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Six: Corporal R. B. Stevenson, Royal Marines general Service 1962, 2 clasps, Northern Ireland, N. Iraq & S. Turkey (Mne.1 P047675X RM); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Kosovo, unnamed; N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Former Yugoslavia, unnamed; Operational Service Medal 2000, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (Cpl. P047675X RM); Iraq 2003, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (Cpl. P047675X RM); Jubilee 2002, unnamed, mounted as worn, first with minor contact marks, good very fine and better (6) £1000-1400 Robert Balfour Stevenson was born on 30 September 1964 and enlisted into the Royal Marines in January 1988. After Royal Marine basic and Commando training, he was awarded his green beret and was posted to 40 Commando Royal Marines. With them he served in Northern Ireland. After training to become a Royal Marines Signaller and passing as a Signaller Class 3 in 1900, he returned for a second tour in Northern Ireland, serving this time with 45 Commando Royal Marines at Crossmaglen. In 1991 he was deployed with 45 Commando R.M. to Northern Iraq and participated in the resettlement of Kurdish refugees. He then served with 45 Commando R.M. in Belize, on anti-drug smuggling operations, followed by service with the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM), guarding the British nuclear deterrent. After service on the island of Diego Garcia he returned home in 1995 and qualified as a Signaller Class 2 and was promoted to Corporal. Drafted into 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron as part of the Mobile Air Operation Team he then served in Bosnia. In 2000 he joined the Commando Logistic Regiment as a Signals Detachment Commander. As such he was employed in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2002 he was advanced to Acting Sergeant and was employed as the Signals Advisor within the staff of the Commander Amphibious Task Group based at R.M. Stonehouse. He then served in the Communications Squadron which was part of the United Kingdom Landing Force Command Support Group. During his military service he had qualified as a military parachutist and was arctic and jungle warfare trained. Corporal Stevenson was discharged with a pension on 9 June 2006. Sold with copied R.M. Testimonial and R.M. Certificate of Discharge. £1000-£1400

Pair: E. A. O’Sullivan, Royal Australian Navy vietnam 1964 (E. A. O’Sullivan R.62299), later issue naming engraved in large capitals; South Vietnam Medal 19641 clasp, 1960- (E. A. O’Sullivan R.62299) extremely fine (2) £120-160 Edward Austin O’Sullivan was born on 4 June 1946 at Kogarth, New South Wales. He enlisted into the Royal Australian Navy in Sydney. He served aboard the destroyer H.M.A.S. Vendetta during the ship’s only tour, 15 September 1969-11 April 1970. During her Vietnam deployment she steamed 39,558 miles and fired over 13,000 shells. £120-£160

Pair: Lance-Corporal R. E. Wild, Royal Australian Signals and Australian Special Air Service vietnam 1964 (55410 R. E. Wild), Australian style impressed naming; South Vietnam Medal 1964, 1 clasp, 1960- (55410 R. E. Wild) some contact marks, good very fine (2) £400-500 With papers stating 55410 Lance Corporal Richard Eugene Wild served with 152 Signal Squadron from 19 August 1968 and with the Australian S.A.S. during 18 February 1970-18 February 1971 in Vietnam. £400-£500

Three: Sergeant R. L. McDonald, Parachute Regiment south Atlantic 1982, with rosette (24576223 Pte., Para); U.N. Medal, UNFICYP ribbon, unnamed; General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24576223 Sgt., Para), mounted court style as worn, nearly extremely fine (3) £1600-1800 Ex D.N.W. 18 September 1998, lot 655. robert Lee McDonald was born on 20 June 1964 and enlisted into the Parachute Regiment at Harlow on 5 August 1980. During the Falklands War he served in the Recce Platoon, ‘C’ Company, 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment. He later served in the U.S.A., March 1983 and March-April 1986; Belize, April-October 1984; Cyprus, June-November 1986; Denmark, May-June 1987; Kenya, October-December 1990, and Northern Ireland, June 1993-January 1995. He was discharged having an exemplary record of service on 24 August 1995. Sold with copied Certificate of Service and other research derived from Pegasus magazine - one article recalls that he was ‘captured’ while on manoeuvres against Danish forces. Suffering a blow to his ego, he was strapped to the bonnet of his captors landrover and paraded through the streets of a local town in a partially disrobed state! £1600-£1800

Six: Lance-Corporal R. H. Ainslie, Royal Scots gulf 1990-91, 1 clasp, 16 Jan to 28 Feb 1991 (24849111 Pte., RS); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24849111 L. Cpl., RS); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Kosovo, unnamed; Jubilee 2002, in named card box of issue; Saudi Arabia, Liberation of Kuwait 1991; Kuwait, Liberation of Kuwait 1991, 4th Grade Medal, extremely fine (9) £320-360 Sold with a mounted set of three full-size medals as the first three above; the ‘Gulf’ and ‘G.S.M.’ being named copies. Also with some background detail on the groups and a paper cutting from The Daily Record, 22 June 2004, which reports on the story that the entertainer and ‘Elvis’ impersonator, Rab. Ainslie, was attacked outside a bar. In it Ainslie states, ‘I served in the Gulf, Kosovo and Ireland and I can’t believe I have come home with injuries like these after a night at the local pub’. £320-£360

Pair: Private R. McFarlane, King’s Own Scottish Borderers gulf 1990-91, 1 clasp, 16 Jan to 28 Feb 1991 (24823077 Pte., KOSB), mounted court style as worn; Saudi Arabia, Liberation of Kuwait 1991, in case and named card slip box of issue, extremely fine (2) £180-220 £180-£220

