in Carpathian Ruthenia, Czechoslvakia (later Hungary and now Solotvyno, Ukraine). He was one of seven children born into a poor Yiddish speaking Orthodox Jewish family, many members of which died in Auschwitz after the occupation of Hungary by the Nazis in 1944. Having left home for France in 1939, aged 16, Maxwell joined the Czechoslovak Army in exile in Marseilles in May 1940 but after the fall of France and evacuation of the British Army, he transferred in Britain to the Pioneer Corps and subsequently in 1943 to the North Staffordshire Regiment. He served throughout the campaign across Europe from the Normandy Landings to the fall of Berlin, was commissioned into the Queen’s Royal Regiment in January 1945 and the same month won the Military Cross at Paarlo, Netherlands: 'During the night 29th/30th [January 1945] about fifty enemy crossed the river in assault boats and, preceded by heavy shelling and mortaring, made an unexpected counter-attack on “A” Company in Paarlo. The Germans got into the houses held by 8 Platoon (Lieutenant M. L. Baker) and there was fierce fighting in the dark. In one house Lance-Corporal Dennis most gallantly held them at bay with his Sten gun until 7 Platoon, splendidly led by Second-Lieutenant R. Maxwell, counter-attacked with tank support and cleared the enemy from the village. Our artillery then took a heavy toll as the Germans withdrew across the river. Ten prisoners were taken and there were numbers of other casualties, including the enemy company commander. Our losses were seven killed and wounded...’ (History of the Queen's Royal Regiment. Vol VIII 1924-1948, compiled by Major R. C. G. Foster, M.C. refers). Maxwell received his award from Field Marshall Montgomery. He achieved the rank of Captain by the end of the war and afterwards for two years was a press censor for the foreign office in Berlin, becoming a British citizen in in 1946 and changing his name to Robert Maxwell in 1948. Using contacts gained during the Allied occupation, Maxwell made a start in business by becoming the British and United States distributor for Springer Verlag, a publisher of scientific books. In 1951 he bought a controlling stake in Butterworth Springer, renamed it Pergammon Press and rapidly built it into a major publishing house. By the 1960s, Maxwell’s business success had made him hugely wealthy and in 1964, representing the Labour Party, he was elected Member of Parliament for Buckingham, holding the seat until 1970. In 1984, he acquired Mirror Group Newspapers, giving him control of six British Newspapers, including the pro-Labour Daily Mirror, and precipitating a media war between himself and Rupert Murdoch, the proprietor of the News of the World and The Sun. Maxwell rescued the third division football club Oxford United from bankruptcy in 1982. As chairman, he helped to lead them to the top flight of English football in 1985 and the club won the League Cup the following year. By 1991 Maxwell’s business empire was heavily in debt and struggling to remain solvent. On 5 November 1991, he was found to be missing from his yacht, Lady Ghislaine (named after his youngest daughter) which was cruising off the Canary Islands. His naked body was later recovered from the Atlantic Ocean. The official ruling at an inquest held in December 1991 was death by a heart attack combined with accidental drowning although three pathologists at the inquest had been unable to agree on the cause of death. Maxwell was afforded a lavish funeral on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem. The ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state occasion, was attended by many dignitaries and politicians and no fewer than six serving and former heads of Israeli intelligence listened while Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir eulogised him stating ‘he has done more for Israel than can today be told’ (Gideon’s Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad by Gordon Thomas refers). Robert Maxwell’s death triggered the complete collapse of his publishing empire. As lenders rushed to call in their debts, it emerged that Maxwell had used hundreds of millions of pounds from his companies’ pension funds in an unauthorised attempt to save his businesses from bankruptcy. In 2003, Foreign Office papers were released which revealed that British intelligence officers had suspected Maxwell of being a Soviet agent with one report describing him as ‘a thoroughly bad character and almost certainly financed by Russia’. ...

