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| Auction Details - AUCTION ALREADY HELD | |||
| Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria | |||
| Auctioneer: | Spink | Location: | 69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4ET |
| Contact: | Tel: +44 (0)20 7563 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7563 4066 | ||
| Date: | 25th April 2013 | Time: | 10:00AM |
| Details: | Viewing: Tuesday 23th April 10am to 5pm Wednesday 24th April 10am to 5pm |
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| Page: | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | ||
| Auction Lots - Page 1 | |||
GROUPS AND PAIRS WITH ORDERS AND DECORATIONSFOR GALLANTRY OR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE | |||
| 1 | |||
| x The Second War C.B., Great War D.S.O., M.C. Group of Ten to Major-General T.N.F. Wilson, King's Royal Rifle Corps, Later A.D.C. to H.M. the King a) The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, Military Division, Companion's (C.B.) neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel b) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, obverse centre slightly depressed, with integral top riband bar c) Military Cross, G.V.R. d) 1914-15 Star (Lieut: T.N.F. Wilson, K.R. Rif: C.) e) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Major T.N.F. Wilson) f) 1939-1945 Star g) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf h) Coronation 1953, generally good very fine, mounted court-style as worn, with the recipient's related miniature awards, and the following Bestowal Documents &c.: - Commission appointing Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson a Second Lieutenant, King's Royal Rifle Corps, dated 11.11.1914 - Bestowal Document for the Order of the Bath, C.B., dated 13.6.1946, together with a copy of the Statutes of the Order, and Central Chancery letter - Bestowal Document for the D.S.O., dated 3.6.1919 - Mentioned in Despatches Certificate, dated 16.3.1919 - Various copy photographs of the recipient (lot) £2,800-3,200 C.B. Gazette 13.6.1946 Major-General (temporary) Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson, D.S.O., M.C. (8864), late Infantry. D.S.O. London Gazette 3.6.1919 Capt. Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson, M.C., 1st Bn., K.R. Rif. C. 'For distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in France and Flanders.' M.C. London Gazette 13.2.1917 Lt. (actg. Capt.) Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson, K.R.R.C. 'For conspicuous gallantry in action. He reorganised a few men and led them forward with great gallantry, capturing an enemy trench together with 60 prisoners.' Major-General Thomas Needham Furnival Wilson, C.B., D.S.O., M.C., born March 1896, and educated at Winchester College and R.M.C. Sandhurst; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, King's Royal Rifle Corps, 11.11.1914; served with the Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from February 1915 (wounded); promoted Captain, February 1917, and held the rank of Acting Major and Adjutant, M.G.C., April to September 1918. During the period December 1917 - April 1918 he was employed as an Instructor in the 5th Army Infantry School. For his wartime services he was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, awarded the Military Cross and Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 9.7.1919). Employed as G.S.O.3 in the War Office, January 1931 to March 1932; Commander of the Company of Gentleman Cadets, R.M.C., March 1932 to January 1935; D.A.A.G. War Office, February 1936 to January 1938, during which time he received the brevet of Major, January 1932; promoted Major, July 1932; received the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel, January 1936; and promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, August 1938. Commanding the 2nd Battalion K.R.R.C. during 1938-39, promoted Colonel, January 1939; served as a Brigadier Commanding in the British Expeditionary Force and Northern Command, December 1939 to December 1940 (Mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette 20.12.1940). Served on the General Staff Home Forces, December 1940 to July 1941, and then on the General Staff in Washington, July 1941 to March 1943. For his wartime services Wilson was Appointed Aide-de-Camp to H.M. the King, February 1946, and created a Companion of the Order of the Bath; retired with the honorary rank of Major-General, April 1946, and died in May 1961. |
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| 2 | |||
| A Good 'Crimea' C.B. Group of Six to Colonel H.C.C. Owen, Royal Engineers, Who Lost a Leg as a Result of a Wound Received in the Trenches in Front of the Redan, Sebastopol, 19.4.1855 a) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military Division, Companion's (C.B.) breast Badge, gold (indistinct Hallmarks for London) and enamel, 1st 1815 wide suspension type, with swivel ring, maker's initials 'IN' on suspension loop, with its integral gold riband buckle b) South Africa 1834-53 (2nd Capt. H.C.C. Owen, Rl. Engrs.), edge bruising c) Crimea 1854-56, one clasp, Sebastopol, unnamed as issued, foliate suspension ends smoothed, possibly to facilitate mounting d) France, Second Empire, Legion of Honour, Chevalier's breast Badge, silver, gold centres, and enamel, enamel damage e) Turkey, Order of the Medjidieh, Fifth Class breast Badge, silver, gold, and enamel, minor enamel damage, with additional contemporary silver riband buckle f) Turkish Crimea, British Die, neatly plugged with ring and ball suspension, light contact marks overall, nearly very fine or better, with several photographic images of recipient (lot) £3,500-4,500 Colonel Henry Charles Cunliffe Owen, C.B., (1821-67), born Lausanne, Switzerland, son of Captain C.C. Owen, R.N.; educated privately and at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich; commissioned Second Lieutenant Royal Engineers, 1839; Lieutenant 1841; embarked for the Cape of Good Hope for service in the Kaffir War of 1846-47, where he supervised the construction of the boat bridge over the Fish River (thanked for his services in General Orders by Sir P. Maitland and Sir G. Pechels); Second Captain 1847; permitted by the Commander-in-Chief to accept an appointment under the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 as computer of space for the United Kingdom, and later as superintendent of the Foreign Departments, and finally, after the Exhibition was opened, as its General Superintendent; appointed Inspector of Art Schools, Department of Practical Art, Board of Trade; elected as an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1852; with the outbreak of the Crimean War Owen joined the British forces before Sebastopol, where he was wounded by a musketball (19.4.1855 London Gazette 1.5.1855), when engaged in the trenches directing his men to turn some rifle-pits in front of the Redan, which had just been captured from the Russians; he lost his leg and was invalided home (C.B.; Mentioned in Lord Raglan's Despatches; Legion of Honour; Medjidieh; given pension of £100 per annum); the History of the Corps of Royal Engineers by Whitworth Porter gives the following, 'On the night of April 19th two large rifle-pits which had been constructed by the Russians, well in front of their post at the Quarries, and which, owing to the advance of our trenches on the left of our right attack, had become perilously close, were assaulted. For the purpose of the attack 600 men of the 77th Regiment under Colonel Egerton were brought into the trenches, and Lieutenant Colonel Tylden, R.E., in charge of the right attack, explained the proposed course of proceeding. At 9.30pm the dash was made, the enemy driven out after a sharp resistance, and the working party brought forward to make the necessary lodgement. This consisted of 150 men, who were in the charge of Captain Owen, R.E., and Lieutenant Baynes, R.E., with a brigade of Sappers. The nearest rifle-pit was promptly reversed, so as to give cover from the Quarries, and connected on its left with our advanced boyeau, whilst on the right it was prolonged to form a more extended lodgement. The enemy returned repeatedly to the attack during the night, and a very heavy fire was kept up on the working party. The British were, however, not to be dislodged, and the pit from that moment became part of our advanced attack. Unfortunately, this success was not secured without heavy loss, Colonel Egerton, who led the assault, was killed, and both of the Engineers, Owen and Baynes, wounded, the latter mortally; Captain Own had his leg shattered by a grape shot, necessitating amputation'; Brevet Major July 1855; appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Fortifications at the War Office, October 1855; served as Deputy Inspector-General of Fortifications under Sir John Fax Burgoyne, 1856-60; Commanding Royal Engineer of the Western District; advanced Brevet Colonel, 1862; died as a result of a chill contracted whilst working, buried in Plymouth Cemetery and a stained-glass window was erected to his memory in the Chancel of St. James's Church, Plymouth. Provenance: Spink, July 2007 |
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| The Outstanding 'Battle of France' 1940 D.S.O., 1940 D.F.C. Group of Five to Hurricane Ace, Wing Commander J.S. Dewar, 87 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Who, Despite Flying With a Broken Shoulder, Was Accredited With At Least 5 Victories in 12 Days Over France; He Bagged Another 2 and 1 Probable on the Second Day of the Battle of Britain; Before Adding Another Ju 88, A Probable and a Shared Before the End of August 1940; Dewar Was Killed, 12.9.1940, 'He Had Set Out For Tangmere, But Had Failed to Arrive. For Some Time His Fate Was Unknown; Then His Body, Riddled With Shot, Was Washed Up On The Coast a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated '1940', with integral top riband bar b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated '1940' c) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar d) Air Crew Europe Star e) War Medal, M.I.D. Oak Leaf, good very fine, with the following contemporary related items and documents: - Memorial Scroll, named to 'Wing Commander J.S. Dewar, D.S.O., D.F.C., Royal Air Force', glazed and framed - Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service Order, dated 31.5.1940, signed by Anthony Eden, glazed and framed - M.I.D. Certificate, dated 25.5.1940, glazed and framed, glass cracked - Three R.A.F. Swimming Prize Medals, engraved '1930 100 Yards, 2nd'; '1930 220 Yards, 2nd' and 'Relay Race 1932, 2nd' respectively; Running Prize Medal, engraved 'R.A.F. Thorney Island, 2nd 1939' - Assorted Shoulder Titles and buttons - Pocket Watch, 9ct gold, by Bruford & Son Ltd., Exeter, reverse engraved 'Presented S/Ldr J.S. Dewar, D.S.O., D.F.C. By N.C.O.s and Men of 87 Squadron 1939-BEF-1940', in case - Presentation Cigarette Box, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1937), lid engraved 'F/Lt. J.S. Dewar R.A.F. From The Officers Of "A" Flight A.T. Section A&A.E.E. Martlesham Heath 10th July, 1937', additionally engraved with five officers names - R.A.F. Sweetheart's Brooch, 9ct gold, in Gieves Ltd. case - Napkin Ring, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1905), engraved 'J.S.D. 1907', in leather case, embossed 'J.S.D. 1907' - Commemorative Battle of Britain Tankard, pewter Two Wooden wall plaques for 87 Squadron, and the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment; Trunk Suitcase with the initials 'J.S.D.' - Model wooden ship, with plaque engraved, 'To F/Lt J.S. Dewar from the N.C.O.'s and Men of A Flight A.T. Section July 10th 1937' - Sir William Rothenstein Portrait Print of the recipient as illustrated in Men of the R.A.F.; with a copy of the former publication, inscribed 'To Mum, wishing her many happy returns of her birthday, from Kay [Dewar], May 1942' - Order of Service for The Unveiling and Dedication of The Battle of Britain Chapel in Westminster Abbey, dated 10.7.1947; Order of Service for Unveiling of the Battle of Britain Memorial, Westminster Abbey, 10.7.1947 - Oxford & Cambridge Schools Examination Board Schools Certificate; Officer Training Corps Certificate, dated 20.5.1924; Squadron Leader Dewar's Calling Card - Charcoal sketch of Dewar, glazed and framed - Photograph album mainly covering his service with 13 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Andover, from December 1927, and his Wedding through to his funeral; with a number of family photographs (lot) £18,000-22,000 D.S.O. London Gazette 31.5.1940 Squadron Leader John Scatliff Dewar, D.F.C. (26029) The Recommendation, dated 25.5.1940, states: 'Before intensive operations started this officer injured his right shoulder in a severe flying accident. Despite this, he flew regularly and led his squadron with skill and dash, more than 60 enemy aircraft being destroyed by them. He remained in command of the squadron throughout the operations, in spite of the injured shoulder, trained his new pilots well and continued throughout to be a very efficient commander, inculcating an excellent spirit in his squadron.' Covering Remarks by No 14 Group Commander: 'Squadron Leader Dewar was in the Saar area when intensive operations started. He had had a severe flying accident on May 7th, which incapacitated his right shoulder. In spite of this he flew consistently and led his squadron with skill and dash. Under his leadership No 87 Squadron accounted for more than 60 enemy aircraft. He remained in command of his squadron until the evacuation, in spite of his injured shoulder, he trained his new pilots well, and throughout continued to be a very efficient commander. I cannot speak too highly of the spirit he inculcated in his squadron. I recommend the immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order.' D.F.C. London Gazette 31.5.1940 Squadron Leader John Scatliff Dewar (26029) 'This officer has shot down five enemy aircraft and led many patrols with courage and skill.' Wing Commander John Scatliff Dewar, D.S.O., D.F.C., born Mussori, Lahore Province, India, 1907; educated at King's School, Canterbury; entered Cranwell as a Cadet, January 1926, where he excelled and graduated with 'Exceptional' ratings; posted as Pilot to 13 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (Avro Ansons), Andover, December 1927; posted as Flying Officer to the School of Naval Co-operation, Lee-on-Solent, July 1929; joined 822 Squadron on H.M.S. Furious (Carrier), May 1933, and stayed aboard her as Flight Lieutenant with 801 (Fleet Fighter) Squadron, July 1934; whilst serving on the Furious Dewar was washed overboard during a gale in the Bay of Biscay, fortunately he was quickly rescued; posted as a test pilot to the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment, Martlesham Heath, June 1936, before taking up a position as Squadron Leader at SHQ Thorney Island, March 1938. The Battle of France - 12 days, 1 Arm and 5 Victories Dewar undertook a refresher course at 11 Group Pool, St. Athan, before being posted to 60 Wing in France, 25.11.1939; at the start of the following month he took command of 87 Squadron (Hurricanes), Lille/Seclin, France; Dewar's squadron, along with her sister squadron No. 85, formed 60 Wing of the Air Component of the B.E.F.; during the early part of 1940 they carried out front line patrols, but with the advent of the Battle of France in May, they were at the forefront of the defensive fighting; on the 7th May Dewar broke his right shoulder in a flying accident - despite being severely incapacitated for flying he still led his squadron to claim over 60 enemy aircraft, 5 of which he claimed himself, during 12 days of intensive fighting; the squadron was evacuated back to Debden to refit (having lost their records during the evacuation), and upon his return to England Dewar was one of the first four officers to receive the double award of D.S.O. and D.F.C.; the celebration of this award is taken up by Sir William Rothenstein in Men of the RAF, 'When I returned during June I found fresh squadrons, among them one, under Wing Commander Dewar, which had done Homeric work in France during the retreat. But I heard nothing of self-glory in the stories they told of their exploits. 