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May 2004 Medal NewsletterAuction News Another innovation was the rearrangement of the catalogue order of sale, which produced some interesting comments. We took the decision that in future our catalogues would follow (as far as is possible) the order of precedence, which seems a logical arrangement, hence the sale opened with the highest award for gallantry in action - the Victoria Cross. Our 30 April sale was supported by both a packed room and healthy book bids and this resulted in excellent prices overall, a regular feature of Spink auctions of orders, decorations and medals. The sale opened with the Second World War Bomber Command Victoria Cross group of eight to Sergeant, later Warrant Officer, N.C. Jackson for his incredible courage in climbing out of his Lancaster at 22,000 feet, whilst wounded, to put out a serious fire on the starboard wing. The citation for the award records gallantry at its most breathtaking. This group of medals was hotly contested and sold for £230,000, a world record price for the sale at auction of a VC (estimate £120,000-140,000). Having opened on such an excellent note, the gallantry section continued to presage the general theme of buoyant prices than ran throughout the whole sale. The First World War Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Medal with two bar group to Lance Corporal J.J.E. Bagg, East Surrey Regiment, was not just a very rare combination, it was also accompanied by four commendation certificates which provided information about the dates, places and instances of gallantry which resulted in these awards - such precise details can often be difficult to find for Military Medals. The successful bidder paid £10,350 for the group (estimate £4,000-5,000). For Air Force collectors, a nice slice of history was represented by the First World War Air Force Cross group to Wing Commander A.B. Fanstone, Royal Air Force (formerly Royal Flying Corps), who commanded the first operational flight from Biggin Hill, which came with memorabilia including two joysticks (one from a dual control plane he was flying during an incident when he was wounded and the plane subsequently crashed) and an extensive archive. The historical associations of this group were reflected in the not unreasonable price of £6,325 (estimate £2,000-3,000) We have started to catalogue our next sale on 22 July and are already confident that we will be able to offer many fine and interesting awards. News of some of these lots appeared in last month's website newsletter. The outstanding highlight of our July auction is the pair of Army Gold Medals to Major General Sir William Ponsonby (1772-1815), one of the most famous English cavalry commanders of the Napoleonic wars. The Small Gold Medal for Salamanca is named to ‘Lieut. Coll. Honble. Willm. Ponsonby.’ It was at Salamanca that Ponsonby came to prominence when he led his Regiment, the 5th Dragoon Guards, in the famous charge of Le Marchant’s Brigade which routed the French left and took 2,000 prisoners. General Le Marchant fell in the same charge, and Ponsonby succeeded to the command of the Brigade. The Large Gold Medal for Vittoria, with clasp Salamanca, is named ‘Major General William Ponsonby’.
At Waterloo Ponsonby was given command of the Union Brigade of heavy cavalry (the Royals, Scots Greys and Inniskillings). He led this Brigade in the famous charge on d’Erlon’s Corps, which was shattered, and resulted in 2,000 prisoners being taken. It was at the end of this charge that Ponsonby met his death, caught in the counter attack by a Regiment of Polish Lancers, one of the most famous cavalry incidents of the battle.
The July auction will also contain two old collections with many scarce medals not seen on the market for a generation or more. Illustrated above is a Military General Service 1793-1814 with clasp Egypt. Named to P. Taglione. Maltese Pioneers., it is certainly of great interest to the M.G.S. specialist. Only six Maltese Pioneers are listed in the Mullen Roll, but the total number of medals issued, all with clasp Egypt, was 41, of which three were to Officers. The full roll at the P.R.O. lists our man as Paolo Taglione. Also illustrated from the same collection is an unusually good example of General Picton’s Medal for the Defence of Gibraltar, 1783.
Groups of medals with a wealth of documents. As always, the well established Spink name attracts interesting groups with a wealth of original documents direct from the recipients’ families. Three such groups from the July auction, one from each of the three services, are mentioned here.
