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April 2004 Medal Newsletter100 YEARS AGO TODAY The following note by Charles Winter, Manager of the War
Medals Department at Spink for over 40 years, was published
in the May 1904 edition of Spink’s Numismatic Circular:
____________ The April Auction catalogue is now available. Following on from last month's newsletter, some further highlights include: Interesting gallantry material to all three Services: An extremely rare Western Front Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Medal and Two Bars group of five to Lance Corporal J.J.E. Bagg, East Surrey Regiment, to be sold together with a variety of photographs and contemporary documents including four vellum Commendation Certificates, Discharge Certificate and War Badge Certificate. A native of Tooting, London, Bagg was awarded the Military Medal for carrying messages on the night of the 30 September-1 October 1916 between Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt when the exits from Thiepval were being heavily shelled. His firs Bar was awarded for carrying messages up Death Valley to Desire Trench, near Grandcourt in the Ancre Valley, on the 18-19 November 1916. Death Valley was so called because it was swept by close range machine gun and rifle fire, and practically every man who went up or down it on those dates became a casualty. His second Bar was for carrying messages through heavy shelling and close range machine gun fire at Cherisy near Arras on 3 May 1917. His third Bar, subsequently upgraded to a Distinguished Conduct Medal, was for carrying messages at Poelcappelle, in the Ypres Salient, on 12 October 1917, through concentrated shelling and heavy mud which made movement almost impossible. A Distinguished Conduct Medal group of five to Private George Henry Sneesby, Lincolnshire Regiment. His DCM was for a Battalion attack on Fontenay when Sneesby, a pioneer by trade, was attached to one of the assault Companies. Under extreme difficulties of opposition and obscurity due to thick mist this Company made good its objective. As it was reorganising, a party of Germans, mounted in six half-track vehicles, endeavoured to break out of the position and escape. Private Sneesby, who was nearby, realised at once that an individual act on his part alone would prevent their escape. As the leading vehicle drove up towards him the six Germans inside rained a hail of smeiser fire down the track to their front. In full face of this fire Private Sneesby ran up to the leading half track armoured car and threw a grenade into the driver's compartment. At this stage he was wounded in his thigh and his back by fire directed at him from the following vehicle. In spite of this he whipped out another grenade and threw it into the back of the leading track disabling the occupants. Having silenced this party he blew the engine up with another grenade, thereby blocking the exit for the following vehicles. Refusing to be deterred by his severe wounds, he then in a most determined manner advanced against the occupants of the second vehicle. So cowed were they by this man that they surrendered to him. A Great War Military Cross for the advance on Ancre in an interesting and rare group of seven to Captain L Coulshaw, Essex Regiment, later Chaplain of the Fleet, Archdeacon of the Royal Navy, King's Honorary Chaplain and Queen's Honorary Chaplain. His MC Recommendation states that his award was 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led his platoon in the attack in a most gallant manner, reached his objective, and consolidated his position under very heavy hostile shell fire.' Archdeacon Leonard Coulshaw MC (1896-1988) was educated Southend-on-Sea School for Boys and King's College London and after First World War service was ordained 1923; Curate, St Andrew's, Romford, Essex 1923-27; commissioned Chaplain RN 1927; Senior Chaplain, HMS Ganges, 1934-37; Chaplain Royal Naval Hospital, Malta, 1937-40; RM Depot Lympstone 1940-42; Senior Chaplain, RN Base Lyness, 1942-44; Chaplain HM Dockyard Sheerness, 1944-46; King's Honorary Chaplain, 1948-52; Queen's Honorary Chaplain, 1952. A Great War Italian Front Military Cross group of four to Captain T.C. Lowe, Royal Air Force, Late Royal Engineers, Commanded a Flight of Bristol Fighters. His MC was awarded for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in carrying out numerous successful reconnaissances and taking a large number of successful photographs, on several occasions driving off enemy aircraft'. On 4 April 1918 he and his Observer (Lt. H.V.N. Banks) shot down an Albatross DV; in June the same year, whilst on reconnaissance both Lowe and his Observer (Lt. A.S. Withers) were wounded in combat with an enemy aircraft resulting in a crash landing on return to Villaverla Airfield. A Great War Western Front Military Cross and Bar Group of four to Brigadier T.E. Chad, Royal Sussex and King's Regiments, Formerly Private, Coldstream Guards, who was twice wounded and Mentioned in Despatches 28 December 1918). A most interesting Second War Distinguished Service Cross group of six to Engineer Officer C.R. Keats, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Malaya Police Force. 'For courage and enterprise when serving in the Ocean Boarding Vessel Marsdale. His DSC is noted in Seedie's Roll as being for the action with the German supply ship Alstertor on 23.6.1941; the Alstertor, working with German Raiders and U-Boats was returning from the Indian Ocean; she was forced to scuttle herself off Cape Finisterre, and her crew and 78 British prisoners from the German raider Atlantis were rescued; shortly before this episode, on 4 June 1941 the Marsdale captured the German tanker Gedania. After the war Keats was Resident Manager of the Bukit Beruntong Estate, Rawang, Selangor; he served four years with the Auxiliary Police. The next auction is scheduled for 22 July N.B. Consignments for the sale will be accepted until the last week of May. __________
The Spink Book Department has just published on its website 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. 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.