'In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.' Our young airmen do not dramatize themselves, scarcely, indeed see anything dramatic in their daily or nightly adventures... Nor did I see a wink or a glance exchanged between the officers and the attractive young W.A.A.F.'s waiting at their tables. The men's amusements and dissipations were simple enough - to foregather in some country pub, to drive to the nearest town, there to have a drink or two, or to visit the local cinema or a theatre. I have in mind an occasion when, the D.S.O. having been given to Squadron Leader Dewar, D.F.C.s were awarded to three other pilots of the squadron. The event must be fitly celebrated: they insisted on my joining in the jubilation. A lorry was requisitioned, wherein we drove to an inn some miles away, much frequented by airmen, where, in a crowded taproom, we drank lukewarm beer, each of my new firends treating in turn. To my amusement the proprietress came from behind the bar and placing a plump hand on my shoulder said: 'I do love you boys coming round to us!' To me, approaching the end of my seventh decade! An airman from the Station, sitting with a bright-haired lady, invited my friends to go on with them to another place, what kind of place I failed to gather. He would lead the way in his car. It was a dark and starless night; no one knew where we were going, nor was it easy to keep in the track of the swifter car. We were uneasily seated on narrow benches; and at each turning the lorry swung and swerved. At last, after driving many miles, we followed the car through wide-open gates into the grounds of a Georgian mansion. As we turned in there was a loud report, a front tyre had burst. Alas, no jack or repairing outfit could be found in the lorry. What a dilemma! Then, to my surprise and amusement, I found myself in a Georgian interior, transformed into a gaudy night club, with cubist decorations. Our friend had settled down at a table with his attractive lady, and begged us to join them. But our party was preoccupied with the burst tyre; I sat down to a glass of wine. A jazz band was playing the usual dance tunes. At a table nearby three or four elderly military officers, the only guests at the club, sat with some stout, middle-aged ladies. From time to time a couple rose, to gyrate round the room. It was not a Rabelaisian sight; far from it... Somehow my friends had managed to get a fresh tyre - it was now too late to linger, we must get back to the Station. Getting back proved a risky affair. Our driver had but a vague notion of the route. There was no car, and no sign-posts to guide us. And even warm beer is not ineffective. When at last we reached the Station gates and were challenged by the sentries, none of my friends had their identity cards with them, and all were taken to the Guard Room, to explain themselves. No, not a Rabelaisian evening!' The Battle of Britain At the start of June Dewar took 87 Squadron to Church Fenton, Yorkshire; it became operational again on the 21st, however given the geography of where it was based there was little action; the squadron moved to Exeter, 5.7.1940, and carried out its first combat over the UK, 11.7.1940 (the second day of the Battle of Britain); on the latter date the squadron claimed 4 Bf 110's and 1 probably destroyed - of this total Dewar was responsible for 2 of the destroyed aircraft and the probable; the first being shot down 16 miles east of Weymouth, the second 4 miles east of Shambles and the last over Portland-Grange Heath; the following day Dewar was promoted to Acting Wing Commander and made Station Commander at Exeter; despite his new role he continued to fly occasional operational sorties during the height of the battle - often 'borrowing' a Hurricane from his old squadron; on 13.8.1940 he shared a Ju 88 20 miles south of Bognor, and on the 25th August he recorded another Ju 88 shot down and a probable Bf 109E both near Lulworth; on 12.9.1940 he borrowed another Hurricane (this time V 7306 from 213 Squadron), Rothenstein takes up the narrative, 'Dewar wrote that he had been moved to Exeter; from there he had set out for Tangmere, but had failed to arrive. For some time his fate was unknown; then his body, riddled with shot, was washed up on the coast. It was thought he had got entangled in a scrap, and was shot down over the sea.'; an airman based at Exeter gives the following, 'Then one afternoon we lost our Station Commander, Johnny. He had borrowed one of our machines to fly to Tangmere for a conference. He was in excellent spirits when he took off. Just after he had left, Opps told us that there was a blitz in that sector. They warned Johnny on the R.T. He gave the usual answer, "Message received and understood." Then nothing more. Johnny's body was washed up, riddled with bullets, five [sic] days later. We lost a grand Station Commander, and our friend'; Dewar's body washed ashore at Kingston Gorse, Sussex, eighteen days after he had been reported missing; Wing Commander Dewar is buried in St. John the Baptist churchyard, North Baddesley, Hampshire. |
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| x A Great War '1916' Western Front D.S.O. Group of Six to Major R. Mitchell, Royal Engineers a) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, centre depressed, with integral top riband bar b) 1914-15 Star (Major R. Mitchell. R.E.) c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Major R. Mitchell.) d) Coronation 1902, silver e) Territorial Decoration, G.V.R., silver (Hallmarks for London 1918), with integral top riband bar, all sometime mounted for display purposes, generally good very fine (6) £800-1,000 D.S.O. London Gazette 14.1.1916 Captain (temporary Major) Robert Mitchell, 2nd Highland Field Company, Royal Engineers, Territorial Force. T.D. London Gazette 30.5.1919 Major Robert Mitchell, D.S.O., Highland Division, Royal Engineers Major Robert Mitchell, D.S.O., T.D., born Aberdeen, June 1873; educated at Gymnasium, Old Aberdeen and Aberdeen University; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, 1st Aberdeenshire (Royal Engineers) Volunteers, November 1900; advanced Captain and served during the Great War on the Western Front form 1915; Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 1.1.1916), and promoted Major; died June 1939. |
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| The Outstanding Second War 'P.O.W. and Partisan's' M.B.E., 1940 'Retreat to Dunkirk' M.C., and Commando's 1941 'Litani River Raid' Second Award Bar Group of Nine to Lieutenant E.F. Garland, York and Lancaster Regiment, attached 'C' Battalion, 'Layforce' (11th Scottish Commando); Who Was The First to Cross the Litani River, Where He Undertook a Personal Duel With a Sniper and a 75mm Gun. Having Joined the Royal Air Force as a Pilot, His Spitfire Was Shot Down Over the Cassino Battle Area, 4.5.1944; Garland Was Taken P.O.W., and Despite Suffering Burns to His Hands and a Wound to His Leg, He Escaped From a Hospital Train Bound For Germany; Evading Recapture He Joined The Partizans and Fought With Them at Vasto di Sotto, Before Returning to Allied Lines in January 1945 a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Member's (M.B.E.) breast Badge, silver b) Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated '1940', with Second Award Bar, reverse officially dated '1941' c) 1939-1945 Star d) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 bar e) Italy Star f) Defence and War Medals g) Africa General Service 1902-56, E.II.R., one clasp, Kenya (NE.5424 C.I. (R). E.F. Garland.) h) Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., with 'Territorial' scroll suspension (F/Lt. E.F. Garland. M.B.E. M.C. R.A.F.), generally good very fine, with the following contemporary related items: - R.A.F Pilot's Flying Log Book, covering the period 27.3.1942 - 31.8.1952 - Scrap Book, leather bound, compiled by the recipient, containing photographs, newspaper cuttings; a congratulatory letter from Admiral Sir Walter Henry 'Tich' Cowan, dated 5.9.1941; two Air Ministry Letters relating to Garland being 'Missing in Action'; Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel J.P.D. Blaauw, Officer Commanding 208 Squadron to recipient's father, dated 7.5.1944; Buckingham Palace Condolence Enclosure on the 'Death' of recipient, addressed to his father; Letter from Captain J.H. Bevan, Royal Artillery to Garland's parents, dated 27.4.1945; Air Ministry Letter informing recipient's father that Garland has been found alive, dated 10.5.1945 (lot) £25,000-30,000 M.B.E. London Gazette 7.1.1947 Flight Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.C. (47293), Royal Air Force, No 208 Squadron 'Flight Lieutenant Garland's aircraft was shot down over Frosinone in Italy on 4th May, 1944. He was immediately captured and sent to a hospital at Acre. In spite of his wounds, this officer made three attempts to escape from a hospital at Mantova in May, 1944. He collected a store of medical materials and retrieved his battledress. Twice he was caught by sentries while climbing through a window. The third time, after sliding down a laundry chute, he was captured while trying to saw through a door. In June, 1944, Flight Lieutenant Garland jumped from a hospital train near Verona. After two days he made contact with some friendly Italians, with whom he stayed for two months. In August, 1944, he set out with the intention of joining some Italian partizans. He walked for three days, but owing to a leg injury he was forced to take refuge with another Italian family. In January, 1945, Flight Lieutenant Garland left these people, his leg having finally healed, and reached the American lines at Solarolo in the Po Valley.' M.C. London Gazette 20.12.1940 Second Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, The York and Lancaster Regiment The Recommendation states: 'At Watou on May 28 1940 during a very intense bombing raid showed conspicuous bravery by entering a bombed and burning house while the raid was at its height and carried out 4750206 Private Nicholson to a place of safety. He at once returned and rescued two military policemen who had been wounded, and bound up their wounds. Private Nicholson died shortly afterwards. Heavy bombing was taking place while Second Lieutenant Garland was engaged in this rescue work. The previous day this same officer carried out a reconnaissance under machine gun fire on a motor cycle at Wormhoudt and was able to guide his unit transport on a safe route.' M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 21.10.1941 Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.C. (105605), The York and Lancaster Regiment The Recommendation (originally for a D.S.O.), given by Colonel Laycock, states: 'Litani River (Syria) 9-10 June 1941. Lieutenant Garland displayed throughout the action cool and clear-headed leadership and complete disregard for his own personal safety. He was the first individual to cross the river and personally led the party which cut out the enemy wire on the far side under heavy fire. On one occasion by deliberately exposing himself he personally drew the fire of a sniper who was causing severe casualties and, on locating the enemy position, Lieutenant Garland manned one of his Bren Guns and shot the sniper. Lieutenant Garland also put out of action a 75 Gun, which was covering the river, by accurate fire from a captured anti Tank Gun.' Flight Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.B.E., M.C., born London, 1920; educated at Whitgift School; joined 163 O.C.T.U., 2.9.1939, and initially served in the Artists Rifles; commissioned Second Lieutenant, 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, 18.11.1939; served with the regiment as part of the 138th Infantry Brigade, 46th Infantry Division, B.E.F. in France, and was present during the retreat to Dunkirk; Garland distinguished himself at Wormhoudt, on the Dunkirk to Cassel road, 27.5.1940, and at Watou where he rescued three men from a burning ammunition store (not a burning house, as listed in M.C. citation), 28.5.1940; on the 31st May the 6th Battalion were tasked with holding three bridges over the Canal des Mo'res at Teteghem; Second Lieutenants Garland, Nelson and Milne were each given a bridge to defend with the orders that they were to 'be held at all costs'; Garland held his position until late into the evening of the 2nd June; he then retreated with his men to the beaches of Dunkirk, and was one of the last to be evacuated on the Medway Queen (paddle steamer), 3.6.1940; one of her paddles broke during the voyage, and it took her seven hours to reach Ramsgate. 11th (Scottish Commando) - Pedder, Keyes, Mayne et al Shortly after returning from Dunkirk, Garland volunteered for service with the newly formed No. 11 (Scottish) Commando; after undergoing rigorous training in the wilds of Scotland under the command of Dick Pedder, 'No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, No. 7 Commando and No. 8 Commando set sail from the Isle of Arran [31.1.1941] on board the three 'Glen' ships; H.M.S. Glenearn, H.M.S. Glenroy and H.M.S. Glengyle. Five Troops from No. 11 (Scottish) Commando were on board the Glenroy with Dick Pedder, and were accompanied by No. 8 Commando. The remaining five Troops were aboard the Glengyle under the command of Geoffrey Keyes and accompanied by No. 7 Commando... The three Commando units aboard the Glengyle and the Glenroy were combined together into what was known as Force "Z", under the command of Lt. Col. R.E. Laycock, Royal Horse Guards, who prior to his appointment had been the commanding officer of No. 8 Commando. For security reasons the three commando units Nos. 7, 8 and 11 were renamed A, B, and C Battalions, "Layforce" respectively' (Litani River, by I. McHarg refers); the 'Glen' ships had been specially converted to accommodate the amphibious role of the commandos, with the Glengyle capable of carrying 700 military personnel as well as 12 Assault Landing Craft and 2 Motor Landing Craft; the commandos arrived in the Middle East at Geneifa on the Great Bitter Lake, 11.3.1941; stationed at the latter they carried out mock raids in desert conditions and received a visit from General Wavell (G.O.C. Middle East); C Battalion was initially lined up with A Battalion to take part in the Bardia Raid, however much to Pedder's men's disappointment they were to miss out and 'on 24th April Laycock informed Pedder that C Battalion were being deployed to Cyprus to carry out Garrison duties before being used independently for up and coming operations in Syria; it was on that same day the unit resumed its original title: No. 11 (Scottish Commando)' (ibid); Garland arrived at Famagusta, Cyprus, 30.4.1941, and with individuals such as "Paddy" Mayne continued to train for imminent operations. Action At Last On the 31st May Pedder and two other officers from the unit received urgent orders to proceed by air to Palestine, 'After reporting to Palestine Force HQ they checked into their hotels before attending a conference at 1800hrs, where Pedder was briefed by the Commander of the Australian 21 Infantry Brigade on the part that the Commando was to play in the forthcoming operation. On the 3rd June while Pedder was still in Palestine, a coded message was sent to the Commando in Cyprus, ordering them to prepare on two destroyers at Famagusta at 0300hrs on the 4th June... On receipt of the news Captain Robin Farmiloe burst into a cafe where some of the officers were having tea and shouted at them to get their men ready to embark within four hours... Assembled at the quay from 0100hrs on the morning of 4th June the commandos, trying to grab some sleep where ever they could, waited impatiently for the two destroyers to dock in the port. Eventually at 0540hrs, and just back from the evacuation of Crete, the bombed and battered Destroyers Rex and Hotspur were docked... By 0625hrs, after Captain Farmiloe had ensured that all 25 officers and 431 other ranks were aboard; the officers and men of No. 11 (Scottish) Commando under the Command of Geoffrey Keyes left the shores of Cyprus' (ibid). Operation Exporter Pedder rejoined his men at Port Said, 5.6.1941, having received orders to take part in the invasion of Vichy controlled Syria and Lebanon; the invading force included the 7th Australian Division, 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Group and the 1st Free French Division; operating as part of the 7th Division, No. 11 (Scottish) Commando were formed up with the 21st Australian Infantry Brigade; the latter under the command of Brigadier Stevens was to cross the frontier in the early hours of the 8th June and to advance and capture the coastal city of Tyre, 'For the first phase of the operation Steven's sector ran from the sea at Ras en Naquora eastwards for 25 miles following a line of lofty, rugged hills into which the only entrance for motor vehicles was the coast road. Steven's problem in the coastal sector was also greatly complicated by the likelihood that the defenders would demolish the roads and bridges ahead of him; particularly the road a few miles north of Ras en Naquora, and the Qasmiye Bridge over the Litani River. The enemy was known to be holding the line of the Litani River which runs south before turning west into the Mediterranean.' Battle of the Litani River The Commandos were to 'co-ordinate with the 21st Brigade's attack on the river position by carrying out an amphibious assault landing from the sea near the mouth of the river. Once ashore their task was to secure the north and south banks of the river, and prevent the demolition of the Qasmiye Bridge that crossed it, allowing Steven's Brigade to advance towards Beirut engaging the enemy in the process. The advancing forces were to be supported by gunfire from naval vessels offshore, including the anti-aircraft cruiser H.M.S. Coventry and the destroyers Ilex, Isis, Hotspur and Hero. Air support was provided by a number of air force squadrons'; the Commando embarked on the Glengyle on the 6th of June, and set sail with escort from Port Said the following day; Pedder had not been provided with intelligence on the proposed beach landing sites and there was a serious lack of well scaled maps on the coast, 'this lack of intelligence caused the Senior Naval Officer to send his Senior Beach Master, Lt. Potter, RN to Haifa in H.M.S. Hero, to obtain information on the landing site. Aboard the motor-boat Gadwell, Lt. Potter and Sub-Lt. F.H. Colenut, RNR, carried out a reconnaissance of the coast in the early hours of the 7th June. This reconnaissance showed that heavy surf was running at an average distance of 300 yards from the beach as a result of ground swell, and that during the next two days the prospect of landing without considerable loss was not good. It was however, decided to make an attempt the following morning, 8th June.' A False Start - Try Again In The Morning! The Glengyle arrived in the early hours of the 8th June four miles west of the Litani River mouth, 'Eleven Amphibious Landing Craft were lowered into the water with the commandos packed into them. As the last of the men were boarding the craft, Potter and Colenut arrived... Potter expressed that in his opinion the surf was so bad that the flat bottomed landing craft would roll over if they attempted to make a beaching... The Senior Naval Officer had delegated overall responsibility as to whether the boats could be beached or not, to Captain Petrie RN of the Glengyle... Petrie decided that because the ALCs that were being used were not suitable to be used in surf and would capsize before reaching the beach, the operation could not be undertaken. This view was not shared by Dick Pedder who argued that the risk was worth taking in order to maintain the element of surprise, especially as the Glengyle was visible in the moonlight and that the enemy would be aware of its presence. Nevertheless, Petrie had overall control of the situation, and no sooner had the men got settled into the ALCs than they were given the order to disembark. With some difficulty, due to the ship moving around in the swell, the craft were re-hoisted back on the Glengyle. With all safely embarked the ship and its cargo of disgruntled commandos set sail back to Port Said. Arriving at 1500hrs later that day, the men stayed on board while Pedder and More went straight to a conference aboard H.M.S. Rex. Within an hour they were back on board and the operation was back on. To the disbelief of most on board, the Glengyle set sail at once at 1615hrs.' Plan of Attack The Commando was to land from the Glengyle at dawn and attack the enemy position from the flank; for this purpose three parties were formed and ALCs allotted to them: "X" Party - to be the Forward Troops, comprising of Nos. 2, 3 (of which Garland was a member) and 9 Troops under the