The superb ‘Iraq 2003’ M.C. group of seven awarded to Corporal A. W. Currie, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers who, coming under heavy machine gun fire near Al Uzayr security base on the night of 8 August 2003, led his team forward in a prolonged fire fight with over 20 enemy gunmen operating from 5 different positions. Finally assessing his position to be untenable, he called for an illumination round to aid identification of the enemy positions in the darkness before leading his men in a frontal assault on the Iraqi gunmen who were armed with machine-guns, AK47 rifles and RPG7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers. During the assault, another Iraqi gunman appeared suddenly between the British soldiers and the Iraqi positions, threatening the momentum of the British attack. Corporal Currie shot the Iraqi dead and then cleared two buildings, wounding two other Iraqis. His men subsequently recovered one RPG7 launcher, two RPG grenades and three rifles as well as 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The following morning, when again required to confront heavy machine gun and small arms fire from an enemy in a number of well prepared positions, Currie took a leading role as his Multiple cleared the insurgents through a combination of suppressing fire and direct assault. Currie’s involvement in this action - which led to the award of the C.G.C. to Corporal S. G. Jardine - is well documented in Jardine’s personal account which appears in the book In Foreign Fields by Dan Collins Military Cross, E.II.R. (Cpl 25026173 Cpl A W Currie KOSB); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (25026173 Pte A W Currie KOSB); Iraq 2003-11, no clasp (25026173 Cpl A W Currie KOSB); Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal 2003 (Anthony Currie) with Royal Mint fitted box of issue; Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) 2001 (Anthony W Currie) with Worcestershire Medal Service Limited fitted box of issue; Jubilee 2002, unnamed as issued; Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 1994, E.II.R. (25026173 Cpl A W Currie MC KOSB) mounted court style as worn, extremely fine and a unique combination of awards (7) £15,000-£20,000 --- M.C. London Gazette 23 April 2004: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Iraq during the period 1st April to 30th September 2003.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Corporal Currie was commanding a Fire Team in a Multiple, located at the Al Uzayr Security Force Base, Maysan Province, Southern Iraq on the night of 8th August 2003 when he was instructed by his Platoon Commander to deploy his team, augmented by the Quick Reaction Force, to investigate the continued and heavy weapons fire that was coming from the Southern quarter of the town. At 2115hrs Corporal Currie’s team advanced through the narrow streets and was engaged by a Heavy Machine Gun position. They immediately returned fire and began to suppress the position. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Multiple deployed to reinforce the Team, taking up positions to the South of Corporal Currie. A total of 5 enemy positions were identified; 2 machine gun and 3 rifle positions with an estimated 25 enemy at ranges less than 150 metres. During the subsequent battle Corporal Currie continuously pushed forward in order maintain contact with the enemy positions and came under effective fire on several occasions, from both small arms and machine gun fire. At around 2145 hrs Corporal Currie once again came under heavy gunfire and assessing his position to be untenable repositioned his team behind a large building to give them some cover from fire. Identification of enemy positions in the darkness was proving to be very difficult and an illumination round was called for. Corporal Currie moved forward, exposing his position in order to draw enemy fire and identify their positions. Judging that shock action would have a salutary effect Corporal Currie immediately led his men on a frontal assault into heavy small arms and machine gun fire. During the assault an unexpected enemy appeared between Corporal Currie’s team and the first position. Corporal Currie killed this enemy and maintained the momentum of the assault; clearing two buildings and wounding a further 2 enemy. The team recovered one RPG launcher, two RPG rounds and three rifles with 1000 rounds of ammunition from the buildings. Corporal Currie’s selfless courage and inspirational leadership during this action were instrumental in the success of this assault and the withdrawal and capture of the enemy who were engaging them. He led his men tirelessly, often placing himself in extreme danger to allow his men to better identify targets and engage them. For this exceptional example of leadership in the face of the enemy Corporal Currie deserves public recognition.’ Anthony William Currie was born on 12 October 1973. He enlisted into the Regular Army in January 1994 and after completing basic training he joined the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers in April 1994. During his 13 years of service he was employed in Iraq, Canada, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and and Mainland United Kingdom. He was awarded the General Service Medal for operational service in Northern Ireland and the Iraq 2003-11 Medal for operational service in Iraq as well as the Military Cross for actions on Operation TELIC 2. King’s Own Scottish Borderers on Operation TELIC 2 Corporal Currie deployed to Iraq with the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers on Operation TELIC 2 after the initial invasion in mid-June 2003. A week after their arrival in Basra, six Royal Military Policemen were murdered in Al Majar Al Kabir, a town 100 miles to the north and so earlier than planned the 1st KOSB was fast tracked to move up to Camp Abu Naji near Al Amarah with a remit to find the killers and reinforce British Army control in the region. Corporal S. G. Jardine, C.G.C., in command of another fire team in the same battalion worked in close co-operation with Currie during this period and describes this opening phase of the deployment: ‘We made our way up through Basra towards Camp Abu Naji. The way it worked was we rotated on a four week basis...The fourth week was spent down at the Al Uzayr Security Force Base, an out station roughly 70 or 80 km south of Al Aamarah and the same distance north of Basra. It was a very small camp, an old police station in the shape of a squared-off figure eight, with courtyards in the middle. Around the whole compound, five or ten metres from the building, there was a perimeter wall. If you looked over the wall you would see Al Uzayr itself. Its a pretty poor place sitting on the banks of the Tigris there in the middle of the marshland that runs down to the Iranian border which isn’t far away at all... We would patrol the immediate area of the village and then strike out into the other villages and the marshland round about. We were just showing a presence, and obviously looking for weapons and insurgents. You have to remember, Saddam’s own police and Army had sort of vanished, so there wasn’t that much formal law and order apart from us.’ (In Foreign Fields by Dan Collins refers) Military Cross action On the night of 8 August 2003, whilst stationed at Al Uzayr Security Force Base, Corporal Currie, commanding a fire team augmented by Jardine’s Quick Reaction Force, was deployed to investigate the continued and heavy weapons fire coming from the southern quarter of the town. Coming under heavy machine gun fire, Currie led his team forward in a prolonged fire fight with an estimated 25 enemy gunmen operating from 5 different positions. Finally assessing his position to be untenable he called for an illumination round to aid identification of the enemy posi...