Sold by Order of the Family an outstanding Second World War bomb disposal George Cross group of eight awarded to Brigadier W. M. Eastman, Royal Army Ordnance Corps: with little relevant training, Eastman and a fellow officer rendered safe some 275 UXBs on Malta in 1940 - ‘Their courage was beyond all praise and it was a miracle that they both remained alive’ George Cross (Lieut. William Marsden Eastman, R.A.O.C., 24th December 1940); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953; Jubilee 1977, mounted court-style as worn, lacquered, very fine and bettter (8) £15000-20000 g.C. London Gazette 24 December 1940: ‘For most conspicuous gallantry in carrying out very hazardous work.’ The original recommendation - written in conjunction with that for fellow R.A.O.C. officer, Captain R. L. J. Jones - states: ‘On various dates Lieutenant Eastman, with Captain R. L. J. Jones, R.A.O.C., worked under dangerous and trying conditions and performed acts of considerable gallantry in dealing with large numbers of various unexploded bombs, some of which were in a highly dangerous state and of the German delay type. on one occasion, these officers showed particular gallantry in dealing with an 1100lb. German bomb. Two attempts were made to explode this bomb but it failed to detonate; at the third attempt when it was in a most dangerous state, they succeeded in detonating it. on a second occasion, these officers, assisted by a Master Rigger of H.M. Dockyard, succeeded in removing a 400lb. high explosive Italian unexploded bomb which had been under water for a week in a 20ft. deep well inside a house. This bomb, fused at both ends, was in a dangerous state. It had to be raised to the ground floor by means of a gin, tackle, sling and ropes. This operation was doubly dangerous, as: (a) There was a possibility of the sling slipping while the bomb was being hauled up and (b) The bomb was two and half ft. long, the mouth of the well three ft. one inch wide, and for safety the bomb had to be kept horizontal, if possible, and pulled up thus. Lieutenant Eastman assisted the Master Rigger, guided the bomb from the floor of the well, and Captain Jones went to the top to guide it through the opening. They succeeded in getting the bomb out although there was only a six inch clearance as it came through the mouth of the well.’ William Marsden ‘Bill’ Eastman was born in Brentford in October 1911 and was educated at Uppingham and Cambridge University, but had to leave the latter seat of learning on his father’s death, in order to take over the family dyeing and dry-cleaning business. And it was as a result of his knowledge of chemicals drawn from that business that he was recommended for a commission in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps on volunteering shortly before the outbreak of hostilities. Having then attended the Inspecting Ordnance Officer’s course at Bramley, he was embarked for Malta in March 1940. Subsequent events are best summarised by Brigadier Sir John Smyth, V.C., in The Story of the George Cross: ‘At this period of the war in Malta, no expert Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal units had been formed and the job of attending to unexploded bombs and mines dropped on the Island had to be handled by the R.A.O.C. - in fact Jephson Jones and Eastman. They had no great special equipment, no trained staff and very little knowledge of the mechanism of German and Italian missiles. They just had to learn as they went along. they were told that they would have to deal with all unexploded bombs and mines which fell on the Island except those which dropped in the dockyard area and on airfields, which were dealt with by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. No one imagined - or at any rate no one in Malta had imagined - that Malta would become such a target for the venom, first of the Italian Air Force and then of the Germans. But between 10 June and mid-November 1940, when their job was taken over by a properly constituted and trained R.E. Bomb Disposal unit, Jephson Jones and Eastman dealt with some 275 unexploded bombs. Their courage was beyond all praise and it was a miracle that they both remained alive. they were awarded the George Cross on Christmas Eve 1940 and were given a choice of receiving the decoration immediately from the Governor or waiting until they were posted back to the Middle East or the United Kingdom. They both chose the latter and were invested together by the King at Buckingham Palace in December 1944.’ A number of anecdotes survive from Eastman’s hair-raising sojourn in Malta, one of them recounting the occasion he worked in his shirt-sleeves on a hot day as a UXB was dug out, but then donned his tunic and Sam Browne before returning to diffuse it - when asked why by an onlooker, he replied, ‘If I have to die, I might as well die decent’; while another describes the occasion he journeyed to a UXB site on a motorbike, with his girlfriend, Yvonne Vassallo, along for the ride - she unhesitatingly accepted his invitation to sit on the UXB and steady it as he went about his perilous work! eastman was posted to G.H.Q., Cairo as Chief Ordnance Officer in 1942, but not before carrying out further gallant deeds, a case in point being his ‘clearance’ - over three days - of the valuable cargo of ammunition, kerosene and aviation fuel aboard the merchantman Talabot, which ship was eventually sunk at her moorings in Marsaxlokk harbour; so, too, on a later occasion, his clearance of a cargo of ‘infamous Dutch Anti-tank Mines’ from the holds of no less than seven ships, all the while conscious of the fact a mere 18-inch drop would set-off their hyper-sensitive detonators. remaining in the Regular Army after the War, he was latterly a popular Commandant of the R.A.O.C. Training Centre at Blackdown, and finally retired as Brigadier in 1966. Settling in Malta in the same year, he died at Sliema in April 1980 and is buried in Ta’ Braxia Cemetery; see One Step Further, Those Whose Gallantry Was Rewarded With The George Cross, by Marion Hebblethwaite, for further details. sold with a quantity of original documentation, including four ‘Investiture Day’ photographs and a later portrait, in uniform, as a Brigadier, wearing his Honour & Awards; his Buckingham Palace investiture letter and admittance ticket, dated 12 December 1944; his membership certificate for the Royal Society of St. George, dated 14 May 1942; his M.O.D. retirement letter, dated 19 October 1966; some post-war V.C. & G.C. Association tickets, invitations and programmes, etc., and several newspaper cuttings. £15000-£20000

A post-war C.B.E. group of six awarded to Lionel Powys-Jones, Chief Native Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia, late Rhodesia Regiment and King’s Royal Rifle Corps, in which latter regiment he was wounded as a young subaltern in the Great War the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. L. Powys-Jones); Southern Rhodesia Medal for War Service 1939-45; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953, surname officially corrected on the third, generally good very fine (6) £600-800 ex A. A. Upfill-Brown collection. c.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1954. lionel Powys-Jones was born in July 1894, the son of Llewellyn Powys-Jones, a Resident Magistrate in Bulawayo, and was educated at Blundell’s School, Tiverton, Victoria College, Jersey and Oriel College, Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Returning home to Rhodesia, he joined the Native Affairs Department, and in 1916 enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Rhodesia Regiment. Subsequently commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, he was wounded in 1918. back in the service of the Native Affairs Department by 1919, he went on to enjoy a long and distinguished career, ultimately gaining appointment as Secretary for Native Affairs and Chief Native Commissioner in 1947. he had, meanwhile, joined the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, and attended assorted musketry courses in the period leading upto the 1939-45 War. Placed on the Reserve of Officers in March 1940, he served in a Concession Platoon from August of that year until April 1942, and is a verified recipient of the Southern Rhodesia Medal for War Service, the relevant roll stating, ‘Jones, L., X8610, Army’, which corresponds with his Q. & R. card in the archives in Harare; this award has accordingly been added to his Honours and Awards for display purposes. powys-Jones finally retired in 1954, in which year he was awarded his C.B.E. A keen tennis player who onetime represented Rhodesia, he settled in Somerset West, Cape Province, where he died in November 1966. £600-£800

‘It was my great good fortune to be appointed General Staff Officer to the Arab Forces in the early part of 1918. From then throughout the final phase of the Arab revolt on till Damascus, I worked, travelled, and fought alongside Lawrence. Night after night we lay wrapped in our blankets under the cold stars of the desert. At these times one learns much of a man. Lawrence took the limelight from those of us professional soldiers who were fortunate enough to serve with him, but never once have I heard even a whisper of jealousy. We sensed that we were serving with a man immeasurably our superior ... In my considered opinion, Lawrence was the greatest genius whom England has produced in the last two centuries, and I do not believe that there is anyone who had known him who will not agree with me. If ever a genius, a scholar, an artist and an imp of Shaitan were rolled into one personality, it was Lawrence.’ Colonel W. F. Stirling, D.S.O., M.C., from his autobiography, Safety Last. the important Boer War and Great War Palestine operations D.S.O. and Bar, M.C. group of fourteen awarded to Colonel W. F. Stirling, Chief of Staff to Lawrence of Arabia and Advisor to Emir Feisal in Damascus in 1918, late Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Royal Flying Corps distinguished Service Order, E.VII.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with Second Award Bar; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (Lieut., R. Dub. Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut., R. Dub. Fus.); 1914-15 Star (Capt., R. Dub. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); Egypt, Order of the Nile, 4th Class breast badge, silver and enamel; Italy, Order of the Crown, 5th Class breast badge, gold and enamel; Syria, Order of Merit, breast badge, gilt metal and enamel; Hedjaz, Order of El Nahda, a rare first type 2nd Class set, comprising neck badge and breast badge, in silver, gold and enamels, complete with original plaited neck cord; Albania, Order of Scanderbeg, a scarce first type Grand Cross set of insignia by Cravanzola, Roma, comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver, gilt and enamels, complete with full dress sash, minor official correction to surname on the Boer War awards, reverse centre lacking on the Italian piece, enamel work chipped in places but otherwise generally very fine or better (12) £25000-30000 d.S.O. London Gazette 28 January 1902: ‘For skill and gallantry in action at Kaffirspruit, 19 December 1901.’ Bar to D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1919: ‘For gallant service rendered rendered during the operations resulting in the occupation of Damascus by Arab Forces. By his example and personal courage whilst leading the Arabs he, in conjunction with another officer, was mainly instrumental in securing the successful occupation of the town and the establishment, without grave disorder, of the Arab Military Authorities therein.’ The other officer referred to in the above citation is almost certainly Lawrence. m.C. London Gazette 1 January 1918. walter Francis Stirling was born on 31 January 1880, the son of Captain Francis Stirling, R.N., who was last heard of having left Bermuda on that same day in command of the training frigate Atalanta, and was presumed lost at sea with all hands shortly afterwards - one of the notorious ‘Bermuda Triangle’ mysteries. Young Walter spent much of his early life at Hampton Court Palace where Queen Victoria had set aside a wing for widows of Naval officers who died in the course of duty, was educated at Sandhurst and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 1889. actively engaged in South Africa with the 4th Division Mounted Infantry in Dundonald’s Brigade, Natal Field Force, and afterwards as Adjutant, 14th Mounted Infantry, he took part in operations which included the Relief of Ladysmith and the actions at Laing’s Nek, Belfast and Kafferspruit. sterling’s service with the Mounted Infantry during the latter part of the War mostly involved long drives against the blockhouses, operations which, he later noted in his autobiography, Safety Last, ‘entailed dividing the countryside into huge triangles, marked out at every six or eight hundred yards with armoured blockhouses interconnected with double barbed-wire fences. It was a laborious process but profitable, for once a Boer Commando got into one of the triangles, our mounted troops could then line up and sweep the whole country, driving the enemy up against one of the blockhouse lines where they either had to surrender or else fight their way out ... on my return from one of these drives I received two telegrams. One was from Lord Kitchener and said: ‘Congratulate you on immediate award in the field of the D.S.O. for skill and gallantry in action at the affair of Kaffirspruit.’ ‘ After further service with the Dublin Fusiliers at Malta and in Egypt, Stirling transferred to the Egyptian Army in 1906, and served with the 11th Sudanese Regiment engaged in patrols throughout the Sudan 1907-12. Promoted to Captain in 1908, he retired in 1912 and lived in Canada for a time, before returning to Egypt to run the Sporting Club in Alexandria. after the outbreak of hostilties in 1914, he served temporarily with the Gordon Highlanders in the Censorship Office, Egypt, and later in 1914 transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and trained as an Observer at Ismalia, where he was then detailed to patrol and reconnoitre the Sinai Desert. On one patrol in search of Turkish troop movements Stirling and his pilot, Grall - ‘an extraordinarily nice Breton naval quartermaster’ - crash landed in the desert. The latter broke his collarbone and three ribs in the process, but the pair evaded capture by Turks and Bedouin to arrive safely back in Akaba. Grall was awarded the D.C.M. for this feat. upon hearing of the disaster that had befallen his regiment aboard the River Clyde in the landings at Gallipoli, however, Stirling at once requested permission to rejoin his regiment in the peninsula, where only one officer remained unwounded. Thus he served as second in command of the 1st Battalion, Dublin Fusiliers, for three months until he ‘got buried by a shell which burst on the parapet of the trench’ above his head and had to be evacuated. the Palestine Campaign 1915-18 upon his return to Egypt, late in 1915, he was posted as G.2 Intelligence to General Sir Archibald Murray’s G.H.Q. in Ismailia. Here he very soon met T. E. Lawrence, then a young subaltern who had arrived out from England in December 1914 as G.3 Intelligence. Lawrence was then ordered to Basra with additional instructions to make a report on anything he saw there which could be of interest to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. ‘The document that he produced for us on his return was an amazing document, considering its author was only a 2nd Lieutenant. It was a violent criticism of the mental capacity of the draughtsmen and map-makers, of the quality of the stone used in their lithography, of the disposal of the cranes on the quayside, of the system of mooring the barges and of the shunting operations on the railway, of the medical arrangements, particularly of the provision for the wounded, and even of the tactical dispositions of the commanders in the field and of the general strategical conception of the campaign. We dared not show it to the C.-in-C., but had to water it down till it was considered fit for the great man’s perusal. I have regretted ever since that I never kept a copy of the original; it was Lawrence at his best’ (Stirling’s autobiography refers). stirling was active throughout the Palestine campaign, taking part in the fall of Gaza, the operations in and around Jerusalem, and the night attack across the river Auja. Shortly afterwards he was posted