command of Major G.C.T. Keyes; "Y" Party - Reserve Troops, comprising of Nos. 1, 7 and 8 Troops under the command of Lt. Col. R.R.N. Pedder and "Z" Party - Additional Reserve, comprising of 4 and 10 Troops under the command of Captain G.R.M.H. More; whilst the commandos were travelling back the Australian advance was well under way, and they had captured the city of Tyre by 5pm 8th June; the Glengyle arrived at 0300hrs 9/10th June, 'with the full moon silhouetting the Glengyle on the horizon, "X" Party... were formed up in four landing craft by 0325hrs. Keyes had received orders from Dick Pedder to attack the positions and barracks due east of Aitenyie Farm and hold the enemy on as wide a front as possible. The party set for the shore under the command of the Royal Navy's Lt. Collar. With the morning sun due to rise to their fronts Collar had the responsibility of getting the party to the correct landing point on the shore. However, with day break more than an hour away, and a lack of aerial photographs showing the mouth of the river of the coastline, Collar soon experienced difficulties in finding the correct landing site, resulting in the party being landed at 0450hrs, approximately a mile to the south of the desired landing point, and on the wrong side of the river' (ibid); fortunately the landing was unopposed, and Keyes records their next steps, 'By then it was light enough to see the masts of the feluccas in the river mouth, and I realised that we were south of the river, I at once issued orders to advance with "A" Section, No. 2 Troop, under Lt. T.I. Robinson, Gordon Highlanders, leading, with the river as the first objective. We advanced along the beach, deployed just below the crest and passed through "C" Company, 2/16 Australian Infantry Battalion, who were waiting to support the attack north of the river. The Company Commander was very surprised to see us, but said he would lend me some of his seven boats, which he had moved up with some of his men and with my reserve.' Advance To The River - Hot Work As the advanced troops reached the river bank at about 0510hrs, 'a red Verey Light, signalling S.O.S., was fired from a redoubt on the far bank. Immediately the entire beach from where they had landed, right up to within yards of the river came under heavy and sustained fire from 75mm guns, mortars and heavy machine guns, from the direction of the main ridge to the north-east. As heavy fire rained down on the party they were pinned to the ground, and several casualties were taken, mainly by accurate sniper fire from a knoll on the opposite bank and from enemy positions to the north. A Section of No. 3 Troop under Captain George Highland and Lt. Eric Garland succeeded in working forward on the right of No. 2 Troop before getting held up again. The area on the approach to the river from the south side was flat and open ground which offered very little cover for the advancing commandos making progress not only slow but extremely treacherous'; Keyes' Diary offers further insight, 'We all go to ground, as 75mm guns, 81mm mortars, and heavy machine-guns all firing very accurately. George Highland, Davidson and self behind substantial bush and low bank. Extremely unpleasant. Davidson moves about 30 yards to right, but gets pinned behind low bush by snipers in wired post on far side of river. Very accurate fire. Padbury, Jones, Woodnutt killed, Wilkinson badly wounded. George and Eric [Garland] as cool as cucumbers take most of 3 Troop about 60 yards to right flank. Can get no further, as open ground.' A Duel With A Sniper & First Across The River Whilst the commandos progress ground to a halt men of the 2/16 AIB brought a boat forward to the south bank for the commandos to use for the river crossing; Keyes took over 30 minutes to advance by a mixture of crawling and sprinting to reach Highland's position, and 'upon reaching their position he found George Highland and Eric Garland engaged in a high risk method of drawing sniper's fire, which was inflicting many casualties. Garland, exposing himself to the sniper, drew his fire, and once located, shot him with his Bren gun... with the sniper taken care off and during a brief lull in the firing Eric Garland, Cpl Southall, Sig. Reed, Pte. Hughes and three other men from No. 3 Troop, climbed into the boat that had been brought forward by LCpl Dilworth and his men from C Company. With the boat positioned out of the line of sight of the redoubt LCpl. Dilworth and Pte. Archibald coolly ferried the commandos across the fast flowing river, which was approximately 30-40 yards wide'; Keyes continues 'No. 3 Troop were still 200 yards from the river until about 0930hrs when our artillery ranged onto the redoubt. This allowed me to move with Captain Highland and Lt. Garland, about 20 men of Nos. 2 and 3 Troops, and the boat, to the rushes of the south bank. There seemed to be a lull, and we were out of sight of the redoubt, Lt. Garland and six of his men, and two Australians got across the river at approximately 1000hrs, and the Australians brought back the boat. We were pinned down for one and a half hours by MG fire and what we thought to be a mortar fire. Actually it was later found to be a 75mm gun on the high ground'; on the north side of the river Garland and his men were engaged in cutting the wire surrounding the redoubt in preparation for a direct attack on the position, 'sensing an attack was imminent the enemy soon indicated that they were willing to surrender to the advancing commandos... With Garland and Highland's party securing the ground around the redoubt and tentatively taking up positions on the north side of the river... At about 1300hrs... Garland and Highland's men clearing the enemy position on the north side. However, despite the success of crossing the river and taking the redoubt, the job was far from done and this was emphasised to Keyes by men from No. 2 Troop as they came forward to cross the river. As they approached they informed him that Sgt. Burton, LCpl Lang and Cohen were all dead on the river bank to the left, and that several of the Troop were wounded... In the process of taking the redoubt, six enemy soldiers were killed and thirty-five prisoners were taken, and fearing a counter-attack, Highland did not waste any time in organising the defence of the position... With no significant advance being made by the Australians, Geoffrey Keyes took all his remaining men over the river using the boat, sending it back with the prisoners captured in the redoubt. Efforts to take the enemy position had resulted in considerable casualties for the party. As many of the Bren guns and their crews had been lost on the south bank of the river, Keyes made full use of the weapons captured in the heavily fortified redoubt... among the captured weapons and ammunition were a 25mm anti-tank gun and limber; a 37.5mm Pack mountain gun; two heavy Hotchkiss machine guns; six light machine guns; about forty rifles and several thousand rounds... By about 1330hrs "X" Party had located the gun that was firing down the river, and using the 25mm anti-tank gun captured in the redoubt, Lt. Garland turned it around and fired at the enemy's position, putting the offending gun out of action with only 7 rounds... The Australians continued to cross the river and take up positions around the redoubt, and at 1800hrs Keyes handed over responsibility for its defence to C Company of 2/16 Infantry Battalion, the whole of which was across the river by 1900hrs.' Keyes reported the closing stages of the operation thus, 'next morning the 10th we saw through our glasses the French in Aiteniye surrender... and at 1200hrs I was ordered to withdraw leaving the redoubt to the Australians'; the Commando headed south and by 2300hrs they were concentrated in the transit camp at Haifa, 'as Operation Exporter continued and the Allies advanced north towards Beirut, the Commando set sail for Cyprus at 1850hrs on 14th June, arriving in Famagusta at 0700hrs the following morning. Of the 456 men who had assembled on the same quay eleven days earlier, 130 had been killed or wounded in just over 29 hours of fighting'; despite suffering heavy casualties, including Pedder who was killed leading his men, the Commando had achieved their overall objective of seizing and holding the enemy position long enough for the Australian Brigade to cross the river and pass through the position; with the death of Pedder, Keyes became the unit's commanding officer; the 11th (Scottish) Commando returned to Cyprus; both Keyes and Laycock asked Garland to stay on to take part in the proposed Rommel Raid (which would cost Keyes his life and lead to the award of a posthumous V.C.); however in the meantime Garland had applied to join the Royal Air Force; wishing to become a fighter pilot his papers came through and he transferred for training. Fighter Pilot - Per Ardua Ad Astra Garland was posted for pilot training to No. 26 Elementary F.T.S., Southern , March 1942; during this time he carried out his training with Ian Smith (later Prime Minister of Rhodesia); Garland carried out further training at No. 22 S.F.T.S., Thornhill, gaining his 'Wings' in August 1942; posted for conversion to Hurricanes to No. 74 O.T.U., Aqir, Palestine, February 1943; having converted he was posted for operational flying to 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron (Hurricanes), Egypt, April 1943; the squadron carried out operations over the Western Desert, primarily shipping patrols and interceptions; within the first week of flying, 12.4.1943, he had to carry out a forced landing due to 'Engine Failure' (Log Book refers); posted to 208 Squadron (Hurricanes), Iraq, June 1943; flew on tactical reconnaissance sorties throughout the desert fighting; Flight Lieutenant 24.11.1943. POW And Partisan The squadron re-equipped with Spitfires, January 1944, and Garland moved with it to Italy, March 1944; throughout March and April he carried out Sweeps and Tactical Reconnaissances, including 4.4.1944, 'Two targets recorded straffed gun in position', 17.4.1944, 'Two targets recorded one gunpit hit large explosion. 88's located and apple pied' and 21.4.1944, '20 + 109s and F.W.'s bombed Lancino causing 300 casualties. Passed us on way back'; he carried out reconnaissances of the Battle area of Cassino before being shot down, 4.5.1944, 'Cassino, Sore, Frosinone. Shot Down Over Frosinone. Hit By 20mm, Fuel System. Aircraft Caught Fire, Bailed Out 300ft. Taken Prisoner By The Germans. Sustained Wound Left Leg. Splintered Tibia. Slight Burns Hands and Face' his Log Book continues, 'July 27th Jumped Hospital Train At Night Enroute Munich, Walked From Verona To Lake Garda (3 Days) Lived With Italians. Aug 10th Attempted To Get Back Through Lines Walked From Lake Garda To Cremona. On River Po. Wound Became Infected. Found Refuge With Italians. April '45 Joined Partisans. Took Part In One Action At Vasto Di Sotto, 77 Germans Killed, Captured, Wounded, Own Casualties, 3 Killed 2 Wounded. May 2 Rejoined Squadron at Villafranca'; Garland's C.O. wrote the following to his parents, 'Your son had to bale out, and it is established by the evidence of the pilot who was flying another aircraft with him that your son's parachute opened successfully, and was seen descending slowly, unfortunately behind enemy lines. Your son had just taken over a Flight and I had the fullest confidence in him as a Flight Commander and as a pilot. His steadiness, professional ability, unassuming leadership and courage were a great asset to me, and to the whole Squadron. His fine Army record is one of which, with you, we are all very proud. There is no more popular member of the Mess than your son, and each one of us shares in some respect at least in your anxiety. It is my earnest hope that such anxiety will be speedily allayed, and again I assure you that anything learned will be notified to you in the quickest possible manner'; having gone through the allotted period of time and hearing no further information with regard to Garland the Air Ministry informed his father that he was to be declared dead; Garland, however, had other ideas and penned the following 9.8.1944: 'Dear Mother & Father, Here is a brief account of what has happened during the past three months. I was brought down by anti-aircraft fire on the Cassino front just before the push on May 4th. A 20mm shell hit some part of the fuel system and the plane caught fire immediately and I had to bale out some 40 miles over the line. My hands were burnt and my left leg hit by a splinter making a fairly large flesh wound on my left shin. I was taken prisoner immediately on reaching the ground and spent 7 weeks in hospital at Mantover. I made three unsuccessful attempts to escape from there, but finally managed to escape from the hospital train to Germany on June 17th by jumping out of the window at night, the sentry was dozing. From then until now I have been hiding in the Verona area near Lake di Garda waiting for my leg to heal, my hands are quite ok. I have lived most of the time in the open; the Italian people have been extremely kind and helpful in providing food, civilian clothing, etc., and a Doctor has attended me in spite of the death penalty. I change to the present tense now. Tonight I am setting out across the Po Valley to Parma and from there I shall make my way through the mountains towards the front and when the line breaks I shall get through somehow. The front at the moment is the line of the Arno River, Pisa, Florence, Arezzo. Switzerland is out and I am in an exposed position here. In case I have the misfortune to be recaptured I am writing this letter so that you will know my movements. An Italian is going to bury it in a bottle to give to an Allied Soldier when they arrive. I am also giving letters addressed to AMGOT to the people who helped me so it should be possible to keep track of me. If you don't hear from me for some time don't worry, I shall be giving the Jerries a pain in the neck wherever I am. Your loving son, Eric' Extraordinarily this letter found its way into the hands of Captain J.H. Bevan, 8/22 Battery, Royal Artillery some 8 months later, and he duly forwarded it to Garland's parents with the following accompanying letter: 'Dear Mr. & Mrs. Garland, We have just arrived in this area and one of the local Italians gave me this letter. He also gave me one which your son wrote to the AMGOT authorities saying how well treated and cared for he had been whilst staying with this Italian family. I don't suppose we shall be staying here long as the chase is still on, and it's quite exciting but I shall ensure that this letter reaches AMGOT.' True to his word Garland fought his way through and reached American lines at Solarolo, January 1945 reporting back to his unit, on the 2nd May 1945; his family was informed of his re-appearance 8 days later; Garland returned to the UK, and was posted to 17 S.F.T.S., Spitalgate, April 1946; he undertook a refresher course at Coleby Grange, August 1946, before being posted as Flight Commander to 691 Squadron (Spitfires and Martinets), Exeter, October 1946; whilst serving with the latter, 28.1.1947, 'Practice Escort For Royal Family Sailing Aboard H.M.S. Vanguard To South Africa' and 24.8.1947, 'Last Trip In My Own Spit' (Log Book refers); after the War he joined British European Airways (BEA) as a commercial pilot, and moved to Kenya in 1948; Garland was based here at the start of the Mau Mau Rebellion and immediately joined the Air Wing of the Police Force; he flew Rapide, Messenger and Bonanza aircraft; he later became a pilot for Manx Airlines, before retiring in 1985, at the age of 65. |
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| A Good 1948 'Palestine' M.B.E., Second War 1944 'Pathfinder Force' D.F.M. Group of Eight to Wing Commander M. Scholes, Royal Air Force, Reputedly the Oldest Person Ever to Fly in a Tornado Mission, As a 'Spin' to Celebrate His 65th Birthday Turned Into a Two and A Half Hour Sortie Over the North Sea After The Pilot Was Radioed to Investigate a Russian Trawler That Was Close to British Territorial Waters a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Member's (M.B.E.) breast Badge, silver, with Royal Mint case of issue b) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1768237. Act. F/Sgt. M. Scholes. R.A.F.) c) 1939-1945 Star d) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar e) Defence and War Medals f) General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., one clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (Act. Flt. Lt. M. Scholes. R.A.F.) g) Coronation 1953, generally nearly extremely fine, mounted court style as originally worn, in fitted case, with the following related items: - The recipient's Flight Engineers Flying Log Book, covering the period 7.9.1943-16.2.1947 - Pilot's and Flight Engineer's Notes for the Lancaster - The recipient's Pathfinder Association Membership Card and cloth badge - Named Buckingham Palace enclosure for the M.B.E. (8) £2,800-3,200 M.B.E. London Gazette 29.6.1948 Flying Officer Malcolm Scholes, D.F.M. (184769), Royal Air Force 'For distinguished service in Palestine' D.F.M. London Gazette 17.11.1944 Acting Flight Sergeant 1768237 Malcolm Scholes, R.A.F.V.R., 35 Sqn The Recommendation, dated 21.8.1944, states: 'This N.C.O. is a Flight Engineer who has, for a long period, operated as a visual Bomb Aimer. Through his keenness and efficiency he has attained a very high standard of accuracy and there is little doubt that his crew is one of the most reliable in the squadron. Flight Sergeant Scholes has set an example of tenacity and enthusiasm to the squadron and in recognition he is recommended for the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.' Remarks by Station Commander: 'Strongly recommended. An exceptionally keen and capable member of aircrew, he has set a fine example to the rest of the squadron.' Wing Commander Malcolm Scholes, M.B.E., D.F.M., was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire on the 17th October 1924, and educated at Wakefield Technical College, joining the Royal Air Force on his 18th birthday. After just 60 hours of flying experience as a flight engineer, he joined No.35 (Pathfinder) Squadron (Halifaxes), based at Graveley. His first operational sortie was on the 11th November 1943, to bomb the marshalling yards at Cannes, on the main coastal railway to Italy- his plane was badly damaged by flak and only just managed to return to England, where it was forced to crash-land. Over the next eleven months he completed a further 54 sorties, the majority of these in Lancasters (the Squadron having converted to them by February 1944), in which his aircraft was hit by flak 11 times: targets including Manheim; Berlin (3); Leipzig; Magdeburg; Stuttgart (6); Sweinfort, 24.2.1944- 'R/G shot down enemy fighter' (Log Book refers); Augsburg; Nuremburg, 30.4.1944- the night when Bomber Command suffered its worst casualties of the war, when 95 bombers, each with a crew of seven, were lost; Cologne; Friedrichshafen; Kiel; Bremen; and Saarbrucken. Having qualified as a bomb-aimer in March 1944, in the run-up to D-Day he also performed this role when Bomber Command shifted their targets to northern France in preparation for the Allied Invasion. On the night of the 5th-6th June 1944 he attacked the Longues Gunsite, when the order was 'this target has to be destroyed at all costs'. His final mission with No.35 Squadron was an attack on Saarbrucken on the 5th October 1944, 12 days before his 20th birthday. Commissioned Pilot Officer, 29.8.1944, Scholes served until the end of the War as an instructor at the Pathfinder Force Training Unit, where he was promoted Flying Officer, 1.5.1945. In July 1947 he was posted as the Adjutant to the R.A.F. airfield at Ein Shemer in Palestine, where he was much involved in the arrangements for the total evacuation of the unit ahead of the expiry of the British Mandate, and the subsequent creation of the Israeli state in May 1948. On the 25th April 1948 he led the final convoy of 110 vehicles for evacuation to Egypt and Cyprus- for his work over the past year he was awarded the M.B.E. 