Family group: A well documented Second War pilot’s D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader T. C. Wood, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who shot down a Junkers 88 over Kent in March 1943 and was decorated for his services following the completion of a large number of night intruder sorties in Mosquitos of 29 Squadron over enemy occupied Europe in 1944-45, culminating in a raid on Horsching and Wels in April 1945 in which 4 enemy aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (F/Lt. T. C. Wood. D.F.C. R.A.F.) mounted as worn, good very fine Pair: Gunner T. Wood, Royal Garrison Artillery, who died of wounds on the Western Front on 14 October 1917 British War and Victory Medals (157613 Gnr. T. Wood. R.A.) extremely fine (8) £2,400-£2,800 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 14 September 1945 Thomas Cyril Wood was born in 1916 in Nottingham and before the war was employed by the Hull Corporation as a test engineer. Having been earlier commissioned Second Lieutenant in the the East Riding unit of the Royal Engineers (T.A.) in July 1939, he began training as a pilot at No. 15 Elementary Flying Training School Carlisle in November 1941 and was granted an emergency commission as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 20 August 1942. Upon completion of his training at the end of the year he was posted to No. 29 Squadron (Beaufighters) at West Malling. Wood piloted his first operational patrol on 26 January 1943 and on 3 March he destroyed a Junkers 88 over south-east England. In reference to Wood’s feat, the Hull & Yorkshire Times reported: ‘Searchlights helped him to find the German bomber flying over Kent. Although the enemy was “jinking“ to escape detection, the Hull pilot never lost track of him and by the light of the searchlight was able to identify it as a Junkers 88. Pilot Officer Wood opened fire from 300 yards’ range and after only two bursts with cannon and machine-gun the German machine burst into flame and hit the ground.’ Wood’s own combat report (copy with lot) describes the enemy aircraft bursting into a mass of flames and hitting the ground near Maidstone. Regular patrols with his navigator, Sergeant (later Flight Lieutenant) Evans, continued initially in Beaufighters and, from June 1943, in Mosquitos. Wood was transferred to an instruction role in November 1943 but returned to 29 Squadron in June 1944, during which month he completed a number of beach head patrols. For the remainder of the war Wood mostly conducted intruder patrols over enemy occupied Europe, his log book recording a raid to Venlo in which he damaged a barge in the mouth of the Scheldt on 9 September 1944. He also documents ‘anti-diver’ sorties and notably mentions ‘patrol cover for airborne landings in Arnhem Area’ on 17 September 1944. Wood’s final sortie of note was a night intruder patrol to Horsching and Wels on 25 April 1945 in which he destroyed 2 enemy aircraft on the ground and damaged 2 more. The details of this sortie, which was conducted together with a Mosquito VI of the ‘Fighter Experimental Flight’ (Call-sign Beauty 60), are recorded in his ‘pilot’s personal combat report’, (copy with lot), stamped ‘SECRET’, and which contains the following extract: ‘We then flew on to Horshing airfield and at 0100 hours Beauty 60 released two flares from 3000 feet over the S.E. corner illuminating the whole airfield. I positioned myself for attack, selecting 3 T/E aircraft on the south side of the airfield. Diving from 1500 to 0 feet from S-N I fired a 5 second burst. Strikes were seen on the first aircraft which caught fire immediately behind the cockpit. Almost immediately the fire was extinguished. This aircraft I claim as damaged. Fire was concentrated on the second aircraft and I observed numerous strikes on the fuselage and all over the wing area. This aircraft caught fire immediately and burnt furiously. On leaving the target 15 minutes later it was still burning. I claim this aircraft as destroyed. Carrying on and lifting my nose slightly, my Navigator observed strikes on a third aircraft. Crossing the airfield at zero feet, and as no opposition was observed, I positioned myself for a third second attack which was made from E-W along the Main runway. I attacked at 0103 hours from 500 - 0 feet firing a 4 second burst on a U/I/T/E aircraft standing on the runway facing west. This aircraft had a number of men standing round it. Strikes were observed and the aircraft caught fire and was still burning when I left the target nine minutes later. I claim this aircraft as destroyed. On this run my observer saw a small fire burning in the last a/c attacked on the previous run. I claim this aircraft as damaged. Intense light flak was experienced on my second run from the airfield and its vicinity. Beauty 60 called up on the R/T and stated he was making an attack, in spite of persistent flak. I decided to remain in the vicinity to see what went on. He made an attack on the airfield and was hosed by flak. A few seconds later he called up and said, “They’ve got me but I’m still going”, and requested a homing from me to the nearest friendly territory. I gave him one to Switzerland. At 0116 hours he called up again stating he would have to bale out. I asked him if both were able to bale out, he said “Yes, I think so” and whilst transmitting I heard his navigator’s voice. At 0119 hours he stated he was baling out. This was the last I heard and estimate his position to be 30-40 miles S.W. of Linz.’ At the end of the report a handwritten note signed by Wood reads: ‘Navigator of Beauty 60 subsequently released from German hospital wounded. Pilot went in with a/c.’ Wood was promoted acting Squadron Leader in 1945 and was awarded the D.F.C. having flown as a pilot during a long period of operations which saw him credited with the destruction of 3 enemy aircraft and with damaging a further 2. He was appointed Officer Commanding 29 Squadron in 1946, and went on to fly Meteors and Vampires post war with 56 Squadron, receiving advancement to Squadron Leader in 1951 and retiring in 1958. Post service he flew with a variety of international airlines between 1958 and 1981. He died at Worthing, West Sussex in 2004. Sold together with the recipient’s Royal Air Force Flying Log Books: 3 volumes in good condition covering the entirety of his flying career from November 1941 to December 1980; the recipient’s miniature awards, mounted as worn; the recipient’s riband bar, as worn; 2 sets of R.A.F. cloth wings; Intelligence and personal combat reports (2) relating to Wood’s victories on 4 March 1943 and 25/26 April 1945 respectively; silver serving tray with supporting feet, 190mm x 190mm, hallmarks for Sheffield 1940, engraved ‘Presented to 2/Lt. T. C. Wood, R.E. by the officers, W.O., N.C.O.s, and men of the East Riding (F) Royal Engineers on the occasion of his marriage, 31st August 1940.’; silver salver with ornate edge and decorative engraving, 200mm diameter, Sheffield hallmarks for Henry Wilkinson and Co., the centre engraved with the badge of 29 Squadron and with the words ‘Presented to Squadron Leader T. C. Wood, D.F.C., Officer Commanding No. 29 Squadron, R.A.F. by the officers of the squadron on his posting, September 1946.’; silver cigarette box with wood lining, 146mm x 90mm x 33mm, hallmarks for Birmingham 1947, engraved to the front, ‘Presented to Sq...

