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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 250

(x) The 1914 Star awarded to Private H. Pride, 14th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish), who was later commissioned and awarded the M.C. before being Killed in Action in April 1917

1914 Star, copy clasp (1667 Pte H. Pride. 14/Lond: R.), sometime lacquered, good very fine

[M.C.] London Gazette 4 June 1917.

Harry Pride was born in 1893 in Caterham, Surrey, the son of James and Annie Pride. By 1912, he was working at Parr's Bank on Threadneedle Street in London and is noted as a member of the bank's staff sports club. A member of the well-known 'Cockney Jocks', Pride saw active service with the Regiment in France from 15 September 1914 and would therefore likely have shared in their famous action at Messines on 31 October 1914 - an event subsequently immortalised in painting and print, and still celebrated today by the current iteration of the unit.

He is noted as being wounded in November of that year, 'while carrying a message to headquarters reporting an attack on his trench. He received a bullet wound in the neck and cheek, but managed to get the message to headquarters by passing it to a scout before he was taken to hospital.' (https://www.natwestgroupremembers.com/our-fallen/our-fallen-ww1/p/harry-pride.html, refers).

Pride was subsequently commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 4/10th Middlesex Regiment. Awarded the Military Cross in June 1917, he sadly did not live to see his well-deserved decoration as, whilst attached to the 5th Battalion Border Regiment as an acting-Captain, he was killed in action on 23 April and interred at Tilloy British Cemetery in Tilloy-Les-Mofflaines, south-east of Arras. In addition to his headstone, Harry Pride is commemorated online on the 'Nat West Group Remembers' website and on the Nat West London Liverpool Street Branch War Memorial; his medals were claimed by his father in 1919.

Sold together with a small file of copied research including M.I.C. and Medal Roll details, London Gazette entry, and an image of the memorial.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£190

Starting price
£60