'For distinguished services in Palestine...his devotion to duty has been far and above the normal requirements of the service.' Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 4.12.1952; and subsequently advanced Squadron Leader, 1.7.1960, Scholes served on bomber stations before being appointed the last commander of the R.A.F. garrison in Tobruk, where he made numerous forays into the desert with Army patrols also based there, so much so that by the time he relinquished his post in June 1967 they had given him the nickname 'the Blue Major'. Promoted Wing Commander the following month, 1.7.1967, he served as Station Commander at R.A.F. Biggin Hill between 1970 and 1973, and then at the R.A.F. Regiment Depot at Catterick, before taking up a recruiting post at the Ministry of Defence. He took to the skies for the last time on his 65th birthday- his last day in uniform- 17.10.1989, in a Tornado fighter from R.A.F. Leeming. However, his brief 'spin' turned into a two and a half hour sortie over the North Sea after the pilot was radioed to investigate a Russian trawler that was close to British territorial waters, making him reputedly the oldest person ever to fly in a Tornado mission. Wing Commander Scholes died on the 11th November 2008. |
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| The Great War M.C. and Bar Group of Eight to Major C.L. Fox, Royal Engineers; Consul at Falmouth, and High Sheriff of Cornwall a) Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar b) British War and Victory Medals (Major C.L. Fox) c) Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown of Italy, Knight's breast Badge, 37mm, gold and enamel d) Belgium, Kingdom, Order of Leopold, Civil Division, Knight's breast Badge, 69mm including crown suspension x 40mm, silver and enamel, French motto, minor enamel damage to wreath e) Belgium, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, 64mm including wreath suspension x 44mm, silver and enamel f) Norway, Kingdom, Order of St. Olav, Knight First Class breast Badge, 62mm x 41mm, gold and enamel g) Belgium, Kingdom, Civic Decoration, First Class, gilt and enamel, good very fine, mounted as originally worn, with the recipient's related miniature awards, these housed in a Gaunt, London, fitted leather case (8) £1,400-1,800 M.C. London Gazette 1.1.1918 Lt (A /Maj ) Cuthbert Lloyd Fox, R.E. M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 2.12.1918 Lt. (A./Maj.) Cuthbert Lloyd Fox, M.C., 502nd Wessex Fld. Coy., R.E., T.F. 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He made a daylight reconnaissance under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, proceeding forward over 400 yards in advance of the furthest post held by the brigade. He brought back most valuable information, which was urgently required owing to the tactical situation.' Major Cuthbert Lloyd Fox, M.C., of Glendurgan, Falmouth, Cornwall; born July 1885; Appointed Consul of Belgium at Falmouth, May 1912; served during the Great War with the Royal Engineers on the Western Front from February 1917; married Moyra Sulivan, April 1920; Appointed High Sheriff of Cornwall, 1946; died 1972. |
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| A Second War Group of Eleven to Lieutenant P.H. Fox, Royal Artillery; Consul at Falmouth, and High Sheriff of Cornwall a) 1939-1945 Star b) France and Germany Star c) Defence and War Medals d) Netherlands, Kingdom, Order of Orange-Nassau, Officer's breast Badge, 68mm including crown suspension x 42mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband e) Sweden, Kingdom, Order of Vasa, Knight's breast Badge, 63mm including crown suspension x 40mm, silver-gilt and enamel f) Norway, Kingdom, Order of St. Olav, Knight's breast Badge, 61mm including crown suspension x 43mm, silver and enamel g) Denmark, Kingdom, Order of the Dannebrog, Officer's breast Badge, M.R. (1972-), 61mm including crown suspension x 29mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband h) Sweden, Kingdom, Order of the North Star, Knight's breast Badge, 60mm including crown suspension x 40mm, silver-gilt and enamel i) Norway, Kingdom, Norway, Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Knight's breast Badge, by Tostrop, Oslo, 44mm, silver-gilt and enamel, maker's cartouche on reverse j) Spain, Kingdom, Order of Merit, Civil Division, Commander's neck Badge, 72mm including wreath suspension x 49mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband, generally nearly extremely fine or better, mounted court-style as worn, the last in Cejalvo, Madrid, case of issue, with the recipient's related miniature awards, these housed in a Spink, London, fitted case; a selection of related lapel rosettes; and the following bestowal documents &c.: - Commission appointing Philip Hamilton Fox to be Honorary Consul of the King of Sweden at Falmouth, dated 19.2.1981; together with Official French translation and Official Approval Document, dated 26.5.1981 - Bestowal Document for the Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau, dated 18.4.1963; together with a copy of the Statutes of the Order; Permission to Wear Document; and accompanying letter - Bestowal Document for the Swedish Order of Vasa, dated 9.5.1967; together with accompanying letter; and Permission to Wear Document - Bestowal Document for the Norwegian Order of St. Olav, dated 15.8.1973, in presentation folder - Bestowal Document for the Danish Order of the Dannebrog, Knight, dated 10.12.1979 - Bestowal Document for the Danish Order of the Dannebrog, Officer, dated 12.12.1989; together with Permission to Wear letter - Bestowal Document for the Swedish Order of the North Star, dated 12.9.1983 - Bestowal Document for the Norwegian Order of Merit, dated 27.3.1987, in presentation folder - Bestowal Document for the Spanish Order of Merit, dated 6.12.1993 (lot) £2,500-3,000 Lieutenant Philip Hamilton Fox, born May 1922, the son of Major C.L. Fox, M.C.; educated at Harrow and Magdalene College, Cambridge; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Artillery, 10.4.1943, and served with the Artillery during the Second World War; appointed Consul of Sweden at Falmouth; Vice-Consul for the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and Spain; Appointed High Sheriff of Cornwall 1973; died October 2005. |
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| A Particularly Fine 1941 'Desert Rat's' M.C., and 1945 North West Europe 'Final Push to Hamburg' Second Award Bar Group of Eight to Lieutenant-Colonel J.A.N. Crankshaw, 11th Hussars, A Veteran of Almost 5 Years Continuous Fighting, From the Western Desert Through Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and into the Heart of Germany a) Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse dated '1941', with Second Award Bar, reverse dated '1945' b) General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., two clasps, Palestine, Malaya 2nd clasp loose on riband, as issued (2-Lieut. J.A.N. Crankshaw. 11-H.) c) 1939-1945 Star d) Africa Star, with 8th Army Bar e) Italy Star f) France and Germany Star g) Defence and War Medals, lacquered, generally very fine £3,500-4,000 M.C. London Gazette 25.4.1941 Lieutenant John Anthony Norman Crankshaw (77589), Royal Armoured Corps (Hussars) The Recommendation, dated 18.12.1940, states: 'On December 10th 2/Lieut. Crankshaw reconnoitred the enemy position at Alam El Rimth. He successfully located the Eastern Flank, also a Camp and the accurate position and the numbers of enemy Guns. He then proceeded through the enemy lines in between this position and that at Azzaziya and though under considerable Artillery and A/T Gun fire worked round behind and got further reliable information of enemy dispositions and of the Buq Buq - Barrani Road. He then located another defended camp. His task was rendered most difficult by a bad sand storm and the extremely bad going for Armoured Cars. Later that evening from the only available view point, though under concentrated Artillery fire, he continued to report on 2 Camps and further locate enemy gun positions. On December 11th he attacked the enemy and captured 119 prisoners. On December 14th when his Sqn was heavily attacked from the air by 12 fighters all 3 of his cars were hit. His own car was set on fire but he managed to extinguish it though the whole back was ablaze. Both his other two car commanders were wounded and their cars immobile but he quickly made one runner out of the two. He organised the wounded and quite soon had his troop of two cars in some degree capable of further action. 2/Lt. Crankshaw's personal example of bravery, cool headedness imperturbability and outstanding devotion to duty under extremely severe conditions was an inspiration to his whole Troop and worthy of the highest praise. 2/Lt. Crankshaw has throughout the past 7 months shown outstanding ability and in particular in late September carried out two most excellent reconnaissances, gaining very valuable information of the location of Sofafi and Rabia Camps and the positions of guns and A/T Guns. I recommend most strongly that he be awarded the Military Cross.' M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 2.8.1945 Major (temporary) John Anthony Norman Crankshaw, M.C. (77589), 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own), Royal Armoured Corps (London, S.W.3.) The Recommendation (originally for an Immediate D.S.O.), dated 12.5.1945, states: 'On 21 Apr 45, Major Crankshaw's Sqn was ordered to reconnoitre Buxtehude. The place was believed to contain valuable German naval papers. A full scale attack to capture the town was to be put in later when information of the enemy dispositions had been gained. Major Crankshaw disposed his troops to reconnoitre the approaches to the town, from the South, South East, and South West. This owing to the country and enemy opposition proved too difficult, but Major Crankshaw immediately saw there was a chance of getting close to the town from the South and South East. On his own initiative he transferred his main effort there. The approaches were covered by men in the woods with bazookas and also an anti-tank gun. Major Crankshaw got a troop into position to watch the enemy and at the same time passed another troop along a track through the woods to get behind the enemy. This move was entirely successful. The anti-tank gun was knocked out from behind, twenty enemy infantry captured and also a staff car full of bazookas. By this time it was too dark to continue but the following day Major Crankshaw sent his troops down the same roads and the town surrendered without a fight. One Admiral, forty officers and 450 ORs captured. The success of this operation was due to the initiative and bold action taken by Major Crankshaw. His handling of his troops was beyond praise and the capture of the town was due to the successful outflanking of the enemy position.' Lieutenant-Colonel John Anthony Norman Crankshaw, M.C., born 1918; commissioned Second Lieutenant, 11th Hussars, 25.8.1938, and joined the Regiment in Palestine; the 11th Hussars were stationed in Egypt when Italy declared War on Britain and France, June 1940; in September the Italians invaded Egypt; the 11th Hussars, as part of the 7th Armoured Division, harrassed the Italian advance leading to slow progress; in the middle of September the Italians stopped their advance and decided to consolidate their position by creating a line of fortified camps around Sidi Barrani; the defensive line ran from Maktila to Sofafi; on 10.12.1940 Crankshaw was involved in the early part of the "Battle of the Camps" as part of Operation Compass; the 7th Armoured Division moved to cut off supply routes to Sidi Barrani from the west whilst the remainder of the British forces moved on Sidi Barrani itself; on the 11th December the 7th Armoured Division moved into the Buq Buq area with great success capturing large amounts of troops and guns - Crankshaw's Squadron captured 119 prisoners; with the expulsion of the Italian forces from Egypt the 7th Armoured Division moved on to be involved in a further series of battles including Bardia, the Capture of Tobruk and Beda Fomm; by February 1941 the Allied forces had advanced approximately 800 kilometres and the Italian Tenth Army had been decimated; Lieutenant 1.1.1941; after a refit in Egypt the 11th Husars returned to the Western Desert to take part in the attempt to lift the siege of Tobruk, May 1941; the 7th Armoured Division were forced out of the line due to suffering heavy casualties and did not return to the front until November, when they were in time to take part in the equally bloody battle at Sidi Rezegh; Temporary Captain 3.7.1942-12.3.1944; Adjutant 5.9.1942-23.2.1943; in 1942 Crankshaw's regiment were heavily involved with the battle of the First Alamein, Alam Halfa and the British offensive of El Alamein in October; Temporary Major 13.3.1944-31.5.1948; in early 1943 the Division took part in the final push to expel the Axis forces from North Africa, and on the 7th May the 11th Hussars captured Tunis; the 7th Armoured Division were rested for the invasion of Sicily but did land in Italy and took part in the assault across the River Volturno; the Division returned to England in late 1943 for a well earned rest and to re-equip for the Normandy Landings; prior to the Normandy Landings the 11th Hussars transferred to VIII Corps, and served with them throughout the Normandy Campaign including at Villers Bocage and the Battle of Brigade Box (the second week of June 1944); Crankshaw's regiment took part in Operation Goodwood before returning to the 7th Armoured Division in the first week of August; they were to serve with the 7th Armoured Division for the remainder of the War; fighting at Mont Picon and breaking out of Normandy into Belgium and on into Holland; on the 27th March 1945 the 11th Hussars led the Division across the Rhine; having fought across Germany from the Tuetoberger Wald to the River Weser their final objective was to capture Hamburg; arriving in the outer suburbs by the second week of April the 11th Hussars were often involved in house to house fighting; Crankshaw found himself in the thick of it at Buxtehude on the outskirts of Hamburg (see Recommendation to M.C. Second Award Bar above), 21.4.1945; Hamburg surrendered on the 3rd of May, with the 11th Hussars leading the 7th Armoured Division into the city; Major 25.8.1951; Lieutenant-Colonel 19.10.1958; retired 31.3.1962. |
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| A Fine 'Maiwand' D.C.M. Group of Four to Driver J. Bishop, "E" Battery "B" Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery a) Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (3426. Driv: J. Bishop. R.H.A.) b) Afghanistan 1878-80, one clasp, Kandahar (3426. Driv: J. Bishop. E. Batt: B. Bde. R.H.A.) c) India General Service 1854-95, two clasps, Burma 1889-92, Chin-Lushai 1889-90 (Sergt. J. Bishop Comt. Dept.) d) Army Long Service & G.C., V.R. (Sergt. J. Bishop Comt. Transpt. Dept.), last locally impressed, as issued from India, light contact marks throughout, therefore very fine or better (4) £10,000-12,000 D.C.M. Recommendation submitted to the Queen 1.2.1881, award approved 5.3.1881: 'For conspicuously gallant conduct during the action at Maiwand and subsequent retreat to Kandahar on 27th and 28th July last.' For services in Afghanistan 'E' Battery R.H.A. received the special thanks of the Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief in General Orders, 'and the following officers, non-commissioned officers, and men were decorated: Captain Slade, with a Companionship of the Bath; Sergeant Mulane and Gunner Collis, with the Victoria Cross; Sergeant-Major Paton, Quartermaster-Sergeant Munroe, Sergeant Burridge, Corporal Thorogood, Bombadier Payne, Gunner Tighe, Driver Bishop, and Trumpeter Jones, with the medal for distinguished conduct in the field' (WO 100/54; WO 146/1; and The Afghan Campaign of 1878-1880, Shadbolt, refers). Provenance: Brian Ritchie Collection, September 2004 |
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| A Scarce Great War D.C.M. Group of Eight to Sergeant A.C.W. Woodhouse, Howitzer Brigade, Royal Marine Artillery a) Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (RMA-11074 Sjt: A.C.W. Woodhouse. No.5 Gun Howz: Bde: R.M.A.) b) 1914 Star, with Bar (R.M.A. 11074. Corpl. A.C.W. Woodhouse R.M. Brigade.) c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (R.M.A. 11074 Sgt. A.C.W. Woodhouse) d) Defence and War Medals e) Naval Long Service & G.C., G.V.R., 1st 'Admiral's bust' type (RMA/11074. A.C.W. Woodhouse. Sergt. R.M.A.) f) Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R. (PO.211074. O.M.S. A.C.W. Woodhouse. D.C.M. 28.2.1951.), very fine or better, mounted court-style as worn (8) £3,500-4,000 D.C.M. London Gazette 21.10.1918 R.M.A./11074 Sjt. A. C. W. Woodhouse, R.M.A. (Southsea) 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has rendered good service in the field during two and a-half years, showing gallantry and coolness under fire and encouraging his detachment by the example of his disregard of danger. On one occasion, when the casualties were extremely heavy, he showed unremitting devotion to duty in helping the wounded and despatching them to the dressing station.' The Royal Marine Artillery Howitzer Brigade was equipped with 15 inch howitzers that fired massive shells in support of infantry attacks. Number 5 Gun went to France in December 1915 and saw service throughout the campaign on the Somme and in the Flanders offensive. During the retreat after the battle of Messines in April 1918, No. 5 Gun became bogged in a sunken road and had to be abandoned, the breech being salved and the gun blown up. Approximately 11 D.C.M's awarded to the R.M.A. during the Great War. |