Among the Great War groups is an extremely well documented D.S.O. and Bar, Legion of Honour, group of seven to Lt. Col. J.H.Prior, Royal Artillery. Prior’s D.S.O. was for South Africa (London Gazette 27.9.1901), and though there is no citation, an extract from a letter from Colonel G.M. Bullock, C.O. at Honingspruit where Prior was stationed, provides some interesting details. I told you in my last that I had just sent out a party from here of 14, to try & catch 4 Boers also one had gone out from Honingspruit. The party from Honingspruit was under Prior (whose wife you know.) He, with about half a dozen men pursued the 4 Boers, & opened fire on them- & they think they wounded or killed one- the rest fled, & Prior & his party pursued, when they suddenly came on 200 Boers! They at once fell back, but very pluckily held their ground at a farm not far off, & the Boers did not come on. You can tell Mrs Prior if you know her address, that her husband displayed great gallantry, & probably saved Honingspruit from being burned & looted.’ Prior’s second D.S.O. was for the Great War (London Gazette 16.9.1918) ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action, when he volunteered to attach himself and his company to a battalion which was threatened by an outflanking movement. By his personal courage and excellent handling of his company he was successful in holding the enemy and assisting the battalion to withdraw at a very critical moment.’ An account of the investiture of the French Legion of Honour is also given in a letter dated Headquarters, Second Army, August 26 1918. ‘Dear Mrs Prior, …it was a great occasion, Guard, band, Marseillaise, “present arms” and investiture, and to my great surprise and pleasure, the principal British actor in the proceedings was your husband, the only officer destined to receive the Legion of Honour, all the rest were Croix de Guerre. I was so pleased to see him, and to see him looking so wonderfully fit and well. The bestowal of the Legion of Honour upon him was priceless, and I would not have missed it for the world. General Dumas walking out from the crowd of French Officers, strode up to him, as the notes of the Marseillaise died away and in the presence of the British Army Commander and all his staff, congratulated him in grand French upon the courage which had gained for him this high honour. Gen Dumas then drew his sword, smote him on both shoulders, and after returning his sword proceeded to seize him and kiss him violently on both cheeks. This rather flabbergasted your husband and it was not until after a few moments had elapsed that he recovered, and his features relaxed into a broad grin.’
Equally well documented is the ‘Q-Ship’ D.S.C. group of four to Lieutenant J.C. Jones R.N.V.R. As well as a group of fascinating photographs, we have a copy of Jones’ report to the Senior Naval Officer, Granton, dated 15 June 1917, of the action between H.M.Trawler Fort George and an enemy submarine off May Island the day before. ‘The Trawler was stationary, the crew being engaged in repairing the net which was partly inboard and partly out, when the submarine opened fire on a bearing about 2 points off the port bow with 5 shots in rapid succession. …The fourth shot burst in the funnel. The fifth struck the mizzen mast back stays block. After the first shot the crews went to stations and after the third round, I gave the order “Action”…The 4th and 5th shots killed two men of the after 12-pdr. crew and wounded other two….The forward 6-pdr. gun had opened fire at the order. The first shot, according to evidence of 2 of the crew was a direct hit. The second round misfired and was thrown overboard. The third round was also observed by the fishing crew, Skipper of Trawler and Leading Seaman Ball to strike the submarine and a sheet of flame was observed immediately after this round, but no shot was fired by submarine after first round of forward 6-pdr….’ We also have a copy, stamped ‘SECRET’, of the Admiralty letter dated 17 July 1917 to the Senior Naval Officer, Granton. ‘Sir, With reference to your letter of the 16 June, no.330/73/6n, forwarding the report of an engagement between H.M. Trawler “Fort George” and an enemy submarine on the 14 June, I am commanded by My Lords of the Admiralty to acquaint you that the King has awarded the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant J.C.Jones for his action on this occasion and previous good service.’ There is a pencil notation in the top corner ‘Lt Jones RNVR to see SNO re this’.
From the Second War comes another well documented group, the Bomber Command D.F.C., A.F.C., group of seven to Fl. Lt. J.F.W.Adams R.A.F.V.R., who completed his first operational tour in 1942 with 83 Squadron (Hampdens) and 97 Squadron (Manchesters and Lancasters), and 1944 flew 19 further operations with 49 Squadron (Lancasters). His D.F.C. was for operations in April 1944 including mine laying in the well defended Danzig and Pomeranian Bays. On 5 April he took part in the highly successful raid on Toulouse which resulted in the complete destruction of the aircraft factory. The success was attributed to the accurate marking which for the first time was done by 617 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire, instead of the usual mosquitoes. The lot includes two Flying Log Books. The Air Efficiency Award is named ‘Act. Flt. Lt. J.F.W. Adams. R.A.F.V.R.’
Consignments for the July auction can be accepted until the end of May. Dates for our 2004 orders, decorations and medals auctions are 22 July and 4 November. For further information, or if you are interested in consigning orders, decorations and medals for our July 2004 auction, please contact JOHN HAYWARD on 020 7563 4049 or RICHARD BISHOP on 0207 563 4053. Richard can also be contacted by email.
Catalogues Prices Realised
NEW REFERENCE WORKS FOR MEDAL COLLECTORS The Spink Book Department has published on its homepage an extensive
list of over 300 second-hand titles of books on orders, decorations and
medals and medal related topics. The list can be accessed
here (233kb PDF file). The list includes many classic works from Tancred
and Carter to more more recent works published during the 1960s and 1970s
which, though essential to any good reference library, are now becoming
more difficult to source. The list also includes Army Lists, Navy Lists,
regimental histories and casualty rolls. CHINA MEDAL ROLL 1856-60 1)Royal Navy (including Indian Marine), 428 pages. Softcover:
£32 2)British Army, 268 pages Softcover: £26 3)Despatches, 442 pages Softcover: £32 To make enquiries about any of these titles, please contact the Spink Book Department: Book Department
•Click here to browse a selection of medals online
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