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Auction: 14001 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 21

An Outstanding Great War 1917 'Shumran Crossing' Victoria Cross Action M.C. and 1917 Second Award Bar Group of Five to Lieutenant-Colonel R. Blandy, 9th Gurkha Rifles, Late Royal Munster Fusiliers
a) Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse contemporarily engraved 'Captain R. Blandy 2-9th Gurkha Rifles 23-2-17 3-12-17'
b) India General Service 1908-35, E.VII.R., two clasps, North West Frontier 1908, Waziristan 1919-1921, second clasp a tailor's copy (2nd. Lt. R Blandy 1st. Rl. M. Fus:)
c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Capt. R. Blandy.)
d) Delhi Durbar 1911, silver, toned, good very fine, mounted court style as originally worn, together with the recipient's riband bar; two portrait photographs of the recipient; and a full-length coloured caricature of the recipient, dated 1913, this slightly water damaged (5)

M.C. London Gazette 25.8.1917 Capt. Raleigh Blandy, Ind. A.
'For Distinguished Service in the Field in Mesopotamia.'

M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 11.1.1919 Capt. Raleigh Blandy, M.C., 2/9th Gurkha Rifs. (Mesopotamia)
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He commanded with great-ability a patrol which, under the fire of the enemy, discovered after dark a ford over the river by which the troops crossed on the following night. But for his intrepid action the troops would not have been able to cross.'

Lieutenant-Colonel Raleigh Blandy, M.C., (1884-1967), born Funchal, Maderia, into the famous Blandy family that controlled- then as now- the Maderia Wine and Shipping trades; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Indian Army, 29.8.1906, and served during the Mohmand Campaign of 1908 with the 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers; posted to 2nd Battalion 9th Gurkha Rifles, 1909; assigned to join the official Survey of India 'Pamir Triangulation Survey Party 1913' in command of a group of 11 Gurkhas from 2/9 Gurkha Rifles who were to act mostly as signallers to the expedition, and served in the Pamirs between April and October 1913; promoted Captain, 29.8.1915; served during the Great War in Mesopotamia from 1916, and awarded the Military Cross for gallantry during the crossing of the Tigris River at 'Shumran Crossing', 23.2.1917- an epic action for 2nd Battalion 9th Gurkha Rifles, and their seminal battle honour for the Great War: Major Wheeler, leading the first 'assault tow' was awarded the Victoria Cross, and Lieutenant Russell an immediate D.S.O. Blandy himself was in command of the 'Second Tow', and the regimental history of 9 Gurkha Rifles describes his part in the forced landings at Shumran, as follows: 'Immediately after landing the first tow, the ten boats started on their return journey. But shelling and small arms fire permitted only six to reach. These were loaded with 'C' Company under Captain R. Blandy and Lieutenant S.D. Gladstone, but gain came under heavy small arms fire, wounding or killing the rowers. Captain Blandy seized the oar and guided the boat in, collecting two bullets through his left sleeve and whilst disembarking, was wounded in the abdomen by a bullet which providentially deflected off his belf buckle, thus not proving fatal.' During the crossing of the 'Shumran Bend', 2/9 Gurkha Rifles suffered a total of 107 casualties, including 7 British Officers, of whom 2 were killed and another 5 (including Blandy) were wounded.
Awarded a Bar to the M.C. for reconnaisance work in advance of another river crossing later in 1917; and twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 15.8.1917 and 12.3.1918); appointed Second in Command of the Battalion, with the rank of Major, 3.9.1917; promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and appointed Commandant of the 2/9 Gurkha Rifles, 3.6.1932; retired, 1.1.1935.

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