A well-documented Second War 1944 Halifax pilot’s D.F.C. group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant H. Brawn, Royal Canadian Air Force, who flew in at least 35 operational sorties with 429 (Bison) Squadron, the first of which being to attack the gun emplacements at Merville on D Day, 6 June 1944 Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal, Canadian issue in silver; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, Canadian issue in silver, mounted as worn, generally very fine (6) £1,600-£2,000 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 16 January 1945: ‘This officer has completed a large number of operational sorties during which he has taken part in attacks on a wide variety of targets in Germany and France including such heavily defended targets as Stuttgart, Hamburg, and the Ruhr. Throughout his tour he has always shown exceptional skill and fortitude in pressing home his attacks, often under the greatest opposition. He is an inspiring leader and captain of aircraft who has encouraged and trained his crew so that they have invariably carried out their duties satisfactorily. It is considered that this officer’s fine operational record, offensive spirit and devotion to duty fully merit the award of the D.F.C.’ Harry Brawn enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1941, and after carrying out initial pilot training in Canada he was posted overseas to No. 2 Flying Instructors School, Montrose. Having carried out the course Brawn was posted as an Instructor to No. 15 (P) A.F.U., Kirmington, Lincolnshire in June 1942. He advanced to Pilot Officer and moved with the unit to Ramsbury. Brawn advanced to Flying Officer before being posted to 82 O.T.U., Ossington in March 1944. He converted to Halifax aircraft at No. 1664 H.C.U., Dishforth, and was posted for operational flying with 429 (Bison) Squadron at Leeming in June 1944. Brawn flew in at least 35 operational sorties with the squadron, with his first of the war being 5/6 June 1944 ‘ “D” Day Ops to Merville Francais. Gun Emplacements’ (Log Book refers) Other operational sorties included: Conde sur Noireau, Rail and Road Junctions, 6 June 1944; Versailles; Boulogne (2); Sautrecourt; Oisement en Bois (2); Gorenfos; Siracourt; Ardouval; Acquet; Caen; Wesseling; St. Nazaire; Stuttgart; Hamburg; Coeqercours; L’Hey; Foret de Nieppe; Bois D’Amont; St. Ew D’Esserent; Kiel (2); Brest; Marquis; Emden; Le Havre; Oslo (2); Sterkrade, 27 September 1944, ‘Oil Plant 10/10 Cloud. Raid a Shambles & Most Amusing. Motor Failure’ (Ibid); Cap Gris Nez; Dortmund and Wanne Eickel, 12 October 1944, ‘Oil Plant. Predicted H/F [Heavy Flak], holed lost s.i. [starboard inner engine]’ (Ibid). Having advanced to Flight Lieutenant, Brawn returned to Canada in September 1945 and was discharged in October of the same year. Sold with the following original related items and documents: Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book (21 August 1941 - 13 September 1945) spine damaged; R.C.A.F. Operational Wings, with named Certificate, dated 1 February 1945; Certificate of Service; Letter of congratulation on the occasion of the award of the D.F.C. to recipient addressed to ‘Mr and Mrs F. Brawn, 151 Wellington Avenue, Victoria, British Columbia’, from the Minister of National Defence for Air, dated 25 January 1945; R.C.A.F. cloth wings, and two cloth ‘Canada’ shoulder titles; a piece of metal labelled ‘German Flak 1944’; R.C.A.F. lapel ephemera; a number of annotated photographs of recipient in uniform, and over 500 pages of letters sent home by recipient between 1941-1944, covering his military career from flight training in Canada, service as a flight instructor in England, and finally operations with interesting comments throughout, including frustration on assignment as flight instructor on arrival in England in late 1942 and later comments about operations in 1944.