A good Great War D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Colonel A. N. R. McNeill, Royal Army Medical Corps distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914 Star (Capt., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (Col., D.S.O., R.A.M.C.); War Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1937, generally good very fine (7) £1600-1800 d.S.O. London Gazette 3 June 1918. mention in despatches London Gazette 25 May 1918. arthur Norman Roy McNeill, was born in Glasgow in April 1886, was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps in August 1908, and was advanced to Captain in February 1912, while stationed in Mauritius. Back in the U.K. by the outbreak of hostilities, he first entered the French theatre of War in October 1914, and remained actively employed there until the end of hostilities, latterly as an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel and C.O. of No. 7 Cavalry Field Ambulance. Subsequently employed out in Ind a 1923-28, in Malaya 1930-31, and again out in India from 1936-41, he commanded the British Military Hospitals at Mhow and Rawalpindi, in addition to a posting as A.D.M.S. H.Q., 1 Division, Waziristan in 1937, thereby gaining entitlement to his India General Service Medal. Having then been advanced to full Colonel, and served as A.D.M.S. H.Q. Bombay, he returned to the U.K. in 1941 and was A.D.M.S. H.Q. Devon and Cornwall, until that June, when he was placed on the Retired List. He died in London in February 1947. £1600-£1800

A rare Second World War D.S.C. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant (A.) R. A. Wiltshire, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, a Fleet Air Arm pilot who was decorated for his part in ‘Operation Dragoon’: he had earlier participated in ‘Operation Tungsten’, the famous attack on the Tirpitz in April 1944 distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1945’ and privately engraved, ‘Lieutenant (A.) Reginald Alfred Wiltshire, D.S.C., R.N.V.R.’, hallmarks for London 1947, in its Garrard & Co. fitted case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Pacific Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, these last in their original card forwarding box, together with embroidered Fleet Air Arm ‘Wings’ (2) and a set of tunic ribands, generally extremely fine (7) £4000-5000 D.S.C. London Gazette 27 March 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘Sub. Lieutenant Wiltshire joined H.M.S. Pursuer on 26 November 1943. Since that date he has carried out 25 operational missions and 71 deck-landings. During ‘Operation Dragoon’, he led five fighter bomber missions of four or more aircraft and took part in 10 missions. He is always cheerful, quite imperturbable and sets a fine example. He leads in the air well. For courage, skill, leadership and a fine example.’ Reginald Alfred Wiltshire, who was born in Enfield, Middlesex in January 1923, completed his pilot training at the U.S. Naval Air Stations at Pensacola and Miami, and returned to the U.K. in the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Biter in June 1942. following a brief posting to No. 762 (F.A.A.) Squadron, and appointment to the rank of Acting Sub. Lieutenant, he removed to No. 896 (F.A.A.) Squadron in August 1942, in which unit he carried out deck-landings in Martlet IVs on the U.S.S. Charger, before removing to the aircraft carrier Victorious in February 1943, the whole in preparation for a six-month operational tour in the Pacific, where the Victorious was on loan to the U.S.N. returning home towards the end of the year, Wiltshire and his fellow 896 pilots transferred to the Pursuer in November, an appointment that would lead to frequent convoy patrol work in Wildcat Vs and their participation in the famous attack against the Tirpitz in Kaafjord 3 April 1944 - a.k.a. ‘Operation Tungsten’ - an attack in which the escorting Wildcats were credited with knocking out most of the enemy’s fire-control systems, and one that resulted in 440 casualties among the Tirpitz’s crew. in June 1944, Wiltshire transferred to 881 (F.A.A.) Squadron, a busy month for patrols and ‘flaps’ and one that included an encounter with a Ju. 88 - ‘Unable to catch it’. In July, the Pursuer having arrived in the Mediterranean, he carried out several dive-bombing attacks on Comino and Filfa Islands, while in August, as part of the carrier force acting in support of the landings in the South of France, he flew 10 operational sorties in Wildcat VIs, five of them as force leader. And, according to accompanying press cuttings, he was responsible for inflicting severe damage on enemy transport and troops. A fellow pilot described how in one attack they destroyed 14 military vehicles and damaged another 20, yet, as confirmed by Wiltshire’s flying log book, enemy flak was a constant threat: ‘19 August: Armed Recce. Strafed Orange aerodrome, near Avignon, damaged Fw. 190. Intense flak - Banks, Sherbourne and Sharp shot down. Went on to bomb oil tanks at Berre L’Etang and strafed rolling stock at Rognac. Destroyed Arado 196 on water.’ ‘21 August: Bombed M./T. on road near Uzes. Destroyed 7 personally whilst strafing. Damaged one Loco. Hit by flak 5 times. P.O. Brittain shot down.’ At the end of the month, Wiltshire was recommended for the D.S.C., while in September - the Pursuer having made her way to the Aegean - he flew further operational sorties in the face of heavy opposition. Thus a night shipping strike in which two enemy ships and a U-Boat were sunk, a dive-bombing attack on merchantmen in Rhodes harbour and, if needed, a reminder of the hazards of flak - ‘Intensive flak near Suda Bay. Hit in windscreen whilst strafing.’ Returning once more to the U.K. in mid-November 1944, 881’s pilots were attached to R.N.A.S. Grimsetter and the Trumpeter in the following month, in which capacity they flew occasional operational sorties off Norway. Then in February 1945, Wiltshire was posted to No. 3 Flying Instructors School, and he ended the War at No. 1 Naval Air Fighter School. He was released in January 1946. sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Admiralty letter of notification for the award of the recipient’s D.S.C., dated 28 March 1945, and related Buckingham Palace forwarding letter; his Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods September 1941 to December 1944, and January 1945 to January 1946, the former including several gun-camera images of targets attacked in the South of France in August 1944, and a copy of the King’s and Prime Minister’s congratulatory signals for participants in ‘Operation Tungsten’, as sent via the Admiralty on 4 April 1944; together with a photograph album covering the period 1937-45, quite a few images lacking but nonetheless a good wartime record and also including related newspaper cuttings; his application papers for a Visa to the U.S.A., American identity card, etc., including portrait photograhs, dated 21 July 1941, and his Graduation Certificate from the U.S. Naval Air Station at Miami, dated 14 May 1942. £4000-£5000