SPINK’S BRITISH BATTLES AND MEDALS - New 7th edition The 7th edition of British Battles and Medals, long established as the standard work of reference on British campaign medals, will soon be at the printers. This will be a fully revised edition, with a wealth of new material, but collectors the world over who are familiar with the previous editions of Major Gordon’s much loved work will be pleased to note that the basic, chronological, format of the original 1947 edition, has been retained. Though greatly enlarged and revised over the last nearly 60 years, this sensible format has stood the test of time and has been the model for all subsequent general books on medals. The 7th edition will not only bring the campaign medal section up to date, but will also add more numismatic information, especially for the earliest awards. Lists and numbers of Ships, Regiments and Units present will be revised where necessary, including the addition of many so-called ‘odd men’. There will be more information, as well as new illustrations, on the various styles of naming, both official and contemporary unofficial styles, and clasps. In addition, completely new sections on Orders, Decorations and Gallantry Awards have been written, and these sections also are fully illustrated. The numerous appendices will, for the first time, gather together in the most accessible form a wealth of reference material, including lists and rolls covering some of the most celebrated actions of British Naval and Military history. Among these will be found complete lists of recipients of Navy and Army Gold Medals and Army Gold Crosses, recipients of the various British and foreign awards for the Crimea War, and nominal rolls such actions as the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Defence of Lucknow, the famous actions at Rorke’s Drift and Maiwand, the last charge of a British cavalry Regiment at Omdurman, the Defence of Legations at Pekin in 1900, and those involved in the Yangtze incident of 1949. In his preface to the first edition, Major Gordon thanked the many museum curators, editors of magazines, and librarians, as well as the staff at Spink, and ‘several friends’ who helped him in his work. He also mentions ‘many others at home and overseas’ who contributed information and encouragement, but who requested anonymity. In a similar vein the second and third editions owed much to the many collectors who shared their knowledge with Major Gordon. Indeed in the preface to the second edition he says ‘I have been overwhelmed by the interest my efforts have aroused’. The fourth edition, published in 1971, was the first to be produced by the medal department at Spink. It was edited by Edward Joslin, as were the fifth and sixth editions, and with each edition the list of contributors has grown. No doubt Major Gordon would be astonished at the size of the medal collecting community today, with the membership of the Orders and Medals Research Society alone standing at some 2,800 members. The number of people involved with the production of this latest edition is certainly the highest in the 60 year history of British Battles and Medals. It would appear that Spink is now the custodian of a standard reference work in which all medal collectors have more than just a passing interest. Publication date and price to be announced, for enquiries and pre-publication orders please contact the Book Department: Tel: +44(0) 207 563 4056 / 4046 Fax: +44 (0) 207 563 4068 Email: Emma Tran (etran@spink.com)
or Phil Skingley (pskingley@spink.com) The Spink Book Department has published a 96 page catalogue of books on coins and medals, which can all be ordered through the Department. The bulk of the material listed in the catalogue are in-print books which are considered to be standard works for collectors, dealers, museum curators and those interested in any aspect of numismatic study. The catalogue is £3 including postage. If you would like a copy then contact: Book Department Please include credit card details to cover the £3
charge. __________ Catalogues Spink Representatives Out and About Our representative in Australasia is Mike Downey who can
be contacted at:
Spink Auction Service Selling Medals at Spink •Click here to browse a selection of medals online __________
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