A good Boer War D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Sergeant J. Barfield, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Section, Malta Horse, late Derbyshire Regiment, who was twice Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the Boer War, and subsequently served during the Great War as Warrant Officer Class I, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment and Labour Corps Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (5572 Serjt: J. Barfield. R. Warwick: Regt.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (2780 ..ce. Corpl. J. Barfield 2d. Bn. D... Regt.) retaining rod loose; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (... Cpl. J. Barfield . Rl. Warwick: Regt.) unofficial rivets between second and third clasps, ‘Regt’ partially officially corrected; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5573 Serjt; J. Barfield. Rl: Warwick: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (6438. C.S.Mjr. J. Barfield. Notts. & Derby R.); British War and Victory Medals (6438 W.O. Cl.1. J. Barfield. Notts. & Derby. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (122021 C.S. Mjr: J. Barfield. Lab: C.) heavy contact marks to first four, these worn, therefore good fine, the Great War awards good very fine (8) £1,800-£2,200 --- Provenance: Mike Minton Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 1994; Dix Noonan Webb, February 2019, when sold with an officially renamed Victory Medal but now reunited and sold with the original Victory Medal together with the renamed example. D.C.M. London Gazette 31 October 1902. M.I.D. London Gazette 9 July 1901: ‘Near Vet River, Orange River Colony, on 7th April 1901, with only a native scout, pursued six armed Boers and rode down one, and shot him when he refused to surrender. He behaved with great dash. (Mentioned in General Tucker’s special despatch of 9th April 1901).’ M.I.D. London Gazette 18 July 1902: ‘For several acts of gallantry in action, and especially for single-handed capture of Boers on 20th April 1902.’ John Barfield was born in Leicester in 1871 and attested for the Derbyshire Regiment at Derby on 17 April 1890, having previously served in the Regiment’s 5th (Militia) Battalion. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he served with the Regiment in India from 11 November 1891 to 23 March 1898, and took part in the Tirah Campaign as pat of the 1st Brigade of the main column. Their first action was at the Battle of Dargai, 20 October 1897, in which the Battalion was awarded a Victoria Cross and two Distinguished Conduct Medals. Throughout the campaign, the Derbyshires suffered casualties in encounters at Dargai, Karappa, Grandakai, Matsura, Waran Valley, Sappri Pass, Barg, and Karamna. Appointed Lance-Corporal on 9 October 1897, Barfield survived the six-month campaign unscathed, and on returning home transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 28 March 1898. Promoted Corporal on 1 July of that year, he served with the 3rd Battalion in Malta from that date, before proceeding to South Africa as a member of the Warwickshires’ section in the Malta Horse for service during the Boer War on 20 February 1900. Disembarking at East London on 1 April 1900, the Malta Horse was employed principally on duties as advance guards, flank patrols, and scouts, as well as night-time forays and intelligence gathering activities. Most of their operations took place in the Orange Free State. Their first casualties were incurred on 15 April 1900 when they were acting as part of the advance guard in the relief of Wepener. The Warwickshires’ section of the Malta Horse were moved to the Vet River on 16 January 1901, by which time they had been reduced to just 15 men by means of casualties, illness, and reassignments. They remained at this location for just over four months, and were particularly active in numerous scouting expeditions, forays, and skirmishes along the Boers’ line of communications. It was during this period that Barfield, having been promoted to Sergeant on 5 February 1901, received his first Mention in Despatches (see above). Moving to the Kroonstad district in the latter part of 1901, after having performed several successful night excursions from Winberg, they continued to be employed on night expeditions. Their last action took place on 20 April 1902, when they were attached to the 9th Battalion, Mounted Infantry. The Battalion attacked a group of about 80 Boers of Nigil’s Commando at the town of Scotland West, and for his gallantry in this action Barfield was again Mentioned in Despatches- unable to re-load his rifle, he was ‘singularly successful with the butt-end of his rifle. Five Boers were killed and 20 taken prisoner.’ (The Antelope, the Journal of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, September 1902 refers). For his services in South Africa Barfield was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, almost certainly as a result of the gallantry that he had shown on the two occasions when he was Mentioned in Despatches. Having been discharged on 21 August 1902, Barfield re-enlisted at Derby in the Royal Garrison Regiment on 10 March 1903, and saw further service in Malta and South Africa. He was discharged at Bloemfontein on 15 April 1905, with the stated intention of joining the South African Constabulary. Attesting for the South African Constabulary 29 April of that year, he was posted to ‘G’ Troop, and served in the Ladybrand District. he was discharged on the reduction of the establishment on 29 February 1908, and returned to England. Following the outbreak of the Great War, Barfield re-enlisted in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (as his old Regiment had become) at Derby on 2 September 1914. Promoted Company Sergeant-Major on 5 October 1914, he served during the Great War on the 14 July 1915, and was advanced Warrant Officer Class I on 4 August 1916. Transferring to the 17th Labour Battalion, Labour Corps, as Acting Regimental Sergeant Major in August 1916, he was elevated to the same position at Headquarters, 12th Labour Group, on 14 May 1917. He returned to England on 9 September 1918, and was discharged as ‘being no longer physically fit for war service’ on 6 February 1919. He was awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, together with a gratuity of £5, on 3 February 1920. Sold with a quantity of copied research, including a copy of an article written about the recipient for the December 2003 edition of the Orders and Medals Research Society Journal.

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. awarded to Bombardier E. J. Fisher, Royal Field Artillery Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (6960 Bmbr: E. J. Fisher. A. By: 82/Bde: R.F.A.) nearly extremely fine £500-£700 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 14 November 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action, when he worked on a telephone line for hours, under a very heavy shell fire, and in the evening dug out two men who had been buried by a shell, although he was himself suffering from shell concussion.’ Eric John Fisher attested for the Royal Field Artillery and served with 82nd Brigade during the Great War on the Western Front from 24 July 1915.