A fine Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant A. E. Lancashire, Royal Air Force, late Army Service Corps, Lancashire Fusiliers and Royal Flying Corps, who was decorated for his part in a daring low-level patrol at the time of the German Spring Offensive in March 1918, the type of work that resulted in him ‘rarely returning without his machine being riddled with bullets’: a few days later, he was badly wounded in a combat with the enemy ace Viktor von Pressentin military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in its case of issue; 1914-15 Star (T-576 Dvr. A. E. Lancashire, A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. A. E. Lancashire, R.A.F.), generally good very fine (4) £3000-3500 M.C. London Gazette 22 June 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During a flight, lasting over two hours, carried out at a height of 700 feet, he performed a very accurate contact patrol at a critical period, obtaining the most valuable information concerning the enemy’s dispositions. He also enga ed many batteries and infantry with machine-gun fire, and throughout, by his courage and keenness, he set a fine example to all ranks.’ The original recommendation for Pilot and Observer states: ‘Lieutenants R. M. E. C. MacFarlane and A. E. Lancashire carried out a most accurate Contact Patrol of the Mezieres Line at a critical time. In spite of much opposition they succeeded in placing the enemy dispositions. During this flight of over two hours they seldom reached a height above 700 feet. An enemy battery was engaged from the air and many casualties caused to enemy infantry by machine-gun fire. during the recent operations these officers working together have invariably carried out the most successful Contact Patrol work, gaining very much valuable information which they have flown very low to obtain. they have rarely returned without their machine being riddled with bullets, but their ardour and enthusiasm has never lessened. they have accounted for many enemy troops and have set a fine example by their t tal disregard of personal danger and devotion to duty.’ A later recommendation for Lancashire alone reveals a number of low-level missions, some as low as 100 feet, reason indeed for his aircraft often returning to base riddled with bullets: ‘31 August 1918: He made a special reconnaissance of the Mont Kemmel district after the enemy's retirement, and located our troops along the Divisional front. 1 September 1918: He made a special reconnaissance during our attack on the Wytschaete Ridge from 100-1,000 feet, locating our posts and tracing the enemy's line over a front of 5,000 yards. 4 September 1918: Under very difficult conditions owing to a heavy smoke barrage, working from 200-1,000 feet, he succeeded in locating the positions of our troops near Wytschaete. 5 September 1918: He located our line along the ridge at 15 points, and also the enemy between the canal and Wytschaete. Height 100-1,000 feet. 29 September 1919: He carried out an excellent contact patrol at 500 feet under extremely unfavourable weather conditions of rainstorms and wind and located our troops on a line of 15 points. Later on in the day he made a special reconnaissance, height 300-1,000 feet - and brought back a good report as to the location of our troops. 2 October 1918: He did an excellent O.P. show clearing up a difficult disputed situation after 41st Division's attack was held up. Our troops were recognised in 16 places along the line in shell holes and ditches - working at 200 feet under heavy A.A. and M.G fire from enemy lines. 14 October 1918: On the early morning of the advance from Gheluwe he carried out a contact patrol from 100-800 feet, locating our troops along the whole Corps front at 14 points, working under a heavy barrage, the smoke from which made observation difficult. Later on the same day he again placed our line at 18 points, a report which was of considerable value to the Corps. 15 October 1918: He carried out a Contact Patrol in very thick mist, which necessitated flying sometimes at 100 feet. He located our line at 14 separate points under heavy machine-gun fire. 17 October 1918: He carried out an excellent Contact Patrol from 50-300 feet in extremely misty weather, and brought back an accurate report as to the disposition of our troops, locating them in 13 different positions.’ Arthur Edward Lancashire, who was born in Prestwick in March 1892, and originally enlisted in the Army Service Corps (Territorial Force) in January 1912, was actively employed in operations on the Gallipoli Peninsula, September to December 1915. Falling ill with jaundice in the latter month, he was evacuated to Mudros in the Hospital Ship Britannic on 3 January 1916, and thence to the U.K. Sufficiently recovered from his illness that September, he applied for a commission, and was duly appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 17th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, in April 1917. later that year, following brief service in France, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and, having attended courses at Reading and Winchester, qualified as a Flying Officer (Observer), in which capacity he joined No. 35 S uadron in the New Year. An Army Co-operation unit, flying Armstrong Whitworth F.K 8s, No. 35 was put under extreme pressure during the German Spring Offensive, Lancashire and his pilot, Lieutenant R. M. E. C. MacFarlane, being forced to land following a combat over Carbonnel in the afternoon of the 24 March 1918 - on this date, as the German advance continued apace, every available aircraft was called upon to make low-level contact and bombing patrols. And it was on a similar low-level mission on the 29 March that Lancashire won his M.C. however, just a few days later, on 3 April, he and MacFarlane were again forced down by an enemy aeroplane near Villlers Bretonneaux, both of them being wounded - surviving records suggest that they fell victim to enemy ace Leutnant Viktor von Pressentin of Jasta 4, himself destined to be downed in flames a few weeks later. Lancashire was evacuated to the U.K. and admitted to a hospital in Eaton Square, London. He did not return to active service and was transferred to the U employed List in May 1919. recalled in the 1939-45 War, he was appointed a Lieutenant in the R.A.S.C. in December 1940 (London Gazette 4 February 1941 refers). £3000-£3500