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| The Second War 1942 'Retreat from Myitkyina' K.P.M. for Gallantry Group of Five to 'Last-Ditcher' Major G.J.K. Stapleton, Burma Frontier Force a) King's Police and Fire Service Medal, for Gallantry, G.VI.R. (Capt. G.J. Stapleton. I.A., Burma Frontier Force) b) 1939-1945 Star c) Burma Star d) Defence and War Medals, nearly extremely fine, mounted as worn, with the following related items: - The recipient's related miniature awards; 1st Kumaon Rifles gold lapel badge; and belt buckle - The recipient's hip flask, carried by him during the Retreat - Portrait photograph of the recipient - 'Retreat from Myitkyina', the recipient's account of his time in Burma (5) £800-1,000 K.P.M. for Gallantry London Gazette 1.1.1943 Captain Gregory Joseph Stapleton, Indian Army, Burma Frontier Force. The recommendation states: 'Captain Stapleton was on active service with a unit of the Frontier Forces in Minbu, where he was wounded. He refused to be evacuated to India and arrived in Myitkyina at the beginning of May [1942]. When Myitkyina was bombed on the 6th and 7th May he did excellent work in assisting to remove refugees to the hospital, and then made his way to the Hukawng Valley. On arrival in the Hukawng Valley, Captain Stapleton, who had no men of his own under his command, collected nearly 300 Chin members of the Frontier Force who were stragglers and formed them into a disciplined body and inspired them with his own devotion to duty. With their aid he was able to clean up camps and villages along the refugee route; he disposed of corpses, protected civil officers collecting and distributing rations, and rendered aid to the sick and dying along the road; he also enforced order and discipline among the refugees generally. By this devotion to duty and voluntary assistance to the civil administration he and his men were delayed in their journey to India until after the monsoon had broken in full force, the streams had risen, and the chances of contracting a fatal disease greatly increased. He thereby jeopardised his own chance of reaching India safely. Owing to a fortunate break in the weather he was able to continue his journey and he and his men continued to preserve order along the route from which the forward camps of the Assam refugee organisation had been forced to withdraw. Captain Stapleton's action did much to restore confidence among the local villagers living near the route thus enabling civil officers to enlist the services of these villagers later in assisting refugees. Captain Stapleton's devotion to duty is all the more praiseworthy since he had not fully recovered from the effects of his wound and at no time was he really fit.' Major Gregory Joseph Kenneth Stapleton, K.P.M., born 1.9.1908, the son of Commander Gregory Stapleton, R.N.; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Indian Army, 7.2.1936; promoted Lieutenant, 1.3.1936; Captain, 18.3.1939; served with the Burma Frontier Force during the Second War, and took part in the final evacuation of Burma. Retreat from Myitkyina 'By the 6th May 1942 Burma had been lost. Far up in the north one aerodrome remained in our hands at Myitkyina. From this the Governor of Burma, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, on direct orders from Churchill, had lately been flown out, and from it transport planes were trying to get out as many sick and wounded refugees as possible. I arrived in Myitkyina in the middle of an air alarm on the last train to run under British Command in Burma for many a long day. The road leading out of the town was choked with a mass of refugees, many driving bullock carts. Nowhere was there any sign of discipline. It was a complete and utter rout, the very dregs of our defeat. I had a flesh wound in my leg so I could only keep going, riding a pony, which was impossible on small paths and game tracks. Three days later the track crossed a steep range of hills winding among Kachin villages. Not surprisingly, there was little sign of the inhabitants. We were heading for Maingkwan which lay to the west, but had no idea if that place was in Jap hands or not. That evening we arrived in Maingkwan which, except for refugees, was quite empty. It was a sizable town and was the centre of the jade trade before the War. By now the question of food was getting worrying. We had enough rice and flour for a few days but certainly not enough to get us to India. The only thing was to press on. On the road leading north out of Maingkwan we encountered the long line of dead and dying which was to last till we came to safety in Assam, weeks later. Some were lying in the watery mud, some on drier spots where they had lain to rest, and with this terrible, macabre, heartrending line came the stench of corpses. At night we generally found a village abandoned by the inhabitants, but every sleeping place taken up, with here and there a miserable smoking fire. At one village, called cholera camp, everywhere we looked we saw the dead and dying from this terrible sickness. There was a hut in the village full of rice in bags, but on the bags were corpses, so few would take the food. A day or two later we reached the Cindwin River which was in full spate and, at the place we came to, perhaps half a mile wide. After crossing the river by canoe, a journey rendered extremely hazardous by the enormous trees which were continuously being carried down past us and which we could only pray would not ram us, we continued north. We were now out of the swamp area and the paths were much drier, though the stream of dead and dying grew every day more terrible. After two days we reached a village where there was a food dump but, as usual, there were corpses in it and under it. Worst of all, right in under the piles set, perhaps four feet apart, was a bullock, very dead indeed- and one fully appreciated that even the starving felt no enthusiasm for drawing rations from the store. A rope was soon found abandoned in a hut with which to try and remove the bullock, but it was obvious that I was expected to set the example by tying the first knot to the animal. The bullock was a long way in among the piles, and one whiff would have made anyone sick- the sight of it nearly accomplished that alone. However, I managed to get a knot on somehow, and we extracted the bullock and made a huge bonfire of it, and other unpleasant remains round about. After issuing the food in the hut we went on our way, and after two more days we reached Shwinbwiyang. Here we found a big area of dry paddy fields near which there was a village. Aircraft from India had contacted this place and were dropping supplies daily while the weather was fine. Here we found that a Major, who was pretty relieved when I told him that I had a force with me, and that I would take over so that he could try and get on himself. The first thing we did after taking over was to pass round orders to the great number of refugees collected here- about three thousand- that anyone touching stores dropped from the air would be shot on sight, and no one was to go on the dropping ground during a drop until all stores were collected. We were forced to take this rather high-handed action as the people were fighting amongst themselves for the food and the sick, women, and children were getting a very bad deal. Some of the stronger and better armed, particularly Sikhs, were cornering large quantities of food and setting up shop, selling at exorbitant prices. Soon we had a good organization of issuing stores in full swing. We made a hospital from a large hut so that, at least, the sick could get food and water. We could do little more that this for them. A medical orderly called Katz had joined up with us and helped a lot in this. Every day we carried out the dead and burnt them. Many of the patients had cholera, but believing I had had an anti-cholera injection shortly before, I had no fear of contracting the disease. Later on, going through my records, I discovered that the injection had been for something quite different! A few days later the rains broke and the men could not be asked to stay on here any longer, so we decided to go, taking enough food for one good meal a day for five days. Katz the medical orderly volunteered to stay on until he might be rescued until after the rains were over. This was an extremely brave act as the chances of his survival were at least ten to one against. In the event he did survive and was rescued by a column some months later. For this he was awarded the George Medal- an award, in my opinion, sadly insufficient. We set off at dawn and were soon winding through terrible jungle along a narrow twisting path. About mid-day we came to the first stream, already at least six foot deep and fast running. By felling a tree we managed to scramble across, followed by the crowd of refugees who had collected there. From now on the way led ever upwards into the Pat Kai Range and grew nightly colder. All the time we went through the same terrible scenes of death which had preceded Shwinbwiyang. My job was now to see that a sufficient distance was done each day and to find a suitable place to camp for the next night. This was not easy as we had to find water and many streams were fouled by the dead lying in them. After some days we came to a village where aeroplanes were dropping supplies. We camped above the village for the night. In the morning there was an air drop and I went down to see what was happening. The scene was indescribable chaos. As the bags fell the bigger and stronger rushed to get what they could. Armed gangs threatened anyone weak enough and seized what food they might have. Shops were set up which enabled those with money to get something- the thousands of weak and sick did without. We succeeded in restoring order though it was first necessary to shoot. As there were, we d, some three thousand people in this place, of whom perhaps seven hundred were armed, our maintenance of order was a complete bluff. The rains, accompanied by mist, now set in hard and though we heard planes overhead several times, they could not find us. Five days went by and the situation became desperate. At the village below was the river cutting us off from going forward. According to reports it was two hundred yards wide and in full flood, and a Major and one hundred and fifty people had been drowned trying to cross. We lived there for five days on a maize cob per man per day until even these, found in a village field, ran out. Every day more and more people died. We found a gang of sweepers, complete with leather helmets which had been part of their uniform, and got them to collect the dead daily and cast them down a deep ravine. It was reminiscent of the great plague as this gang went from house to house each morning, calling "Bring out your dead." On the sixth day the clouds cleared somewhat but the planes still failed to see us. Walking by the stream thinking of some method of attracting attention, I saw some clothing a woman had washed and left here. We issued an order that every white article of clothing must be washed and produced. A large collection came in and with these we wrote on the hillside: "3,000 SICK STARVING S.O.S." The planes saw it. Down came the drop, five planes on that day alone and many after. Now we had some food the next thing was to try and get on, so I took twelve Lushai down with me to the river. The ford was, as we had heard, many feet deep, at least two hundred yards across, and coming down in a raging torrent. The only hope lay in a narrower gorge which we found lower down. We found a suitable spot and making a rope from parachute lines wound together produced a rather hazardous means of getting across. The Lushai are magnificent in mountain streams, and we were lucky to have them. Hastening back to camp I was met by a messenger to say that a plane had dropped a message from General Wood in India. It stated that the way forward was quite impossible, and that the only hope was to try to get back to Shwinbwiyang. We went into conference. Shwinbwiyang was unthinkable, but was there an alternative route? We decided to push on, in the hope that new dropping points might be opened or elephants sent out to rescue us. After crossing the river there was a terrible climb which proved too much for many. But now and again there occurred something of a break in the rains so, in spite of General Wood's warning, the rest of the way was no worse than what we had previously gone through. After several days we met the first of the camps pushed out from India by the Tea Planters Association of Assam. After that, though there were several days more, it was only walking from camp to camp. At last we reached the little town of Margarita [a name shared by Stapleton's fiancée], so named by the Italian engineers who built the railway line for the coal mines nearby. It seemed a good omen! On arriving in Ledo, without having lost a single weapon, there followed a long spell in hospital. I weighed seven stone instead of my usual eleven, and peering at my hospital card one day I saw "Malignant malaria, benign malaria, suspected typhoid, semi-starvation, and influenza." It seemed enough for one man.' (Abridged version of Retreat from Myitkyina refers). For his gallantry in the retreat through Burma as one of the real "last-ditchers", Stapleton was awarded the King's Police Medal; his two senior G.C.O.'s received the Burma Police Medal; and every man who served under him for the duration was either promoted or granted a month's extra pay. Subsequently promoted Major, Stapleton married Margarita Chamberlayne in 1945; he died in 1982. |
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| A Great War 'Zeebrugge Raid' D.S.M. Group of Eight to Chief Petty Officer T.E. Crust, Royal Navy a) Distinguished Service Medal (J.2018. T.E. Crust. P.O. Zeebrugge-Ostend 22-... April. 1918.) b) 1914-15 Star (J.2018, T.E. Crust, L.S., R.N.) c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf [sic] (J-2018 T.E. Crust. P.O. R.N.) d) 1939-1945 Star e) Atlantic Star f) War Medal, the Second War awards contemporarily engraved 'J.2018 T.E. Crust. D.S.M. R.N.' g) Naval Long Service & G.C., G.V.R. 1st 'Admiral's bust' type (J.2018 T.E. Crust. P.O. H.M.S. Vulcan.), contact marks overall, generally nearly very fine (8) £800-1,200 D.S.M. London Gazette 23.7.1918 P.O. Thomas Edward Crust, O.N. J.2018 (Ch.) 'in recognition of distinguished services during the operations against Zeebrugge and Ostend on the night of the 22nd-23rd April, 1918' (Picket Boats, Motor Launches and Motor Boats) Chief Petty Officer Thomas Edward Crust, D.S.M., born Chatham, Kent, 1892; enlisted Royal Navy as Boy, May 1908; service during the Great War included in H.M.S. Agamemnon (Battleship) and H.M.S. Centaur; he served at H.M.S. Pembroke and volunteered to take part in the Zeebrugge Raid as part of the Picket Boats, Motor Launches and Motor Boats section; (L.S. & G.C. 1926); was still serving at H.M.S. Pembroke when he died, 21.12.1947; Chief Petty Officer Crust is buried in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent. |