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. awarded to Acting Bombardier W. Roney, 6th Brigade Ammunition Column, Royal Garrison Artillery Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (22806 A. Bmbr: W. Roney. 6/Bde: Amm: Col: R.G.A.) minor official correction (see footnote), very fine £500-£700 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 22 January 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry at Ypres on 29 October 1915. A temporary shell and cartridge magazine was struck by a shell, which ignited a box of cordite, causing a severe outbreak of fire. Bombardier Rooney entered the burning magazine, which was a mass of flames, and brought out the remaining boxes of cordite, which were already catching fire, and the only 6-inch lyddite shell, which was in the magazine at the time.’ William Roney (also listed as Rooney) attested for the Royal Garrison Artillery and served with the 6th Brigade Ammunition Column during the Great War on the Western Front from 17 September 1914. Note: The recipient’s Medal Index Card confirms that his D.C.M. was initially issued named ‘W. Rooney’, and was subsequently officially corrected to read ‘W. Roney’

A good Great War ‘Third Battle of Ypres’ D.C.M. awarded to Private J. Allen, Northumberland Fusiliers, who ‘single handed attacked an enemy strong point which was causing heavy casualties and captured a machine gun’ Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (45940 Pte. J. Allen. 11/Nth’d: Fus:) initial officially corrected, polished, good very fine £500-£700 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 6 February 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Single-handed he attacked an enemy strong point, which was causing heavy casualties, and captured a machine gun and accounted for the whole garrison. He set a magnificent example of fearlessness and initiative. ‘ James Allen, a native of Fenton, Staffordshire, attested for the Northumberland Fusiliers and served with the 11th Service Battalion during the Great War on the the Western Front. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry during the Third Battle of Ypres, before the Battalion moved to Italy in November 1917.

A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. awarded to Lance-Sergeant T. Jackson, Rifle Brigade, who was killed in action on 4 May 1917 Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (Z-1562 Pte. T. Jackson. 1/Rif: Bde:) ‘Z’ prefix to number unofficially corrected, nearly extremely fine £500-£700 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 11 December 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. With another man on two separate occasions he went forward to reconnoitre. On one occasion they killed two of the enemy and destroyed a machine gun. Later, they killed four of the enemy and used a hostile machine gun with good effect.’ Thomas Jackson was born in Hulme, Manchester, and attested for the Rifle Brigade. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 5 January 1915, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and was advanced Lance-Sergeant. He was killed in action on 4 May 1917; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. Sold with copied research. Note: The London Gazette notification for the D.C.M. gives the recipient’s number incorrectly as 2-1562, rather than Z-1562, which no doubt explains the minor correction to the medal.

A Great War ‘Italian theatre’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Lance-Sergeant F. Williams, Army Cyclist Corps, late Hampshire Regiment, who was wounded at Gallipoli, and was decorated for his gallantry in leading a patrol that swam the River Piave in the middle of winter Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2579 Cpl. F. Williams. XIV. C.C. Bn: A.C.C.); 1914-15 Star (2579 Pte. F. Williams, A. Cyc. Corps.); British War and Victory Medals (2579 Cpl. F. Williams. A. Cyc. Corps.); together with an Army Cyclist Corps cap badge, pitting and light contact marks, nearly very fine (4) £700-£900 --- Provenance: Glendinining’s, March 1974. D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1918; citation published 21 October 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After taking part in severe operations, during which he was twice wounded, he joined the Corps Cyclist Battalion, and invariably displayed conspicuous courage and coolness under fire. He was the senior non-commissioned officer of the first patrol which volunteered to swim a river in the depth of winter.’ Frederick Williams was born in Cowes, Isle of Wight, in 1890 and attested for the Hampshire Regiment at Winchester on 19 November 1908, having previously served in the Regiment’s Special Reserve. He transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps on 6 February 1915, and served with them during the Great War in the Gallipoli theatre of War from 29 April 1915, suffering a slight shell wound to the left arm on 29 June 1915. Williams subsequently served on the Western Front from 27 March 1916, and saw action on the Somme and at Ypres, being promoted Corporal on 29 January 1917. In November 1917 he proceeded with the 14th ‘Cavan Corps’ Battalion to Italy, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal almost certainly for his gallantry in leading a patrol which swam the River Piave in the depth of winter in order to obtain information on enemy positions. Appointed Lance-Sergeant on 19 October 1918, he transferred back to the Hampshire Regiment on 2 February 1920, and was was discharged on 18 November 1920, after 12 years’ service. Sold with copied research.

The landmark posthumous George Medal awarded to Sergeant D. J. ‘Aaron’ Garside, 10th (Volunteer) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, who sustained fatal injuries in saving the life of a recruit under his supervision during live hand grenade training in July 1979 - it was the first posthumous award of the George Medal following the amendment of the Royal Warrant in 1977 George Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (23913522 Sgt. David J. Garside, Para.) in Royal Mint fitted case of issue, extremely fine £4,000-£5,000 --- G.M. London Gazette 25 March 1980. The original recommendation - for a Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct (Posthumous) - states: ‘On 11th July 1979, during recruit cadre training at Sennybridge, Sergeant Garside, a Territorial Army Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the 10th (Volunteer) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, was supervising live grenade throwing. During the live grenade throwing an incident took place when a recruit, in the act of preparing to throw a live grenade, allowed the striker level to spring off prematurely, and at the same time appeared to freeze with the grenade in his hand. At this point Sergeant Garside, acting with total disregard for his own safety and with great resource, took preventive action to move the recruit to safety whilst at the same time endeavouring to get him to either throw the grenade or drop it. It was in the course of this action, whilst Sergeant Garside was pushing the recruit to safety that the grenade dropped to the ground and exploded underneath Sergeant Garside. As a result of the explosion Sergeant Garside sustained fatal injuries and the recruit received superficial injuries. It is clear that Sergeant Garside acted with great coolness and presence of mind, and with complete disregard for his own safety, and in so doing gave his life saving the life of a recruit. His act was one of great bravery, sacrifice and coolness.’ David John Garside, known to his friends as ‘Aaron’, was born on 12 October 1946 at Bombay, India and joined the Territorial Army in 1972. He was civilly employed as a manager (Motor Accessories) in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Garside, a Sergeant and Training Wing Instructor in the 10th Volunteer Battalion, Parachute Regiment, T.A., saved the life of Private D. V. Willoughby in carrying out the acts described in the above citation. He died the same day at Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny and was posthumously awarded the George Medal - the first such occasion a posthumous George Medal was awarded following the amendment of the Royal Warrant in 1977. Sold together with a poignant archive of original documents and photographs comprising: (i) Six press photographs of the recipient’s funeral with representative’s from the Parachute Regiment in attendance. (ii) The recipient’s Original Death Certificate dated 1 October 1979 stating cause of death to be shock and compound fracture of leg and soft tissue injuries caused by hand grenade explosion. (iii) Original Marriage Certificate dated 29 January 1973. (iv) Certificate of Registration of Death dated 5 October 1979. (v) Letter to the recipient’s wife from employers Brown Brothers Limited of Swindon expressing shock and deep sympathy in her bereavement, dated 12 July 1979. (vi) Letter to the recipient’s wife from employers Inductron Limited of Basingstoke expressing shock and sadness upon learning of the ‘dreadful accident’ which took her husband’s life, dated 24 July 1979. (vii) Letters (2) from Amery-Parkes & Co., solicitors, dated 11 January and 14 February 1980.