An extremely rare Second World War ‘Triple D.F.C.’ group of six awarded to Squadron Leader R. Van den Bok, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who, having survived a very close encounter with the Scharnhorst during the famous ‘Channel Dash’ in February 1942, and been awarded his first D.F.C., added an immediate Bar for making a successful evasion attempt after being shot down and wounded over Belgium - a Second Bar followed for radio counter-measure operations in Flying Fortresses in 1944-45 distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., with Second and Third Award Bars, the reverse of the Cross officially dated ‘1942’ and the Bars ‘1942’ and ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals; U.S.A., Silver Star, the reverse inscribed, ‘F./O. R. Van den Bok, D.F.C.’, mounted as worn, together with the recipient’s Caterpillar Club Membership Badge, gold, with ‘ruby’ eyes, the reverse officially inscribed, ‘F./O. R. Van den Bock, D.F.C.’, lacquered, generally good very fine (6) £2500-3000 ex John Hayward collection and thence Hayward’s Gazette (No. 3, October 1974, Item No. 423); just 46 British and Commonwealth aircrew were awarded the D.F.C. with 2 Bars in the 1939-45 War. d.F.C. London Gazette 4 August 1942. The original recommendation states: ‘Flying Officer Van den Bok has taken part in 29 sorties, a large number of them being carried out against heavily defended targets, and pressed home with determination and resolve. He has participated in repeated attacks on Mannheim, Duisberg, Huls, Bremen, Kile and Hamburg, returning from seven different sorties in aircraft severely damaged by enemy A.A. fire. As a Wireless Operator he has been responsible on many occasions for his aircraft’s safe return in bad weather. he was the Wireless Operator / Air Gunner on a Hampden which made a low-level attack on the Scharnhorst during the battleship’s flight from Brest. The whole aircraft was severely damaged by Scharnhort’s A.A. defences: included in this damage was the radio installation: this Flying Officer Van den Bok repaired and re-established communication with his base. While carrying out the repair he observed an enemy fighter stalking his aircraft which by this time was in no condition to face an engagement. By following Flying Officer Van den Bok’s evasive directions, his captain was able to shake off the fighter. while this officer was detached from the Squadron on a course he obtained 48 hours leave in order that he might take part in the Squadron’s effort against Rostock. Last autumn he took part in the Squadron’s daylight attacks on enemy targets in occupied France. as Squadron Signals Officer, Flying Officer Van den Bock is in a large measure responsible for the high standard of W./T. operating obtained in this squadron. Throughout his cool steadfast courage has been an example that the Wireless Operators have been eager to emulate.’ Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 24 November 1942. The original recommendation states: ‘Since the beginning of his tour on operations, commencing 22 August 1941, Flying Officer Van den Bok has taken part in 25 sorties over enemy territory against very heavy enemy defences. Targets he has attacked are Duisberg, Essen, Bremen, Mannheim, Dusseldorf, Huls, Cologne, Rostock and Flensberg. on his last trip to Saarbrucken on 28 August 1942, on returning from the target, his aircraft was attacked by enemy aircraft and shot down over Belgium. He sustained a wound in his leg by the entry of a piece of flak and despite physical suffering due to his wounded leg, he was able to travel some 3,000 miles through enemy territory to escape capture and arrived in Gibraltar in less than three weeks. under a calm and quiet manner he has a fine offensive spirit in action which inspires confidence in his fellow aircrew.’ Second Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 26 October 1945. The orginal recommendation states: ‘This officer has operated with No. 214 Squadron 16 times on his second tour, in which number is included the last Bomber Command attack in the Berlin area and the last operation by that Command in Europe. his attention to detail and planning, and his outstandingly good captaincy, have been responsible for the seemingly effortless manner in which he has operated against many targets well known for the strength of their defences. his enthusiasm for operations was in no way diminished by his experiences in evading capture after being shot down by flak over occupied Belgium after 29 sorties on his first tour. He has always been anxious to fly on every possible occasion when his duties as Flight Commander would permit. despite his personal keenness for operational flying, he has, however, devoted a large amount of time to the instruction of new captains and crews, and has always been tireless in his efforts to improve the operational and training efficiency of his flight and the Squadron as a whole.’ Ralph Van den Bok qualified as a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner in April 1941, and is believed to have flown an operational sortie to Kiel with No. 83 Squadron, a Hampden unit operating out of Scampton, Lincolnshire, that July. Be that as it may, his operational career commenced proper with his appointment to No. 408 (Goose) Squadron, R.C.A.F., another Hampden unit, operating out of Balderton, Nottinghamshire, in August 1941. between then and being recommended for his D.F.C. in May 1942, he completed 22 sorties and 126 operational flying hours, and gained appointment as Squadron Signals and Gunnery Leader, his targets, as stated, including the Scharnhorst. Not mentioned in the recommendation, however, is the fact his captain, a New Zealander, D. S. N. ‘Tinny’ Constance, attacked the enemy battleship from about 800 feet, or indeed the fact that one projectile came through the fuselage - right between Van den Bok’s legs - and out through the roof: the date in question was the 12 February 1942, the day of the famous ‘Channel Dash’, when another gallant aviator, Eugene Esmonde, won a posthumous V.C. nearing the end of his operational tour with a strike on Saarbrucken on the night of 28-29 August 1942, Van den Beck added an immediate Bar to his D.F.C., when, on returning from the target, his Hampden (AE197 EQ) was shot down by an enemy night fighter - piloted by top-scoring ace Hauptman Wilhelm Herget - and crashed at Boussu-lez-Walcourt, some 25 kilometres S.S.W. of Charleroi. His pilot, Wing Commander J. D. Twigg, and Flight Lieutenant I. Maitland, D.F.C., were killed, but Van den Bok, who was wounded in the leg by a piece of shrapnel, and Flight Lieutenant G. C. Fisher, both evaded - a remarkable journey of 3,000 miles through enemy occupied territory, the whole accomplished in just three weeks. He was duly elected to membership of the Caterpillar Club. grounded and ‘rested’, Van den Bok trained as a pilot, was awarded his ‘Wings’ in November 1943, and returned to the operational scene as an Acting Squadron Leader and Flight Commander in No. 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron, an American Flying Fortress unit operating out of Oulton, Norfolk, in November 1944. Charged with carrying out radio counter-measure operations, No. 214 flew ‘Window’ and jamming sorties right through to the War’s end, Van den Bok completing a further 17 sorties, thereby bringing his tally of trips to 46, with a total of 282 operational flying hours. He was duly recommended for a Second Bar to his D.F.C. in June 1945. £2500-£3000

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Sergeant R. Allison, 15th Battery, Royal Field Artillery military Medal, G.V.R. (104252 Bmbr., 15/By. R.F.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (104252 Sjt., R.A.) good very fine or better (2) £160-180 £160-£180

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. awarded to Private S. Bateman, Royal Warwickshire Regiment military Medal, G.V.R. (12490 Pte., 10/R. War. R.) edge bruising, some contact marks, nearly very fine £200-250 M.M. London Gazette 23 August 1916. samuel Bateman enlisted on 7 November 1914. Serving as a Private in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 25 September 1915. Later serving in France/Flanders, he won the M.M. when serving with the 10th Battalion. He was discharged on 20 February 1918 due to wounds. Entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals and Silver War Badge. Sold with copied research and with his book of Church Hymns and book of Common Prayer, these in a slip case. £200-£250

A Second World War North Africa immediate M.M. group of five awarded to Private E. Rossiter, Royal Sussex Regiment military Medal, G.VI.R. (6408187 Pte. E. Rossiter, R. Suss. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Defence and War Medals, good very fine or better (5) £1000-1200 M.M. London Gazette 8 July 1943. The original recommendation for an immediate award - approved by Montgomery - states: ‘On the night of 5-6 April 1943, during 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment’s attack on the Dj El Meida Hill, north-west of Wadi Akarit, Private Rossiter showed courage, dash and initiative of the highest order. His company was under very heavy and accurate mortar fire in a narrow wadi. He showed great coolness and complete disregard of his own safety and was of great help to his Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant in rallying and re-organising the Platoon during a difficult change of direction which had to be made in the darkness. In the subsequent advance and attack on the objective, he showed great dash and determination to close with and kill the enemy. Throughout the next day, he showed great coolness under heavy fire during consolidation. His fearless conduct was a very fine example to the rest of his platoon and is worrthy of the highest praise.’ £1000-£1200