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| The Dieppe Raid D.S.M. Group of Five to Leading Stoker A. Woods, Royal Navy, For His Courage and Repair Work Whilst Under Heavy Fire From the Air and Shore, in H.M.S. Calpe, the H.Q. and Fighter Direction Ship for the Raid. When She Was Holed Beneath the Waterline in the Steering Compartment Woods Saved the Steering Gear and Thus Enabled the Ship and Her Complement to Return Home a) Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (KX.91619 A. Woods. A/L. Sto.) b) 1939-1945 Star c) Atlantic Star d) Defence and War Medals, very fine or better (5) £3,000-3,500 D.S.M. London Gazette 2.10.1942 Acting Leading Stoker Arthur Woods, C/KX.91619. (H.M.S. Calpe) 'For gallantry, daring and skill in the combined attack on Dieppe' The Recommendation, dated 22.8.1942, states: 'Untiring devotion to duty and coolness under fire during the whole operations, and in particular when rigging pumping appliances to the steering compartment which had been holed below the waterline and was in danger of flooding, thus putting the steering gear out of action.' C/KX 91619 Leading Stoker Arthur Woods, D.S.M., served in H.M.S. Calpe for the Commando Raid on Dieppe, 19.8.1942; H.M.S. Calpe was a 'Hunt' Class Destroyer launched and completed by the end of 1941; she was converted for use specifically for the Dieppe Raid as a HQ and Fighter Direction Ship, July 1942, 'the Jubilee command and control set-up was put in place at this time and their posts during the Raid decided. The Naval and Ground Force Commanders [Captain] Hughes-Hallett and Major-General Roberts would embark in the destroyer H.M.S. Calpe, which would act as headquarters ship and be equipped with extra radio sets for communication with the rest of the invasion fleet, the troops ashore and the UK' (The Dieppe Raid, R. Neillands, refers). H.M.S. Fernie was set up to duplicate the Calpe in case she was sunk during the raid. During the early hours of the 19th August Calpe helped to lay the smokescreen prior to the beach assaults, subsequently taking up a position with the Fernie from which the Raid Commanders could co-ordinate the proceedings; as it turned out communications between land and sea forces failed with devastating results to the extent that rather than acting as the hub of the operations the Calpe doubled up as a hospital ship, 'the complement, the crew of H.M.S. Calpe numbered fewer than one hundred men. By 0700hrs [an hour and a half into the raid] the decks of this little destroyer were crammed with some two hundred wounded and dying Canadian soldiers brought off every landing beach and delivered to Calpe in the hope of finding doctors. Nor was this all: off Calpe other landing craft were bobbing about their works riddled by shell and machine-gun fire, their decks running with blood, and they too had wounded men in urgent need of assistance.' (Ibid). This was the chaotic scene that greeted Lord Lovat upon returning from his successful part of the raid, 'Lovat wanted to report his success personally to the two Force Commanders and transfer his severely wounded men onto the destroyer, so he directed his craft to head for the Command ship. However, when they arrived alongside H.M.S. Calpe they found boat loads of wounded men on the same errand and the decks of the destroyer already covered with stretchers bearing dead or wounded. This was Lovat's first intimation that other parts of Operation Jubilee had not gone as well as his own attack at Varengeville. 'We put seven or eight of our wounded on Calpe, which was a mistake', he wrote later, 'because she was already full of wounded men and very lucky not to be sunk.' This rendezvous would have been sometime after 0900hrs... The No. 4 Commando LCAs circled H.M.S. Calpe for about ten minutes, keeping constantly on the move as German fighters and medium bombers were starting to appear off the beaches, bombing and strafing.' (Ibid). The Calpe and the little fleet that she was now accumulating around her were proving to be an attractive target for both the Luftwaffe and the German shore batteries; as the raid unravelled Roberts gave the order from the Calpe for the general withdrawal, by '12.20 the officer in charge of the evacuation reported that no more could be done; ten minutes later he withdrew the surviving landing craft. They had, under conditions of utmost difficulty and danger, rescued over 1,000 men. When one considers the tornado of fire that was being directed at the beaches, their accomplishment appears all the more astonishing. At 12.40 the Calpe closed the shore to see if there was any possibility of further rescue. She too came under heavy fire; and no troops could then be seen in a position from which they might be picked up. At about 1pm a general withdrawal of the surviving ships and craft began. German air attacks were now almost continuous. The destroyer Berkeley was so damaged that she had to be sunk by our forces, and the Calpe also was hit.' (The War at Sea, Vol II, Captain S.W. Roskill, D.S.C., R.N., refers). It was when the Calpe was hit that Woods came to the fore; heavily laden down with wounded and under continual fire from both the shore and the air she nearly shared the fate of her sister ship the Berkeley when one hit holed the steering compartment below the waterline threatening to flood the area and put the steering gear out of action; Woods acted quickly, rigging the pumps and keeping the rushing water at bay, as a consequence she eventually made good her escape. She was the last ship to leave the Dieppe Coast and was under continuous enemy fire virtually all the way back to Portsmouth. |
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| A Great War M.M. Group of Three to Lance-Corporal F.W. Cooke, Royal Engineers a) Military Medal, G.V.R. (149073 L.Cpl. F.W. Cooke. R.E.) b) British War and Victory Medals (149073 Spr. F.W. Cooke. R.E.), nearly extremely fine (3) £180-220 M.M. London Gazette 21.10.1918 149073 L./C. F.W. Cooke, R.E. (East Grinstead) 149073 Corporal Frederick William Cooke, M.M., born 1896; enlisted in the Royal Engineers, December 1915; served with the Corps during the Great War on the Western Front; promoted Lance Corporal, 1.6.1918. |
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| A Great War M.M. Group of Three to Sergeant R. Taylor, Royal West Kent Regiment a) Military Medal, G.V.R. (7622 Pte. -A.L.Sjt.- R. Taylor. 8/R.W. Kent R.) b) British War and Victory Medals (GS-7622 A. Sgt. R. Taylor. R.W. Kent R.), good very fine £200-240 M.M. London Gazette 14.5.1919 7622 Pte. (A./L./Sjt.) Taylor, R., 8th Bn., Royal West Kent Regiment (Tunbridge Wells). MEDALS TO THE ORMSBY FAMILY |
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| A Great War 'Western Front' D.S.O. Group of Seven to Colonel G.J.A. Ormsby, Royal Army Medical Corps a) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top-riband bar b) Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, five clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek, Cape Colony, unofficial rivets between 4th and 5th clasps (Capt. G.J.A. Ormsby. R.A.M.C.), rank officially corrected c) King's South Africa 1901-02, two clasps (Capt. G.J.A. Ormsby. M.D. R.A.M.C.) d) 1914 Star, with copy Bar (Major G.J.A. Ormsby. R.A.M.C.) e) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Col. G.J.A. Ormsby.) f) General Service 1918-62, G.V.R., one clasp, Iraq (Bt. Col. G.J.A. Ormsby.), light contact marks, therefore generally very fine or better, mounted for wear, with the recipient's related miniature awards, all housed in a Spink & Son leather case, this slightly distressed, surmounted with a small metal plate engraved 'G.J.A.O.' (lot) £1,400-1,800 D.S.O. London Gazette 18.2.1915 Gilbert John Anthony Ormsby, M.D., Major, Royal Army Medical Corps 'For services in connection with operations in the field.' Colonel Gilbert John Anthony Ormsby, D.S.O., M.D., born Dublin,1876, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Lambert H. Ormsby, Kt, Honorary Consulting Surgeon of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force; commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Army Medical Corps, 28.1.1899; served during the Second Boer War, and was present in actions including Colenso and Spion Kop ('Cape Colony' clasp unconfirmed); Captain 28.1.1902; Major 28.1.1911; served during the Great War on the Western Front, from 16.8.1914; Lieutenant-Colonel 1.3.1915, and was Temporary Colonel whilst serving as Assistant Director of Medical Services, July 1917-May 1918 (D.S.O.; M.I.D. London Gazette 17.2.1915, 24.12.1917, 25.5.1918 and 30.12.1918; Wounded); Brevet Colonel 3.6.1918, and served as A.D.M.S. (Acting Colonel) 34th Division, British Armies in France, 13.11.1918-28.10.1919; after serving in Mesopotamia was appointed A.D.M.S. HQ Basrah District, 1920; served in India 1922-1924. |
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| The Fine Second War D.S.O., D.S.C. Group of Eight, Which Reflects A Most Interesting Career, to Captain G.A.G. Ormsby, Royal Navy: A Qualified Anti-Submarine Officer Who, in H.M.S. Afridi, October 1939, Was Commended For His Conduct In Combatting Three U-Boats Over Five Days; He Was Later Present In H.M.S. Cossack During Her Historical Interception, Boarding, and Capture of the German 'Prison Ship' Altmark, Used by the Graf Spee to Store Its Prisoners En-Route For Germany. After Altmark's Capture, 'Any British Down There?' Was Shouted Down To The Prisoners- 'Yes, We're All British' Came The Answer. 'Come On Up Then' Came The Reply, to Which Were Added The Immortal Words That Made The History Books: 'The Navy's Here!' Ormsby Served Three Tough Years in the Atlantic as Escort Captain and Led the 10th Support Group on Anti-Submarine Operations in the Western Approaches From H.M.S. Spey; On 18.2.1944 He Sank The U.406 In Which A Group of Radar-Counter-Measure Scientists Were Numbered Among the Survivors, From Whom The Allies Gained Valuable Information On German Progress In That Field; On The Following Day Ormsby Sank The U.386, Which Prompted The C-in-C Western Approaches to Report: 'This Is How Things Should Be Done.' a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of suspension bar dated '1944', with integral top-riband bar b) Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., silver (Hallmarks for London 1939), reverse dated '1940' c) Naval General Service 1915-62, G.VI.R., one clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (Lt. Cdr. G.A.G. Ormsby. R.N.) d) 1939-1945 Star e) Atlantic Star f) Burma Star g) War Medal, M.I.D. Oak Leaf h) Coronation 1953 i) Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (unsuccessful) (Lt. Comdr. Gerald A.G. Ormsby. D.S.C., R.N. 16th Feb. 1940.), with integral bronze top-riband buckle, generally very fine or better, mounted as originally worn with the exception of the last, which is loose; with The Royal Life Saving Society Award of Merit medal, silver, engraved 'G.A. Ormsby. 1924', all housed in a Gieves Ltd leather case, embossed with the initials 'G.A.G.O.', with the following related contemporary items and documents: - Captain's Peaked Hat - Bicorne Hat together with Dress Epaulettes, all by Gieves, in original fitted velvet tin case, named to 'G.A.G. Ormsby, R.N.' - Four sets of Shoulder Boards, various ranks - Uniform including Jacket with full medal ribands; and evening Dress Jacket, Trousers (2) - Pair of Zeiss Binoculars (7x50), in initialled leather case - Bestowal Document for the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal, named to 'Lieut-Commander Gerald A.G. Ormsby, D.S.C., Royal Navy', dated 10.9.1940, in embossed scroll holder - Several Photographs and newspaper cuttings (lot) £8,000-10,000 D.S.O. London Gazette 6.6.1944 Commander Gerald Anthony Gore Ormsby, D.S.C., Royal Navy (Richmond) 'For outstanding leadership, skill and devotion to duty in H.M. Ships...Spey...in successful actions with U-Boats, while on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic.' D.S.C. London Gazette 1.1.1940 Lieutenant-Commander Gerald Anthony Gore Ormsby, R.N., H.M.S. Afridi 'For outstanding zeal, proficiency, skill and energy in successfully combating enemy submarines.' Ormsby is jointly commended with Leading Seamen P.J. Coan (awarded a D.S.M. for the same action) and A.B. Wyatt in The Captain of 4th Destroyer Flotilla Confidential Report, 24.10.1939, which includes the following detail 'H.M.S. Afridi, Gurkha, Hastings, Woolston and Valorous. Attacks on German U-Boats on the 13th, 16th and 18th October 1939...Assessment Committee consider that attacks were carried out on a U-Boat, that was probably sunk. On 13th October off Beachy Head several tons of oil was released. On 16th October there was much oil, but darkness curtailed further observation. On 18th October the quantity of oil was small, 5 or 6 acres, but the supply was from a fixed point continuous and increasing. I desire to bring to your notice that these successes arise directly from the skill and zeal of my Anti-Submarine Officer, Lieutenant-Commander G.A.G. Ormsby, and are the good results of his careful training of the A/S ratings. Leading Seaman P.J. Coan (H.S.D.), P/J. 56312, is a very experienced and zealous operator, and his knowledge and experience played an essential part in the attacks on these three U-Boats. The first contact on 13th October off Beachy Head was obtained at 2300 yards at 22.5 knots by Able Seaman A. Wyatt (S.D.), P/SS.X.19962, 1st Operator, and Leading Seaman Coan, 2nd Operator, and I consider that the detection, classification and holding of the contact without hesitation was a notable achievement: Any hesitation would almost certainly have caused it to have been passed as one of the numerous wrecks in the vicinity. In the attack on 16th October in the Firth of Forth and on 18th October off St. Abbs Head contacts were obtained by Wyatt and Coan respectively, and with a confidence and lack of hesitation which is essential to A/S operations, but not always available. The wrecks of the last war which litter our coastal waters demand extra skill in quick classification of contacts, or else the service on which the ship is employed would be continuously delayed and the U-boats left more free.' M.I.D. London Gazette 13.2.1945 Commander Gerald Anthony Gore Ormsby, D.S.O., D.S.C., Royal Navy (H.M.S. Taff) 'For courage, leadership and determination in anti U-boat operations.' Captain Gerald Anthony Gore Ormsby, D.S.O., D.S.C., born Dublin, 1909; entered the Royal Navy as Cadet at Dartmouth, 1923; appointed Midshipman H.M.S. Kent (Cruiser), on the China station before being posted to the cruiser Carlisle, 'for service on the African station, where he was involved in an affair which caused something of a stir. Tshekedi Khama, the Regent of the Bamangwato tribe of the Bechuanaland Protectorate (now Botswana), was an African chieftain of rather too independent views to suit the British colonial authorities. In September 1933 he broke the law of the Territory by ordering a white man to be flogged after a dispute concerning a native woman with whom the white man had been living. The High Commissioner was on leave, and the Acting High Commissioner, the C-in-C Africa station, Adml. Sir Edward Evans (Evans of the Broke) dispatched what amounted to a Naval Brigade on the Victorian Navy pattern. Nine officers, including Ormsby, and 150 sailors and marines from Carlisle, with three howitzers, six Lewis guns, 100 rifles and supplies for three weeks, travelled 1,100 miles up country by train, lorry and finally on foot. Evans himself arrived in state to hold a formal hearing under a fig tree, attended by a contingent of tribesmen, who were over-awed by the regal trappings of the Royal Marines. The tribesmen had been relieved of their guns by Carlisle's sailors, who gave them all a cloakroom ticket so that they could reclaim their firearms later. Khama was deposed, but later reinstated' (Obituary included in lot refers); served at H.M.S. Osprey (Anti-Submarine Training Establishment), Portland, from 1937; qualified as Anti-Submarine Officer, and with the outbreak of the Second War was posted to H.M.S. Afridi (Destroyer); the latter formed part of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla and was assigned for service with the Humber Force in the North Sea; Ormsby was quickly into action in October, and was involved in attacks on three U-boats over the course of five days, one of which is believed to have been sunk (D.S.C.); Ormsby was appointed Lieutenant-Commander and Anti-Submarine Officer to the Afridi's sister ship H.M.S. Cossack, January 1940. The Altmark Incident Ormsby's first action in his new ship was on the night of 16.2.1940; commanded by Captain Philip Vian, R.N. she intercepted the tanker Altmark enroute for Germany carrying 300 prisoners of war who had been picked up from ships sunk by the Graf Spee; travelling through the neutral waters of Norway the Altmark sought refuge in Josing Fjord; Cossack followed her in, however the Norwegian naval escorts positioned themselves to block any attempt to board the German ship; given the sensitivity of the neutrality aspect Vian had to wait for Admiralty orders before deciding upon a course of action; he received the following from the then First Sea Lord Winston Churchill: 'Unless Norwegian torpedo-boat undertakes to convoy Altmark to Bergen with a joint Anglo-Norwegian guard on board, and a joint escort, you should board Altmark, liberate the prisoners, and take possession of the ship pending further instructions. If Norwegian torpedo-boat interferes, you should warn her to stand off. If she fires upon you, you should not reply unless attack is serious, in which case you should defend yourself, using no more force than is necessary, and ceasing fire when she desists.' Armed with these instructions Vian acted decisively, as his account of the action shows: 'Having placed Cossack in a position from which our pom-poms could play upon Norwegian decks, whilst their torpedo tubes were no instant menace to us, I said we could parley no longer, and must board and search the Altmark forthwith, whether we fought them or not. Kjell's captain decided that honour was served by submitting to superior force, and withdrew. On rounding the bend in the fjord, Altmark at last came into view. She lay bows inshore, encased in ice, her great bulk standing black against the snow-clad mountains. Thoughts of the six-inch guns with which the Altmark was said to be armed were naturally in our minds. Though our own guns were manned we were obviously an easy target, and the enemy's first shots might well immobilise us at once. There was nothing for it, however, but to go ahead and get to grips as quickly as possible. The Altmark Captain was determined to resist being boarded. On sighting Cossack, he trained his searchlight on our bridge to blind the command, and came astern at full power through the channel which his entry into the ice had made. His idea was to ram us. Unless something was done very quickly the great mass of the tanker's counter was going to crash heavily into Cossack's port bow. There followed a period of manoeuvring in which disaster, as serious collision must have entailed, was avoided by the skill of my imperturable navigator, McLean, and by the speed with which the main engine manoeuvring valves were operated by their artificers. Lieutenant Bradwell Turner, the leader of the boarding party, anticipated Cossack's arrival alongside Altmark with a leap which became famous. Petty Officer Atkins, who followed him, fell short, and hung by his hands until Turner heaved him on deck. The two quickly made fast a hemp hawser from Cossack's fo'c's'le, and the rest of the party scrambled across. When Turner arrived on Altmark's bridge he found the engine telegraphs set to full speed in an endeavour to force Cossack ashore. On Turner's appearance, the captain and others surrendered, except the third officer, who interfered with the telegraphs, which Turner had set to stop. Turner forbore to shoot him. It was now clear that as a result of her manoeuvres Altmark would ground by the stern, which she did, but not before Cossack, the boarding party all being transferred, had cast off, to avoid the same fate. It was expected, with the surrender of the German captain, that the release of our prisoners would be a drawing-room affair. That this was not so was due to the action of a member of the armed guard which Graf Spee had put aboard. He gratuitously shot Gunner Smith, of the boarding party, in an alleyway. This invoked retaliation, upon which the armed guard decamped; they fled across the ice, and began to snipe the boarding party from an eminence on shore. Silhouetted against the snow they made easy targets, and their fire was quickly silenced by Turner and his men. In the end German casualties were few, six killed and six badly wounded. The boarding party had none, save unlucky Gunner Smith, and even he was not fatally wounded. Resistance overcome, Turner was able to turn to the business of the day. The prisoners were under locked hatches in the holds; when these had been broken open Turner hailed the men below with the words: 'Any British down there?' He was greeted with a tremendous yell of 'Yes! We're all British!' 