A Great War ‘German East Africa’ K.A.R. D.C.M. awarded to Sergeant Amenon, 2/2 King’s African Rifles King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (631 Sjt: Amenon. K.A.R.) slight edge bruising and polished, therefore fine £600-£800 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 28 August 1918: ‘For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on all occasions when in contact with the enemy. He is an excellent patrol leader and has been severely wounded twice.’ [HANFORCE]. M.I.D. London Gazette 7 March 1918 [Van Deventer]. Amenon/Amenoni, son of Kamata, was a member of the Atonga tribe from the village of Buwa, in the Chintechi district of Nyasaland. He enlisted into the 2/2 King’s African Rifles at Zomba on 16 October 1913, was appointed Lance-Corporal in December 1915, promoted to Corporal in July 1916, and to Sergeant in December 1916. He served in the war with Germany, August 1914-1918, including actions in British East Africa: ‘Mafia Is. Jan. 1915; Umba Valley Jan. 1915; Loosito April 1915; Rewa River March 1916. Wounded at Loosito 6 April 1915 (Wound Gratuity paid 27 May 1915)’. Operations in German East Africa 1916-17: ‘Kibata Dec. 1916; Kiwambi Jan. 1917; Nambanji March 1917; Makingaja April 1917; Mnindi July 1917; Narungombe July 1917. Wounded at Mnindi 8 August 1917 (Wound Gratuity paid 22 October 1917).’ Sergeant Amenon was awarded the African D.C. Medal in G.R.O. 549 of 17 June 1918, and exempted from payment of One Hut Tax for life for being awarded African D.C. Medal. He subsequently received a £10 gratuity for same on 21 December 1922, in addition to a war gratuity paid in July 1920. Sergeant Amenon was reduced to Corporal from Sergeant on two occasions and was discharged in the rank of Corporal, time expired, at Zomba on 31 December 1922. He was described as a ‘Good and brave soldier but adulterous’, his Defaulter Sheet recording crimes including ‘committing adultery with a comrade’s wife’, ‘attempted rape’ and ‘rape’. Sold with copied discharge papers.

A Great War ‘Auxiliary Patrol 1915-16’ D.S.M. group of three awarded to Leading Seaman A. McIver, Royal Naval Reserve Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (D.1953. A. McIver, Lg. Sean. R.N.R. Ocean Retriever. Aux. Patrol. 1915.6.); British War and Victory Medals (1953D. A. McIver. L.S. R.N.R.) BWM with official corrections, very fine (3) £500-£700 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 14 July 1916. For services in H.M. Drifter Ocean Retriever in the Auxiliary Patrol during the period 1 January 1915 to 31 January 1916. The recommendation states: ‘Carried out duties under extremely arduous and hazardous conditions of weather and exposure to enemy attack and mines with marked zeal, gallantry and success.’ Angus McIver was born on Stornoway in July 1877 and enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 19 August 1898. He served throughout the Great War borne on the books of H.M.S. Eagle (also entitled to a 1914-15 Star), and was shore demobilised on 28 March 1919. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 8 December 1919. Sold with copied research.