A rare Fall of France 1940 D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant L. S. Pilkington, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was credited with 5 ‘kills’ as a Hurricane pilot in No. 73 Squadron prior to transferring to Spitfires of No. 111 Squadron and being killed in action on a Channel offensive sweep in September 1941: he was to have been married just six days later distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (741935 Sgt. L. S. Pilkington, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with related dress miniature for the first, generally extremely fine (5) £5000-6000 d.F.M. London Gazette 16 July 1940: ‘For exceptional gallantry and devotion to duty in the air from January 1940, and especially from the 10-15 May 1940, during which period this airman pilot displayed unflagging zeal and courage in the face of superior forces of the enemy. He has shot down five enemy aircraft.’ Lionel Sanderson Pilkington, a native of Hull, entered the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1938, qualified as a Sergeant Pilot and was posted to No. 73 Squadron, a Hurricane unit, and a component of 67 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, in early 1940 - records reveal him embroiled in a combat in Flight Lieutenant E. J. ‘Cobber’ Kain’s red section as early as 25 January. another followed on 26 March, when he fired all of his ammunition in a protracted dogfight with Me. 110s and Dorniers, one of the former hitting his propeller with return fire and causing him to drop 10,000 feet with a ‘spluttering engine’; so, too, on 21 April, when he got in a brace of attacks on 109s, one of them rolling over on its back. but it was after the ‘Phoney War’, on the advent of the German invasion of the Low Countries in May 1940, that No. 73 embarked upon a period of constant action, Pilkington noting in his diary as early as the 11th how he had to dive for cover at Reims-Champagne airfield, two bombs having landed yards from his quarters. Indeed his diary is extensively quoted in Twelve Days in May, by Brian Cull and Bruce Lander, with Heinrich Weiss (Grub Street, London, 1995): ‘[May 11] I get a Messerschmitt 110 but one also gets me! A cannon shot in the tailplane passes through the fuselage and out the other side! Bullets in the engine, shot away throttle control; cannot close throttle and bullet hits in cockpit, beside rudder bar. Land on [Rouvres] ‘drome by cutting switches, rudder control wire practically sheared.’ This action took place over Mourmelon, Pilkington flying Hurricane P2569/D - his victim was an aircraft from II/KG53, while ‘Cobber’ Kain also claimed a Bf. 110 on the same occasion. at first light on the 13 May, with the war correspondent Charles Gardner on hand to record events, Pilkington added a shared Do. 17 to his tally, in company with fellow pilots P./Os R. F. ‘Dickie’ Martin and D. S. ‘Don’ Scott, but the enemy aircraft’s rear-gunner was a good shot - ‘We all came back very riddled’. Again in combat that evening, this time against a brace of Heinkels near Vouziers, Pilkington saw one of them downed by Squadron Leader J. W. C. More - the crew managed to bale out but were lined up and shot by French troops on landing, or certainly according to Gardner. the very next day, in an early morning patrol over the Sedan battlefront, Pilkington and Flying Officer ‘Fanny’ Orton both seriously damaged Do. 17’s of 3/KG76, the former noting that large pieces came away from his Dornier’s starboard engine before his windscreen was covered in oil - ‘Also damage port engine and get the gunner ... Shots in my plane and I fly home as I cannot use my gunsight owing to the oil.’ The Dornier made it back to base, but with three of its crew wounded. later on the 14th, as one of six 73-pilots on a similar patrol, he engaged seven Stukas of I/StG76 over Malmy, his particular target diving into the ground and exploding, but then 73’s Hurricanes were jumped by 109s of III/JG53 and Pilkington’s fellow Sergeant Pilots, Basil Pyne and George Dibden, were both shot down and killed: ‘This is a hell of a blow to me. Hell!’ Notwithstanding such losses, 73’s punishing agenda continued apace, Pilkington sharing a claim for a Do. 17 with his C.O. on the following day: ‘Panic take-off. First off, chase some Heinkels but do not catch them. Come back to base and chase five Dorniers. Get starboard engine then jettison bombs. Crossfire gets me in oil and patrol tanks, also glycol. Get back to drome, glycol tank melted and run into engine. Face slightly burnt and eyes sore from glycol. C.O. says a good show.’ And in the air battles over Lille on the 19 May, again witnessed by the war correspondent Charles Gardner, he added another ‘probable’ to his tally - but as a result of damage caused by return fire was compelled to make a force-landing: ‘Think I got a He. 111 but one of the rear-gunners gets my oil tank and I fly back. See three He. 111s doing dive-bombing 200 yards away; also run into 15 Me. 110s. Fly back in cloud and land at French bomber drome. Given a fine lunch. Ken calls in a Maggie for me in the afternoon.’ His He. 111 was in fact most likely a Ju. 88 of KG51. at the end of the month, the first of 73 Squadron’s pilots were recalled to the U.K., but in common with No. 1 Squadron, their gallant part in the defence of France had been recorded for posterity by Noel Monks, another war correspondent who had followed their story from late 1939, and who subsequently published Squadrons Up! with such valuable combat experience under his belt, Pilkington was posted to No. 7 Operational Training Unit (O.T.U.) at Hawarden, Cheshire that July - and survived a prang with a student pilot in a Miles Master on the 17th. Far more unusually, he is credited with bringing down a Ju. 88, even though still based with No. 7 O.T.U., that September - an accompanying Tangmere Military Aviation Museum letter refers. sometime thereafter joining No. 111 Squadron, most probably in early 1941, when it commenced cross-Channel offensive patrols and escorts, he was shot down and killed by Me. 109s in a sortie to Hazebrouck in Spitfire AB-962 on 20 September 1941 - as Flight Lieutenant Keller concluded in his combat report for that date, ‘The Me. 109s on this occasion seemed to me to be making a far more concerted effort than usual and were present in greater numbers than hitherto’. Pilkington, by then a 22-year old Flight Lieutenant, was due to have been married on the 26th. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Buckingham Palace condolence message; four wartime photographs, one a framed portrait, and another of a page in his Flying Log Book, carrying an endorsement from his 73 C.O., ‘Has proved himself a gallant and successful Fighter Pilot’, in addition to details of a claim for an He. 111 above; an R.A.F. permanent pass, for St. Athan, No. 11 Group, in the name of ‘741935 Sgt. L. S. Pilkington’, dated 21 November 1939; together with the remnants of his embroidered cap badge, his uniform ‘Wings’ and, most poignantly, his fiancee’s R.A.F. sweetheart’s brooch, gold and enamel. £5000-£6000

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Sahagun & Benevente (James Chatterton, 7th Light Dragoons) edge bruising, nearly very fine £1000-1200 james Chatterton was born in the parish of Bennington, near Boston, Lincolnshire, where he enlisted in the 7th Hussars in August 1804, aged 18 years. the Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R. Hussey Vivian, arrived in Corunna in November 1808 and, having fought at Sahagun and Benevente - in which battles Chatterton was present as a member of Captain Loveless’s Troop - returned to England via Corunna in January 1809, Chatterton being embarked in the transport Sykes. The regiment did not return to the Peninsula until September 1813, when, still under Vivian, it was engaged at Orthes in February 1814, where it made a number of charges, but, as revealed by the medal roll (WO 100 refers), Chatterton’s claim to the ‘Orthes’ clasp was disallowed, for he had been taken P.O.W. in a skirmish on 28 December 1813. He rejoined the depot ‘From a French prison’ on 8 May 1814, and returned to duty in the Regiment on 25 July 1814, in good time for the forthcoming Waterloo campaign. at Waterloo, the 7th Hussars formed part of the 5th British Cavalry Brigade, with the 2nd Hussars K.G.L. and the 15th Hussars. The Brigade was heavily involved in the retreat from Quatre Bras and the great battle itself, making several charges during the day. The 7th formed the rear-guard during the retirement from Quatre Bras, where, oddly enough, the enemy advance-guard was the 7th (French) Hussars. The two regiments manoeuvred against each other the whole way from there to the final position at Mont St Jean.The 7th, 380 strong, lost 56 killed and 99 wounded during the Waterloo campaign; returning to England from Paris in July 1816. chatterton was discharged in Manchester in February 1819 on reduction of the Regiment, with 14 years 230 days service, plus 2 years for his presence at Waterloo, with a ‘good’ conduct record (WO 97/28 refers), and he died, aged 68 years, in Butterwick in Bennington, in April 1854. £1000-£1200

Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Badajoz, Salamanca (R. Steel, Serjt., 44th Foot) contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise nearly very fine £800-1000 ex Watters collection, Glendining’s, June 1913. richard Steel (or Steele), from Enniskillen, Fermanagh, enlisted in the 44th Foot in December 1807, and served for most of his time in the Regiment in the 2nd Battalion. the Battalion arrived in Portugal in October 1810 and its first real engagement was at the storming of Badajoz, on 6 April 1811, when it successfully escaladed the walls of the San Vincente Bastion, losing two officers and 37 men killed and seven officers and 53 men wounded in the process. Next in action at Salamanca on 22 July 1812, where it suffered a loss of six dead and 23 wounded, the Battalion entered Madrid in August 1812 and afterwards marched north to take part in the disastrous siege of Burgos - so reduced in strength by this latter operation, it had to be sent back to England to refit. later in 1813, the 2/44th was sent to Holland and took part in the Bergen-op-Zoom campaign, in which Steel was wounded, his discharge papers referring to ‘a gunshot wound in the thigh which impedes the free motion of that limb. He received the wound at Bergen-op-Zoom’ (WO 118/11 refers); muster books of the 2/44th (WO 12/5717) covering these operations show him firstly in the General Hospital, and then marked ‘Invalid’ for the next three musters, then ‘At the depot’. On this occasion the 44th formed part of Colonel Carleton’s column on the right of the attack, and suffered more heavily than any other unit so employed, around 200 being killed or wounded out of the 350 men chosen for the storming party. steel rejoined the Battalion in October 1814, when he was promoted to Sergeant, in which rank he served at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, where his regiment was closely engaged as part of Sir Dennis Pack’s 9th British Infantry Brigade, losing over 40% of its number. After the battle the Battalion marched on to Paris, returning to England in January 1816. transferred to the 1st Battalion on the disbandment of the 2nd later in the same year, Steel was discharged in the rank of Sergeant to a Kilmainham pension in November 1818, in consequence of his Bergen-op-Zoom wound. But he soldiered on in the 3rd and 2nd Royal Veterans’ Regiment and was discharged for a final time in May 1826, by then, alas, as a Private with only a ‘Tolerably good’ character (WO 121/141 refers) - there are discrepancies in his stated age in the various records, but when he finally left the service in April 1826, he was said to be aged 37 years. he died in Preston in March 1867, when he would have been about 77 years of age. £800-£1000

Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Maheidpoor (R. Windsor, 22nd Lt. Dragns.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, suspension slack, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise nearly very fine £1600-1800 Ex Naunton Collection 1917 and Cattley Collection 1955. approximately 75 clasps for Maheidpore were issued to European recipients. The only British troops engaged were the 22nd Light Dragoons and the 1st Foot who received 30 and 37 clasps respectively. richard Windsor was born at Wellington, Shropshire, and enlisted into the 22nd Light Dragoons on 7 June 1801. He served with the 22nd Light Dragoons, mostly in the East Indies, until 21 September 1819, when he transferred to the 13th Light Dragoons at Bangalore, then aged 37, for unlimited service. He was discharged ‘due to length of service and the debilitating effect of climate’ on 8 July 1825. Sold with copy discharge papers. £1600-£1800

The Sudan Campaign pair to Lieutenant Richard Wolfe, 2nd Dragoons (Scots Greys), killed in action at the battle of Abu Klea egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 2 clasps, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (Lieut. R. Wolfe, 2nd Dragns.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6, good very fine (2) £6000-7000 Lieutenant Richard Wolfe was killed in action at the battle of Abu Klea, 17 January 1885. Nine officers were killed at Abu Klea, namely Colonel Burnaby, Royal Horse Guards; Captain Darley and Lieut. Law, 4th Dragoon Guards; Major Atherton, 5th Dragoon Guards; Major Gough, 1st Dragoons; Lieut. Wolfe, 2nd Dragoons; Major Carmichael, 5th Lancers; and Lieut.-Commander Piggott and Lieut. de Lisle, both of the Royal Navy. only two officers and 37 other ranks of the 2nd Dragoons were present at Abu Klea where they formed part of the Heavy Camel Regiment. In addition to Lieutenant Wolfe, the regiment lost another 10 men killed and 6 wounded, one of whom died three days later. £6000-£7000

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1845 to 1846 (R. Shearer, Sailmkrs. Mate, H.M.S. Castor) officially impressed naming, light traces of brooch marks to reverse, suspension re-fixed, otherwise nearly very fine £500-600 Robert Shearer's medal was sent on 12 June 1871. 160 medals were awarded for 1845-46 of which 68 were issued to H.M.S. Castor. In total, 69 medals (4 to R.N. officers, 56 to R.N. ratings, 2 to R.M. officers, and 7 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were awarded to H.M.S. Castor of which 35 are known, including one with the reverse undated, and the rest with reverses dated 1845-1846. £500-£600

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (Mr. C E Grisell - Midn - R-N - HMS Esk) officially impressed naming, some surface roughness on reverse, otherwise very fine £500-550 Midshipman Grissell's medal was issued on 16 May 1873. 119 medals (16 to R.N. officers, 79 to R.N. ratings, one to R.M. officer, and 23 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were issued to H.M.S. Esk of which 48 are known, including 4 with reverses undated (all to R.N. ratings) and the rest with reverses dated 1863-1864. charles Edmund Grissell was born on 8 March 1849, the son of Major Charles Grissell of the 61st Bengal Native Infantry, who was born in London in 1805 and died in July 1855, aged 50, from a fall from a buggy. Charles Edmund Grissell entered the service as a Naval Cadet on Brittania on 10 December 1861 until April 1863. He served aboard the Esk from 22 April 1863 until June 1867, and Brisk from June 1867 to January 1869. Service followed aboard a succession of H.M. Ships: Excellent (January to April 1869), Endymion (May 18 9 to November 1870), Duke of Wellington (December 1870 to January 1871), Dido (April 1871), Duke of Wellington (April 1871 to April 1872), Cambridge (June 1872 to August 1873), and Teazer (September 1873 to August 1874). He was placed on the Retired List from 15 February 1875, due to short-sightedness, and retired on active half-pay of 4/- per day as, Lieutenant, as of 5 March 1875. lieutenant Charles Edmund Grissell's name was removed from the Navy List as of 12 March 1880, having been found guilty of contempt of the House of Commons for failing to attend as a witness before the Tower Hill Level Bridge (Metropolis) Committee. Sold with copy service records. £500-£550

Pair: Engineer W. R. Donald, Royal Navy china 1857-60, no clasp, unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1865 (Wm. R. Donald, Engr., H.M.S. Eclipse) officially impressed naming, very fine (2) £500-550 Donald's New Zealand War medal was issued on 11 July 1874. 75 New Zealand War medals (13 to R.N. officers, 49 to R.N. ratings, and 13 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were awarded to H.M.S. Eclipse, of which 34 are known including 11 with reverses dated 1865, one with reverse dated 1864-1866, and 3 with reverses dated 1863-1864. william Robertson Donald was born on 11 January 1828, at Johnstone, Renfrew. He trained in engineering at Messrs. Penn & Co. and passed at Woolwich, being appointed as Assistant Engineer 3rd Class to Blenheim on 12 November 1852, and then to Sidon in November the same year, before being transferred to Fisgard in November 1855. In March 1856 he was promoted to Assistant Engineer 2nd Class, and transferred to Formidable and then Edinburgh in July 1856, before being appointed to the Retribution when she was commissioned in August 1856 to the Pacific and China Station. He served in her during the Second China Wars until paid off to the Portsmouth Cheque in December 1860, where he passed and was promoted to 1st Class Assistant Engineer on 11 January 1861, before being sent to Fisgard for Eclipse in January 1856, and Sheerness for Eclipse May 1861, achieving his rating as Engineer in the same month. Donald was Commissioned to the Eclipse on 27 September 1862, on the Australian Station, and served in her throughout the Second New Zealand War, passing for Acting Chief Engineer in May 1864. He was on the Sheerness Cheque in February 1867, and was discharged from the service at his own request on 11 April 1867. From the reports of his qualifications and character, it appears that he was highly regarded as an Engineer, a good disciplinarian, but irritable and not with a good temper. It seems he did not suffer fools gladly. sold with copy of two pages of service record, list of ships entitled to China 1856 and 1860, and page from Medal Roll for Second China Wars for H.M.S. Retribution. £500-£550

Three: Sergeant H. R. Kearney, Patea Volunteers, late 1st Madras Fusiliers india General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (H. Kerney, 1st Madras Fusrs.); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (H. Kearney, 1st Madras Fusrs.); New Zealand 1845-66, reverse undated (Sergt. H. R. Kearney, Patea Vrs.) locally engraved naming, light contact marks, otherwise very fine and a rare combination (3) £800-1000 Ex Corbett Collection, Glendining November 1994. unique New Zealand medal named to this unit. Sold with confirmation. £800-£1000