'Come on up then,' said Turner, 'The Navy's here!' While the boarding party were in the process of securing the Altmark Ormsby was involved in an incident himself, 'While Vian watched and wondered a lamp on the Altmark began to flash a message. Among the boarding party was a young signalman named Donald Davies, lent for the raid by H.M.S. Afridi. Davies had fitted up his lamp and had already signalled that the operation was going well. But now he had a serious, frightening message. "Altmark captured and now in our charge," the officers on Cossack's bridge read from the flashes. "Reported due to blow up at midnight." The officers looked at each other with dismay. The message bore the hallmark of truth. "Just the sort of thing Jerry would do," said Hector MacLean. "And if he blows her up, trust him to do it at precisely midnight." It was clear to Vian that the whole action must be speeded up. Even without a hitch, it was doubtful whether the boarding party could liberate the prisoners by midnight, but they would have to try. He looked around at the Norwegian gun-boats, but could see no sign of activity. Of the ships in the fjord, only they were quiet. It was improbable that they would interfere now that the boarding had taken place. Vian gave the order: "Back to the Altmark." The tanker loomed large and black against the white snowy background and Vian was almost alongside when a shout went up. "Man overboard." "Who on earth is it?" demanded Vian. Now that every minute counted, a mishap of this sort could jeopardize his own ship and all the prisoners. "Man from 14 Mess, sir," a petty officer caller back. "How can you tell that?" snapped Vian. "Officers have recognized him, sir." Get him with grappling irons!" Vian shouted instantly. "Nobody is to go over the side after him." His order was too late. Already Tony Ormsby, Lieutenant-Commander and Anti-Submarine Officer, and Lieutenant Burkett, had dived into the icy water and were swimming strongly towards the unfortunate seaman. Each took a hold on the man and propelled him back towards the Cossack. Ratings threw down lines and hauled the three men up; the sailor was unconscious, the officers shivering. "Blimey," a petty officer called out as he bent over the rescued man. He examined the identity disc which said: A. Berndsen, Altmark. "This isn't one of our blokes. It's one of theirs." It was a German sailor who had jumped overboard from the German ship. Berndsen was dead' (The Navy's Here, The Story of the 'Altmark' Affair and the Battle of the River Plate, Frischauer & Jackson, refers). Both Ormsby and Burkett were awarded the Royal Humane Society's bronze medal for their heroic efforts in the freezing water. U-boat Hunter Ormsby joined the Anti-Submarine Warfare Division in the Admiralty, before being appointed Anti-Submarine Officer to H.M.S. Warspite (battleship), Mediterranean station,1941; appointed to the command of H.M.S. Pheasant (Sloop - converted into a specialised convoy defence vessel, with anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capability), and 'then served three extremely hard years as an escort captain in the Atlantic. During that time he had no leave and, when at sea, never a complete night's sleep, snatching an hour when he could in a hammock in the chart-house' (Obituary refers); appointed to the command of H.M.S. Spey (Frigate) and in her led the 10th Support Group on anti-submarine operations in the Western Approaches; his expertise on submarines came to the fore when leading his group in the defence of the outward bound Atlantic convoy ONS29, on the evening of the 18/19th February 1944; Roskill offers the following in The War at Sea, 'Late on the 15th [February] another outward bound convoy, actually OS68 though the enemy believed it to be ON224, was reported by aircraft off north-west Ireland. No less than twenty U-boats were ordered to close towards it; but, as had happened so often before, the Luftwaffe found it impossible to keep in constant touch with their quarry. The first two Ju.290s to be sent out on the 16th were shot down by Fleet Air Arm fighters and Coastal Command's interception patrols, and the result was that the convoy was not reported again until late in the afternoon. The enemy thereupon decided to attack during the night of the 17th-18th and concentrated a score of U-boats in lines three deep across its path. As, however, their night air reconnaissance failed, the U-boats did not receive the expected homing signals. In fact there were two convoys approaching the enemy concentration, for ONS29 was about 150 miles south-west of ON224, and the latter was overtaking the former. The threat to them both had not gone unobserved in London; strong air cover was being continuously provided by Coastal Command, and three escort group had been diverted.... the 2nd and 7th Escort Groups, with Walker in command, were sent to reinforce ON224, while the 10th Group joined up with ONS29. The former convoy was also diverted further to the south during the night of the 17th-18th; but all this remained hidden from the enemy until late on the 18th, because his air searches had once again failed. When the German wireless-interception revealed ON224's diversion on the afternoon of the 18th, they sent the U-boats in pursuit. At 3.20 the 10th Escort Group obtained contact near ONS29, and the frigate Spey sank U406. Among the forty-five survivors was a party of scientists embarked to investigate radar counter-measures, and from them we gained valuable information on enemy progress in that technique. By the small hours of the 19th the two convoys ON224 and ONS29 were not far apart, and the U-boats were still pursuing them. Liberators forced several of them down that night. At daylight Walker decided to sweep back along the convoy track to seek enemies whose presence had been detected earlier. At 10am the Woodpecker obtained a contact, and after a seven-hour hunt she and the Starling forced U264 to surface and abandon ship...That same afternoon the 10th Escort Group, which was on its way to join ON224, added to the score by sinking U386.' Ormsby initially engaged U386 with depth charges, forcing her to the surface about 800 yards from his frigate, 'As H.M.S. Spey altered course to close and opened fire with all guns, the U-boat started to proceed ahead. At the same time the enemy returned the frigate's fire, until a shallow pattern of depth charges, fired by H.M.S. Spey, straddled the U-boat. Soon afterwards, several members of the crew were seen abandoning ship. Meanwhile, the enemy, which was down by the stern and badly damaged by the frigate's gunfire, continued to go ahead. H.M.S. Spey obtained many more hits with her 4in. guns and close-range armament. A few minutes later another party of men emerged from the conning-tower hatch of the U-boat and jumped into the sea. Shortly afterwards the bows of the U-boat reared out of the water and the enemy sank stern first. Commander Ormsby commented that the crew of the second U-boat "showed considerable courage in attempting to man their guns in the face of a hail of Oerlikon and pom-pom fire and several 4in. hits" (Newspaper cutting included in lot refers); Admiral Sir Max Horton, the C-in-C Western Approaches wrote on Ormsby's report of proceedings: "This is how things should be done", and Ormsby was awarded the D.S.O. The Indian Ocean - A New Hunting Ground Ormsby was appointed to the command of H.M.S. Taff (frigate), May 1944; from her he commanded the 60th Escort Group as part of the East Indies Fleet; the latter was involved in the sinking of U198, off the Seychelles, 12.8.1944; Ormsby was Mentioned in Despatches for this before taking part in the rescue of the crew of the merchantman Troilus, 10.9.1944; the day before the Troilus had been torpedoed and sunk by U859 300 miles north-east of Socotra Island; working in conjunction with H.M.S. Nadder 95 survivors of the attack were rescued; Ormsby relinquished his command of the Taff in June 1945, and qualified as a Torpedo Anti-Submarine (TAS) Officer; he served at the Anti-Submarine Warfare Division of the Admiralty before commanding H.M.S. St. Kitts (Destroyer), 1950-1951; in 1954 'he joined the NATO Staff at Fontainebleu, near Paris. His final appointment before his retirement in 1959 was as employment development officer, with the task of finding suitable jobs in commerce and industry for the numerous officers who were leaving the Navy under the "Golden Bowler" scheme. Ormsby then became Director of Studies at Greenlands Administrative Staff College, at Henley on Thames. In 1977 he was a member of the working party which set up the Sue Ryder home in the house at Nettlebed, Oxon, formerly owned by Peter Fleming and Celia Johnson. In 1979 he became its first Administrator and Chairman of the house committee' (Obituary refers). |
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| A Second World War Ship's Bell from H.M.S. Spey A fine-quality large brass Ship's Bell, engraved 'H.M.S. Spey 1942', 310mm in height, 320mm in diameter, complete with top support hangers, but lacking clapper £600-800 H.M.S. Spey (1,371 tons), a River-class frigate, and the sixth ship of the Royal Navy to bear this name, was built on the Tees by Smiths Dock Company in 1941, and Commissioned on the 19th May 1942. She served during the Second World War in anti-submarine convoy escorts in the North Atlantic, and amongst her notable achievements was the sinking of the German submarines U.406 and U.368, 18-19.2.1944. In 1945 she joined the Eastern Fleet, and was employed in convoy defence and support in the Bay of Bengal. Following the Surrender of Japan she returned to home waters and was paid-off into the reserve, before being sold to the Egyptian Navy in 1948 and renamed Rasheid; she remained in service with them until 1990. In 1985 a seventh H.M.S. Spey was launched, a River-class Minesweeper based in Faslane and assigned to the Northern Ireland Squadron, where she patrolled the Province's waterways and participated in counter-terrorist operations in support of the Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Between 1996 and 1998, when she was sold to the Brazilian Navy, the Seventh H.M.S. Spey carried aboard the Ship's Bell from her Second World War predecessor, on loan from the present owner. Note: In view of the size and weight of this lot, the buyer will be responsible for its collection. BRITISH ORDERS AND SINGLE AWARDS |
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| The Royal Victorian Order, Knight Commander's (K.C.V.O.) set of Insignia, neck Badge, 50mm, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse officially numbered '970'; Star, 71mm, silver and enamel, with gold retaining pin, reverse officially numbered '970', nearly extremely fine, with neck riband, in Collingwood, London, case of issue (2) £1,000-1,200 |
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| The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt, extremely fine, in Royal Mint case of issue, with related miniature award The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Member's (M.B.E.) breast Badge, silver, extremely fine, in Toye, Kenning & Spencer, London, case of issue (2) £120-150 |
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| The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt, extremely fine, in Royal Mint case of issue, with a related miniature award £70-90 |
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| The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Civil Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt, very fine, with related miniature award £70-90 |
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| Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class (A.R.R.C.) Badge, G.V.R., silver and enamel, good very fine £80-120 |
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| A Good Great War 1918 D.C.M. to Corporal T. Coombs, Royal Field Artillery Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (125833 Cpl. T. Coombs. R.F.A.), traces of lacquer, good very fine, together with a portrait photograph of the recipient £500-600 D.C.M. London Gazette 3.10.1918 125833 Cpl. T. Coombs, R.F.A. (India). 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During a heavy bombardment a direct hit set fire to an ammunition recess. He at once went to the recess and commenced throwing out the unignited ammunition, and continued to do this, although he was twice thrown out by exploding bombs, the second time being also wounded in the head. He was eventually dragged away just before the remaining ammunition exploded. His particularly gallant action undoubtedly saved the fire from spreading to an adjacent ammunition recess.' |
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| The Highly Emotive Edward Medal for Mines to Pit Overman W. Graham, Who Helped With the Attempted Rescue of Miners Trapped by a Terrible Fire in the Wellington Pit, Whitehaven, 11.5.1910; Of the Original Shift of 143 Miners Only 7 Survived Edward Medal (Mines), E.VII.R., bronze (Wilson Graham), nearly extremely fine, with original hook suspension £1,000-1,400 E.M. London Gazette 22.7.1910 Wilson Graham, Overman (William Pit) 'On the 11th May, 1910, a terrible fire occurred in the Wellington Pit, Whitehaven, at a point about 4,500 yards from the shafts. Various rescue parties, with great courage and self-devotion and at considerable risk, descended the mine and endeavoured to extinguish the fire and penetrate to the persons in the workings beyond the same. Thorne andand Littlewood, fitted with breathing apparatus, reached within a distance of 150 yards of the fire, but were driven back by the great heat and effusion of gases. The others got to within about 300 yards of the fire, working in the smoke backing from the fire. It was found impossible to penetrate to the scene of the fire or to rescue any of the entombed miners. Had an explosion occurred - a by no means unlikely eventuality, seeing that the mine is a very gassy one - they would undoubtedly all have been killed. Special gallantry was shown by John Henry Thorne, to whom the Edward Medal of the First Class has already been awarded, and by James Littlewood.' For this action John Henry Thorne and James Littlewood were awarded silver Edward Medals (the award to Thorne being a Second Award bar); and 64 men, including Graham, were awarded bronze Edward Medals, the greatest number of Edward Medals ever to be given for one incident. The Wellington Pit Disaster 'The first indication something was wrong reached the shaft top about eight o'clock on the evening of Wednesday, 11th May, 1910. An exploration party was dispatched down the shaft and news quickly spread around the town. A large party of police was almost immediately on the spot but there was no issue of keeping order - the huge crowds, which soon grew to thousands, stood quietly on the clear, starlit night. A terrible explosion involving a large loss of life was feared. An entire shift of men, numbering 143, had entered the mine the previous evening. Only seven had managed to escape immediately after the explosion, leaving 136 men still unaccounted for. Right through the night and all the next day, rescue parties were at work trying to reach the workings where the missing men were entombed, but it was extremely difficult, the atmosphere dense. Some of the timbering in the mine was on fire while the only means of ventilating the portion of the pit where the men were trapped was entirely cut off. At the pithead there were heart-rending scenes. Women, with children, in pain and anxiety waited for news of their loved ones. Many of them stayed at the pithead all night and the whole of the following day refusing to leave for rest or refreshment and a number collapsed, worn out by their vigil. As the day wore on and successive rescue parties reported the stupendous difficulties underground, hopes of saving the imprisoned men diminished and the distress of the crowd grew more acute. The demonstration of grief was extreme. Weeping women and children would not leave as it became extremely doubtful any further lives would be saved. The mine was on fire, many fire extinguishers and other fire appliances had been sent to the scene. In Whitehaven itself business was at a standstill. The fishermen and dock labourers all volunteered any assistance they could render. And a large number of doctors and nurses had mustered waiting to give aid. The police were engaged keeping the crowd from surging on to the pit shaft. Mr. J.B. Atkinson, H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines for the Northern District, arrived at four o'clock in the afternoon, accompanied by Mr. H.A. Abbott, Inspector of Mines for the North-Eastern District, and they were briefed on the situation. They both then descended the shaft to inspect the progress that had been made. The fire by now had taken hold at the friction gear. With the risk to the rescue teams and the possibility of a further explosion, Mr. Atkinson ordered the mine be cleared of all men. He stated it would be impossible for anyone to be alive on the other side of the fire and ordered every man to proceed to the surface. Some of the rescue party, concerned for trapped men, needed to be forcibly dragged away. A conference was held at the pit top at nine o'clock that Thursday evening between the Inspectors and Colliery Officials. It was decided to wait until special rescue teams arrived from Armstrong Whitworth and Co. at Elswick, and The Sheffield Mining Company. The teams arrived around eleven o'clock that evening and proceeded to enter the shaft with their special breathing apparatus. The Sheffield men, John Thorne and James Littlewood, were well known in mining circles as the two most experienced men available. The party descended the shaft at 11:25pm, accompanied by the Inspectors, Colliery officials, and a party of the best miners that they could find. On reaching the bottom, they walked for just under three miles before stopping to set their equipment. Thorne and Littlewood then set off on their own in an attempt to pass the fire and get into the workings beyond, to check the air there. After battling ahead for 170 yards the smoke was so thick that they could not see their torches. Thorne, who led, with Littlewood a few steps behind, tripped over some fallen telegraph wires which were so hot they badly burned his legs. On reaching the brattice cloth, he put his hand around the side and described it "like putting your hand inside an oven". They could hear the crackling of the fire but could see nothing for the smoke. The heat was so intense that the soldered name plates on the helmets were melted and caused a blister on each of the men's faces. Reluctantly, they decided to turn back after twenty minutes, no longer able to stand the heat and fearing for another explosion. On arrival back at the shaft top, it was realised that nothing further could be done for the trapped men. Mr. Atkinson made the decision to build a two foot thick stopping in the main passageway in an attempt to starve the oxygen of fire. This was achieved by Friday morning. On Friday morning a large congregation of around 3,000 miners assembled in the Market Place demanding to be allowed to continue the search for their trapped comrades. A telegram had already been sent, by the miners, to the Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill, asking for such permission. On Sunday morning, a party of seven entered the mine hoping to reach the seat of the fire by the return airway. About one and a half miles in, the doors separating the intake from the outtake were opened and four men entered with breathing apparatus. Mr. Steel, the Mine Manager; Mr. Blair, the Assistant Manager; Mr. Henry, the Under Manager; and John Thorne had travelled about 190 yards when their canary fell from its perch. Further on, their safety lamps went out. Undaunted, they continued over many falls until the heat was 85 degrees Fahrenheit and they could no longer see their electric lamps for the smoke. They had reached a point 500 yards beyond the stopping in the intake and within 400 yards of the fire. They reluctantly came to the decision that no one could make it past the fire and all beyond must be long since dead. It was decided to build another stopping in the return and a further stopping in the intake as the only possible course to put the fire out.' (Whitehaven News, 12-17.5.1910 refers). The first of the bodies were recovered from the pit on the 27th September, and a mass funeral took place with an estimated 10,000 people attending. Many families had lost more than one family member, with the McAllister family losing seven members to the fire. |