A Great War ‘Auxiliary Patrol 1917’ D.S.M. group of three awarded to Engineman Henry Charman, Royal Naval Reserve, for services in H.M. Admiralty Trawler Sabreur, which was engaged by enemy destroyers during a raid on the night of 20/21 April 1917, which culminated in the famous action with H.M.S Swift and H.M.S. Broke and the sinking of two German destroyers Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (E.S.4455. H. Charman, Engn. R.N.R. “Sabreur” Aux. Patrol. 1917.); British War and Victory Medals (4455E.S. H. Charman. Engn. R.N.R.) toned, extremely fine (3) £800-£1,000 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 6 April 1918: ‘In recognition of services in vessels of the Auxiliary Patrol between 1st January and 31st December 1917.’ Sold with original ‘flimsy’ notification of the award from ‘The Captain Trawler Patrol, Dover’. Whilst this award is not gazetted for any specific action, it is worth pointing out that the only recorded incident of note involving the trawler Sabreur in this period occurred in the opening act of the famous engagement between H.M. Ships Swift and Broke and German destroyers on the night of the 20th to 21st April, 1917, when they successfully engaged a flotilla of five or six German destroyers, of which two were sunk. On the night of 20/21 April, 1917, German Zeebrugge-based large torpedo boats made a raid on the Dover barrage; Gruppe Albrecht (6 Torpedo Boats) aiming to bombard Calais, Gruppe Gautier (also 6 Torpedo boats) to strike at Dover. The action started at 2310 on 20 April, when Gruppe Albrecht shelled Calais, after which it returned to Port. At about 2330 Gruppe Gautier encountered the trawler Sabreur and attacked with gunfire, scoring two hits, one shell bursting in front of the wheelhouse and another in the engine room wounding a Trimmer. While the Germans believed that they had sunk the trawler, Sabreur, armed only with one 6-pdr, extinguished her lights and managed to escape. Gruppe Gautier then shelled Dover and the Kent countryside (shelling was wild) before swinging away south towards the Barrage. At 0045 the destroyers H.M.S. Swift and Broke, just east of the Goodwins, sighted ships approaching on an opposite course. The Germans opened fire, and scored several hits on Swift. Swift turned to ram but missed, passed through the German line and scored some hits too. She then fired a torpedo which hit G.85. Swift had been sorely hit, had wireless out of action, damage to bridge and 4 ft of water in the stokers mess-deck, 1 crew killed and 4 wounded. She turned to follow the Germans but couldn't keep up, so made her way home. At the start of the fight Broke also opened fire with guns and torpedo, but failed to score. She then rammed G.42 amidships at 27 kts. Locked together, Broke's sailors had to repel German borders in hand to hand fighting while Broke's guns poured fire into G.42 at point blank range. While this battle was going on the last two German torpedo boats in the line sailed past and fired into Broke. Broke managed to break clear of G.42 and started limping eastwards after Swift. Broke had suffered damage to her boiler rooms with steam dropping, half of the bridge was on fire and the decks had been swept by gunfire. As she sailed away both G.85 and G.42 fired on Broke. Broke then turned back and fired on both German destroyers, silencing their guns. The battle ended at 0115. Both German destroyers sank shortly after. At this point Broke's engines stopped and she drifted until taken under tow by H.M.S. Lydiard, who along with H.M.S. Mentor and Lucifer had come out of Dover to help, but arrived too late.

A Great War ‘Western Front’ Despatch Rider’s M.M. group of three awarded to Sapper E. Scott, Royal Engineers, for his gallantry at Bois des Buttes, 27 May 1918 Military Medal, G.V.R. (317053 Sapr. E. Scott. 8/D.S. Coy. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (317053 Spr. E. Scott. R.E.) good very fine (3) £400-£500 --- M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918. The original citation states: ‘On the morning of 27 May 1918 at about 7:30 a.m. this Motor Cyclist was carrying important messages to O.C., 45th Brigade, and O.C., 33rd Brigade, situated at Bois des Buttes and Jean d’Arc. Undaunted by extremely heavy shellfire, he made his way through Pontavert and although under enemy rifle fire (his Despatch Case and Box Respirator both being hit), he pushed forward in a most determined manner in his endeavour to deliver his messages. It was only when he was stopped by an Infantry Officer near 45th Brigade H.Q., he assured him that these H.Q. had been evacuated, and that he was then in the front infantry line, that this motor cyclist returned. From that date till 30th inst. he has continued to work with unceasing zeal and cheerful courage, and has delivered messages to all parts of the front under heavy fire of all descriptions in a most gallant manner.’ Edgar Scott, a native of Halifax, Yorkshire, was born c.1888 and prior to the Great War was employed by the Central Garage (Automobile and Electrical Engineers), Halifax. He served as an Army Cyclist during the Great War on the Western Front, and was awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry as a Despatch Rider at Bois des Buttes on 27 May 1918 - on this date the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, part of the same 8th Division, fought a gallant last stand, and earned the unique Unit Distinction of the French Croix de Guerre avec Palme. Sold together with an original testimonial letter from his employers, dated 9 February 1916; a post-card photograph of a group of Army Cyclists, in which Scott is identified; the recipient’s original marriage certificate; and copied research.

TWO CASED JAPANESE MEDALS COMPRISING SACRED TREASURE AND ORDER OF THE RISING SUN, AND A JAPANESE RED CROSS MEDAL (3)

A GERMAN POUR LE MERITE MEDAL AND ANOTHER MEDAL (2)

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR GENERAL PETER BOUCHER C.B. OBE., 3RD HUSSARS AND 14/20TH HUSSARS

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR REGINALD WALLACE M.B.E. ROYAL TANK REGIMENT

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR UVEDALE CORBETT OF THE ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR ARTHUR JAMES LESLIE DYER M.C., 1ST BATTALION CHESHIRE REGIMENT

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR CECIL UVEDALE CORBETT D.S.O., SHROPSHIRE YEOMANRY AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO CAPTAIN J.J. CLOWES RIFLE BRIGADE (GREEN HOWARDS)

A MINIATURE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL HERBERT JOHN ORPEN-SMELLIE O.B.E. OF THE ESSEX AND PARACHUTE REGIMENT (HIS UNIFORM IS LOT 494)

A 1939-1945 MEDAL AND DEFENCE MEDAL