Three: Lieutenant and Quartermaster Serjeant G. H. Manley, London Regiment, late Royal Fusiliers tibet 1903-04, 1 clasp, Gyantse (5571 Corpl., 1st Bn. Ryl. Fuslrs.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (5571 Q.M. Sjt., R. Fus.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (L-5571 Q.M. Sjt., 5/R. Fus.) together with two contemporary ribbon bars, nearly extremely fine and scarce (3) £850-950 M.S.M. London Gazette 22 February 1919: ‘In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the War.’ G. H. Manley enlisted in November 1896 and was advanced to Lance-Corporal, March 1898; Corporal, April 1902; Lance-Serjeant, December 1904; Serjeant, November 1905; Colour Serjeant, November 1908; Staff Serjeant, November 1911 and Quartermaster Serjeant in 1914. He entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 2 January 1915 as a Sergeant in the 3rd Battalion London Regiment and was commissioned a Lieutenant and Quartermaster in the 1/3rd Battalion London Regiment on 18 May 1918. Sold with copied m.i.c. £850-£950

The mounted group of seven miniature dress medals attributed to Lieutenant-Colonel M. W. R. de Courcy, Indian Army, 34th Baron Kingsale and Premier Baron of Ireland distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., gold and enamel, complete with top bar; Tibet 1903-04, no clasp; India General Service 1908-35, 3 clasps, Abor 1911-12, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1921-24; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver; Serbia, Order of the White Eagle, 5th Class badge with swords, silver, gold and enamel, mounted court style as worn, in Spink, London leather case, second fine, others very fine and better (7) £300-350 Michael William Robert de Courcy was born on 26 September 1882, the eldest son of Michael Constantine de Courcy, the 33rd Baron Kingsale (created 1223) and Baron of Ringrone. He was educated at Dulwich College; Kelly College, Tavistock, and Sandhurst. In the latter he passed out first and was awarded the King’s Medal and the Anson Memorial Sword. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Connaught Rangers in October 1902. Transferring to the Indian Army in August 1904 and serving with the 32nd Sikh Pioneers, he was promoted to Lieutenant in January 1905; Captain in October 1911 and Major in October 1917. He served in the latter part of the Tibet Expedition, 1904, then in the Abor Expedition, 1911-12, for which he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 16 July 1912). Serving during the Great War, 1915-18, he was Brigade-Major of the 6th Infantry Brigade in Mesopotamia. For his services he was three times mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 19 October 1916, 14 November 1916 and 15 August 1917) and awarded the D.S.O. (London Gazette 25 August 1917) and the Serbian Order of the White Eagle, 5th Class with swords. Major de Courcy then served in the Marri Operations for which he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 18 May 1920), the Afghan War of 1919 for which he was again mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 3 August 1920), and the Waziristan Campaign of 1921-24. In 1922 he was appointed D.A.Q.M.G. Eastern Command, India. He retired from the Indian Army as a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1931 and in the same year succeeded his father as the 34th Baron (by some reckonings 29th Baron) Kingsale, Baron of Ringrone and the Premier Baron of Ireland. Baron Kingsale died on 21 October 1965 and was succeeded by his only surviving grandson, John. Sold with some copied research. £300-£350

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Egypt (H. Irvin, R. Arty.) edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise very fine £600-700 Henry Irvin was born in the Parish of Tremore, County Armagh, and enlisted into the Royal Artillery at the age of eighteen on 21 July 1793. He served 23 years 304 days, including 9 years 70 days as a Sergeant, and was discharged in that rank at Woolwich on 30 April 1817, in consequence of ‘him being unfit for the service from the loss of three fingers of the left hand, the honourable Board of Ordnance have been pleased to place him on the Pension List at one shilling and tenpence halfpenny per diem commencing 1st May 1817.’ Sold with copy discharge papers. £600-£700

Sir Harry Smith’s Medal for Gallantry 1851 (Henry Evans, C.M.R.) fitted with silver clip and bar suspension, good very fine, very rare and one of the finest named examples recorded £6000-8000 First recorded for sale by Debenhams in July 1898, and in the Day Collection, Sotheby 1913. when the Eighth Kaffir War started in December 1850, Sir Harry Smith was Governor and Commander-in-Chief at the Cape. Early in the campaign he was blockaded in Fort Cox, inland from Kingwilliamstown, by Gaikas under Chief Sandilli. Attempts to relieve the Fort were unsuccessful and the future of the beleaguered garrison appeared none too rosy. But there were wider issues than the survival of the garrison itself. The war had just started, and the fact that the Governor was being cooped up by 'the uncivilised Kaffirs' was adversely affecting the Colony's morale and could only result in the defection of additional tribes. Sir Harry therefore decided to make a break for it, and, escorted by about 250 men of the Cape Mounted Riflemen (a unit which at that time was predominantly Cape Coloured), succeeded in getting through the Kaffir lines, and reached Kingwilliamstown in safety. The story goes that he was so impressed by the showing of the C. M. R. on this side, and by other feats of the Cape Colonial troops during the campaign, that before he was replaced by Sir George Cathcart in April, 1852, he decided to show his high regard for the men under his command by awarding a special medal. £6000-£8000

Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Balaklava, Sebastopol (R. B. Smyth, Asst. Surgn., 1st The Royal Regt.) engraved naming, contact marks, nearly very fine £400-450 Robert Beresford Smyth was born in Co. Dublin on 7 December 1826 and qualified as a M.B., T.C.D. in 1848. He entered the Army as an Assistant Surgeon with the 1st Foot in November 1850 and served with them in the Crimean War, being present at the battle of Balaklava and the siege and fall of Sebastopol. He was appointed Surgeon on the Staff in January 1858; with the 2nd Battalion 22nd Foot in May 1860, and with the 102nd Foot in June 1865. Smyth was promoted to Surgeon-Major of the 102nd Foot in October 1870. He retired on Half Pay in March 1874 and died at Berganio Alta, Italy on 15 September 1886. Sold with copied research. £400-£450

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (67 Pte. E. Page, 2d Bn. R. Sco. Fus.) part of unit officially re-engraved, very fine £80-100 £80-£100

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (709 Pte. M. Goldie, 2d Bn. R. Sco. Fus.) good very fine £100-140 £100-£140

India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89 (1604 Pte. J. Cawte(?), 2d Bn. Hamps. R.) edge bruising, otherwise good very fine £120-160 £120-£160

The Indian Mutiny Medals awarded to the Creed brothers, both pupils and ‘Ragged Fusiliers’ of the La Martinire College during the defence of Lucknow indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (G. Creed) indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Defence of Lucknow (E. A. Creed), this last a later issue with smaller obverse legend and re-engraved naming, occasional edge bruising, otherwise generally very fine (2) £2500-3000 Approximately 50 boy pupils are on La Martinire College’s roll for the defence of Lucknow, including G. and E.A. Creed. la Martinire was once the residence of the French General Claude Martin and established as a college for European and Eurasian boys in his memory. During the siege the elder boys, though not officially combatant, were armed with muskets and helped their masters in the defence of their quarters. The younger boys helped with some of the domestic work when servants deserted, or carried messages and ammunition to the posts. Whilst they were known as the ‘Ragged Fusiliers’ by the soldiers of the 32nd, L. E. R. Rees, in his diary of the siege, makes known his disapproval of the tasks given to them: ‘The poor Martinire pupils, who go about the garrison more filthy than others, and apparently more neglected and hungry even than we are, are made use of to drive away these insects (flies) from the sick in hospital, and others. That they, too, should contribute their share of usefulness is but just and fair; but that they should be placed in menial attendance upon the healthy great in the garrison is, in my opinion, far from right. But I shall say nothing more on this subject, lest I assume a tone of censure.’ £2500-£3000

China 1857-60, 1 clasp, Taku Forts 1860 (Gunr. Mathw. Byrne, No.3 B. 13th Bde. R. Art.), officially impressed naming, slight edge bruising, contact marks, nearly very fine £160-200 Sold with roll extracts confirming clasp. £160-£200

Abyssinia 1867 (W. R. Bennett, M.D., Surgeon, H.M.S. Star), suspension refixed, minor contact marks, good very fine £400-460 William Robert Bennett retired as a Staff Surgeon in 1877. £400-£460