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| 27 | |||
| x Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (PO.6416. Sergt. A.B. Cox, R.M.L.I. H.M.S. Princess Margaret. 1917.), good very fine £500-600 D.S.M. London Gazette 1.10.1917 Sergt. Alfred Benjamin Cox, R.M.L.I., No. Po./6416. The award of the Distinguished Service Medal was in recognition of good services and devotion to duty whilst serving in the Minelayer H.M.S. Princess Margaret. In December 1914 the Princess Margaret was taken up from Merchant Service and converted to a Minelayer, with a mine carrying capacity of 500 mines. She was one of the largest Minelayers used by the Royal Navy. |
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| 28 | |||
| A Great War 1916 'French Theatre' M.M. to Sergeant W. Moore, Royal Engineers Military Medal, G.V.R. (147125 Sjt: W. Moore. 1/Spec: Bde: R.E.), nearly extremely fine £140-180 M.M. London Gazette 9.12.1916 147125 Sjt. W. Moore, R.E. |
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| 29 | |||
| A Scarce Great War 'French Theatre' M.M. to Corporal E. Bell, Carrier Pigeon Service, Royal Engineers Military Medal, G.V.R. (113609 A.Cpl. E. Bell. Car: Pigeon Serv: R.E.), minor edge nicks, good very fine £300-400 M.M. London Gazette 22.1.1917 113609 Actg. Cpl. E. Bell. R.E. |
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| 30 | |||
| A Great War 1916 'French Theatre' M.M. to Company Sergeant Major D.J. Strickland, Gloucestershire Regiment, Killed in Action 17.7.1916 Military Medal, G.V.R. (186 A.C.S.Mjr. D.J. Strickland. 1/4 Glouc: R.-T.F.), good very fine £300-350 M.M. London Gazette 11.11.1916 186 Actg. Coy. S./M. D.J. Strickland, Glouc. R. 186 Company Sergeant Major Denis Joseph Strickland, M.M., born Weston-super-Mare; served during the Great War with the 1/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, Territorial Force; he was killed in action, 17.7.1916; on the latter date the 1/4th Battalion were heavily engaged in action west and north-west of the village of Ovillers, Somme; Strickland is buried in Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood, Somme, France. |
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| 31 | |||
| A Good Great War 'French Theatre' M.M. to Sergeant D.O. James, Welsh Regiment Military Medal, G.V.R. (33247 Sjt: D.O. James. 10/Welsh R.), good very fine £140-180 M.M. London Gazette 23.2.1918 33247 Sjt. D. O. James, Welsh R. (Caerau, Maesteg). 33247 Sergeant David Owen James, served with the 10th Battalion Welsh Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 3.12.1915; awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry in the Boutillerie sub-sector: 'Sergeant D.O. James (D Company) and Private Edgar Lewis (A Company) awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry on the morning of 9th November 1917. One of our patrols consisting of 1 Officer and 8 men were fired upon by enemy Machine Gun fire- the Officer was killed and 2 men were wounded. Two men of this patrol remained with the officer all night and as they did not return by 9:00am Sergeant James and the other rank went across No Man's Land in Daylight and brought the 2 men back to our lines, who had lost their way.' (Battalion War Diary refers). |
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| 32 | |||
| Military Medal, G.V.R. (25396 Pte. R. Morgans. 18/Welsh R.), edge bruising, nearly very fine £120-160 M.M. London Gazette 21.10.1918 25396 Pte. R. Morgans, Welsh R. (Sheffield). |
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| 33 | |||
| Military Medal, G.V.R. (241409 Pte. R. Tyrer. 1/5 L.N. Lanc: R. - T.F.), good very fine £120-160 M.M. London Gazette 14.1.1918 241409 Pte. R. Tyrer, N. Lan. R. (Bolton). |
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| 34 | |||
| Military Medal, G.V.R. (250225 Sjt: A.L. Walters. 6/Durh:L.I.), pawn broker's marks to edge at 10 o'clock, good very fine £160-200 M.M. London Gazette 13.9.1918 250225 Sjt. A.L. Walters, Dur. L.I. (Spennymoor). |
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| 35 | |||
| Military Medal, G.V.R. (57841 Sjt: C.J.H. Davies. 141/F.A. R.A.M.C.), nearly extremely fine £100-140 M.M. London Gazette 14.11.1916 57841 Sjt. C. J. H. Davies, R.A.M.C. |
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| 36 | |||
| x British Empire Medal, Civil Division, E.II.R. (Charles Salter), nearly extremely fine £200-240 B.E.M. London Gazette 10.6.1954 Charles Slater, Donkeyman-Greaser, S.S. "Paparoa", New Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd. (East Ham, E6) |
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| 37 | |||
| King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom, unnamed as issued, extremely fine, on ladies bow riband, in Royal Mint case of issue £200-240 CAMPAIGN GROUPS AND PAIRS |
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| 38 | |||
| A Fine M.G.S. and Waterloo Pair to Private S. Marsh, 4th Foot, Wounded in the Right Thigh in the Peninsula at Nive, 10.12.1813, and in the Left Thigh in North America at New Orleans, 8.1.1815 Military General Service 1793-1814, one clasp, Salamanca (Saml. Marsh, 4th. Foot.); Waterloo 1815 (Samuel Marsh, 1st Batt. 4th Reg. Foot.), with contemporary silver clip and straight bar suspender, contact marks to latter, the Waterloo nearly very fine, the MGS good very fine (2) £3,500-4,000 Private Samuel Marsh, born Botesdale, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk c. 1784; served with the Chatham Division, Royal Marines, January 1803 to July 1805; enlisted in the 4th (King's Own) Foot, March 1806; served with the Regiment in the Peninsula, and present at the Battles of Salamanca, Valencia, Vittoria, St. Sebastian, and Nive, 10.12.1813, where he suffered a gun shot wound to the right thigh; sailed with the Regiment to North America, and present at the Battle of Bladensburg, 24.8.1814; the subsequent capture and burning of the public buildings in Washington, D.C., including the Capitol and the White House- 'the greatest disgrace every dealt to American arms'; and the Battles of Baltimore, and New Orleans, 8.1.1815, where he suffered two gun shot wounds to the left thigh, one in the right ankle, and a contusion in the loins- total British casualties were 291 killed, 1,262 wounded, and 484 missing; finally served during the Waterloo Campaign, as part of Captain Erskine's No.4 Company, 16-18.6.1815, when the Regiment suffered 12 men killed and 8 officers and 113 men wounded; discharged, September 1818, after 16 years and 218 days with the Colours, and died in Botesdale, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, June 1859. Provenance: J.B. Hayward, 1975 Spink, December 1997. |
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| 39 | |||
| Pair: Surgeon G.D. Maclaren, Royal Navy Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Syria (Geo. D. Maclaren, Surgn.); St. John d'Acre 1840, silver, pierced for ring suspension as issued, generally very fine or better (2) £1,000-1,200 George D. Maclaren served as Surgeon in H.M.S. Magicienne during operations on and off the coast of Syria, 1840. Provenance: Sotheby, June 1898 Christie, November 1986 |
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| 40 | |||
| Pair: Assistant Surgeon G.T.M. Martin, Royal Navy Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Syria (G.T.M. Martin, Asst. Surgn.); St. John d'Acre 1840, silver, pierced for ring suspension as issued, with contemporary silver eyelet and straight bar suspension, minor edge nicks, otherwise good very fine (2) £900-1,100 G.T.M. Martin served as Assistant Surgeon in H.M.S. Hastings during operations on and off the coast of Syria, 1840. Gilbert Thrift Meldrum Martin entered the Royal Navy as Assistant Surgeon, 1838; served in H.M.S. Hastings, 1838-1841; appointed Surgeon, H.M.S. Electra, 1842; subsequent service included in H.M.S. Eurydice. Provenance: Sotheby, June 1971 |
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| 41 | |||
| Pair: F. Granville, Royal Navy Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Syria (Fredk. Granville.); St. John d'Acre 1840, bronze, pierced for ring suspension as issued, contact marks, very fine (2) £550-650 Frederick Granville served as Boy in H.M.S. Wasp during operations on and off the coast of Syria, 1840. Provenance: Sotheby, November 1981 |
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| 42 | |||
| Pair: Private J. Mitchell, 28th Foot Crimea 1854-56, three clasps, Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol (.1262. John. Mitchell. 28th. Regt.), regimentally impressed; Turkish Crimea, British die, pierced with ring suspension, as issued, edge bruise and minor contact marks, nearly very fine (2) £300-350 1262 Private John Mitchell, born Bradford, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, 1820; enlisted in the 28th Foot, July 1838; served with the Regiment in New South Wales; India; and in the Crimea; awarded L.S. & G.C., June 1857; discharged, November 1859, after 21 years and 109 days with the Colours. |
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| 43 | |||
| Pair: Private F. Simmonds, Royal Scots Crimea 1854-56, one clasp, Sebastopol (3803 Fredrick Simmonds 1st. Royals), regimentally impressed; Turkish Crimea, British die (3803 Fredrick. Simmonds. Royal Regiment), contemporarily impressed in large serif capitals, plugged with silver straight bar suspension, contact marks, nearly very fine (2) £160-200 3803 Private Frederick Simmonds, born Caversham, near Reading, May 1837; enlisted in the 1st Foot, September 1854; served with the Regiment in the Crimea, June 1855 to July 1856; discharged, April 1866, after 10 years and 339 days with the Colours. |
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| 44 | |||
| Pair: Sergeant J. Fitzgerald, 84th Foot Indian Mutiny 1857-58, two clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Corpl. John Fitzgerald, 84th. Regt.); Army Long Service & G.C., V.R. (2801. Sergt. John Fitzgerald 84th. Regt.), minor contact marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine (2) £750-850 2801 Sergeant John Fitzgerald, born Doneraile, Co. Cork, 1826; enlisted in the 84th Foot, November 1849; served with the Regiment in India during the Great Sepoy Mutiny at Lucknow as part of the 1st Relief Force under Sir Henry Havelock; promoted Corporal, July 1857; Sergeant, October 1859; awarded L.S.&G.C., November 1869; discharged, August 1870, after 21 years and 213 days with the Colours. The 84th Foot's services during the Indian Mutiny are particularly unusual, with a small detachment massacred at Cawnpore, another small detachment of 50 men under Major David O'Brien being present in the original garrison at Lucknow, whilst the main body of the regiment participated in the first relief of Lucknow and subsequent defence of the city. A small number of men were also detached for service with Barrow's Volunteer Cavalry during the first relief operations. Provenance: Sotheby, February 1894 Glendining, March 1914 Spink, 1994. |
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| 45 | |||
| Three: Carpenter W. Weeks, Royal Navy Ashantee 1873-74, one clasp, Coomassie (W. Weeks. Car: Mate. H.M.S. Amethyst. 73-74); Egypt 1882-89, dated, no clasp (W. Weeks, Carpr. R.N., H.M.S. "Thalia"); Khedive's Star 1882, generally very fine or better (3) £450-500 William Weeks born Ireland Island, Bermuda, 1842; joined Royal Navy as Shipwright, 1869; Carpenter's Mate 1872; served in H.M.S. Amethyst, September 1873 - March 1874; Carpenter (Warrant Officer) 1877; served in H.M.S. Thalia, January 1882 - July 1883; discharged 1897. |
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| 46 | |||
| Four: Private J. Allan, 72nd Highlanders Afghanistan 1878-80, one clasp, Kandahar (58B/1988 Pte. J. Allan, 72nd Highrs.); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (58B/1988 Private Js. Allan 72nd Highlanders); Egypt 1882-89, dated, one clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (378 Pte. J. Allan 1/Sea: Highrs.); Khedive's Star 1882, reverse engraved in sloping sans-serif capitals '378 Pte. J. Allan 1/Sea: Hrs.', contact marks overall, nearly very fine (4) £500-600 378 Private James Allan born Arbroath, Scotland; enlisted 72nd Highlanders, 1878; served with the regiment in Afghanistan, December 1879 - August 1882 and in Egypt, August 1882 - November 1882; discharged 1892. |
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| 47 | |||
| Three: Major S.E.O'B. Kevill-Davies, Gordon Highlanders Egypt 1882-89, dated, four clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 (Capt: S.E.O'B. Kevill-Davies. 1/Gord: Highrs), light pitting from Star; Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of Medjidieh, Fourth Class breast Badge, 75mm including Star and Crescent suspension x 60mm, silver, gold applique and enamel, enamel damage; Khedive's Star 1882, unless otherwise stated, generally very fine (3) £900-1,100 Major Somerset Edward O'Brien Kevill-Davies (1851-1935), the second son of the Reverend T. Kevill-Davies, of Croft Castle and Wigmore Hall, who was JP, DL and High Sheriff of Herefordshire; commissioned Lieutenant, Gordon Highlanders, 1873; Captain 1881, he took part in the Egyptian war of 1882 with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and was present at the battle of Tel-El-Kebir, served in the Soudan expedition in 1884 and was present in the engagements at El Teb and Tamaai (Order of the Medjidieh, 4th Class London Gazette 6.10.1885); he served with the River Column under Major-General Earle during the Nile expedition of 1884-85; Major 1891, retired in May 1899. |
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| 48 | |||
| Six: Regimental Sergeant Major W. Johnson, Royal Horse Artillery Egypt 1882-89, dated, one clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (12232. Sergt. W. Johnson 1/2... R.A.), contact marks; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, six clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast (12232 S.Major. W. Johnson, R.H.A.); King's South Africa 1901-02, two clasps (12232 Sergt:-Maj: W. Johnson. R.H.A.); Army Long Service & G.C., V.R. (12232. By. S. Maj: W. Johnson. R.A.); Army Meritorious Service, G.V.R., 'fixed suspension' type (S-M. W. Johnson. R.H.A.); Khedive's Star 1882, reverse engraved '12232 Sgt. Mor [sic] W. Johnson 1-2 R.A. 1882', light contact marks overall, generally very fine, unless otherwise stated (6) £550-650 12232 Regimental Sergeant Major William Johnson (1857-1948), born Aldington, Kent, 1857; attested for the Royal Artillery at Shorncliffe Camp in March 1875; served in Egypt with 'I' Battery 2 Brigade and was present at the battle of Tel-El-Kebir; advanced Battery Sergeant Major, August 1883; awarded his L.S. & G.C. April 1893, and promoted to Sergeant Major, 1895; served in South Africa with 13 Brigade Divisional Staff, Royal Horse Artillery, and was discharged after 27 years' service at Woolwich on 26.3.1902, where he was serving as Regimental Sergeant Major; died at Weedon, Northamptonshire. |
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| 49 | |||
| Pair: Quarter Master G. Monument, Royal Navy Egypt 1882-89, dated, one clasp, Suakin 1885 (G. Monument. Qr. Mr. H.M.S. "Eclipse."); Khedive's Star 1882, unnamed as issued, light pitting, otherwise very fine (2) £200-250 |
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| 50 | |||
| Pair: Boatman W.T. MacKenny, Royal Navy Egypt 1882-89, dated, no clasp (W.T. MacKenny. Stkr. H.M.S. "Ruby".); Khedive's Star 1882, light pitting from Star, good very fine (2) £120-160 110925 Boatman William Thomas MacKenny, born Underwood, Plympton, Devon, November 1859; enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker, serving in H.M.S. Indus, February 1880; transferred to H.M.S. Ruby, May 1880, and served in her during operations in Egypt; promoted Boatman, May 1889; discharged, February 1900. |
| Auction Details - AUCTION ALREADY HELD | |||
| Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria | |||
| Auctioneer: | Spink | Location: | 69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4ET |
| Contact: | Tel: +44 (0)20 7563 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7563 4066 | ||
| Date: | 25th April 2013 | Time: | 10:00AM |
| Details: | Viewing: Tuesday 23th April 10am to 5pm Wednesday 24th April 10am to 5pm |
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