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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 198

The 1916 'Battle of the Somme' M.C. group of five to Captain H. L. Knollys, Scots Guards

Military Cross, G.V.R. (H.L. Knollys Scots Guards 25.9.1916), privately engraved reverse; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. L. Knollys.), these mounted as worn by Spink & Son; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, unnamed as issued, loose, toned, light contact marks, very fine overall (5); together with three corresponding WWI miniatures, the reverse of miniature M.C. engraved ‘Scots Guards 25-9-16’, mounted as worn by Spink & Son, good very fine and in fitted case of issue (8)

M.C. London Gazette 24 November 1916, the original citation states:

'For conspicuous gallantry in action. Although wounded, he led his company with great courage and determination. Later, again being wounded, he led his men to the second objective and consolidated the position.'

Harold Lucian Knollys was born in St. Lucia in the West Indies on 16 July 1884, the son of Sir C. C. Knollys K.C.M.G., and attended Highgate School in London. Knollys appears to have spent a great deal of time in Argentina, with his details appearing on passenger lists throughout the early decades of the 20th century. The earliest of these is dated 21 August 1908, when he embarked for Buenos Aires from Southampton aboard Amazon. In fact, Knollys appears on the list of ‘Volunteers from Argentina’ and appears to have not returned to England until he went back to serve in the Great War, disembarking at Liverpool on 12 June 1915, his profession at the time listed as "farmer".

Knollys was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Wiltshire (Prince of Wales’ Own Royal Regiment) Yeomanry on 21 July 1915 and joined the 3rd Battalion, Scots Guards on 22 June 1916, being promoted Lieutenant the following month on 19 July. As part of his training he attended bombing school, a machine gun course and a yeomanry pioneer course.

He sailed to join the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards for service in France on 26 August 1916. However, it was not long before he was wounded in September with a gunshot wound to both arms and admitted to No. 34 Casualty Clearing Station before being invalided back to England on the 29th of the month. Knollys likely received those wounds while earning his Military Cross during the Battle of the Somme, probably in conflict with the Germans in the Battle of Morval.

Invalided home, Knollys embarked to rejoin his unit in France on 15 January 1917, but was yet again wounded with a sprained ankle on 18 March and invalided home on 21 March. After a period of convalescence back in England he once more returned to France on 11 August for service with his Regiment. Knollys was made Acting Captain whilst employed as Assistant Instructor of the 17th Corps Infantry School on 1 May 1918. However, he relinquished this appointment and returned to the 2nd Battalion on 31 December yet nevertheless retained the rank of Captain.

As soon as the war ended, Knollys immediately returned to Argentina, embarking on Royal Mail steam packet Meteor from Southampton on 31 July 1919, whereupon he was listed as a “repatriated officer” intending to permanently reside in Argentina.

He was married to Helen Williams in 1920 and continued travelling to and from Argentina with his wife appearing alongside him on passenger lists. Knollys’ profession was continuously noted as "farmer" with Argentina listed as his country of permanent residence.

Knollys returned to England for service in the Second World War, his address noted as Wimbledon, London, and he was commissioned Lieutenant with the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 9 April 1940 with regimental number 127044. However, soon afterwards Knollys joined the Royal Corps of Signals on 20 December 1940, with whom he was still listed as a Lieutenant on the British Army List in October 1945.

Following the close of the war Knollys appears to have spent the remainder of his life living in England rather than Argentina. He died on 14 December 1960 at the age of 76 at which point he had been residing in Weybridge, Surrey. Probate was granted to his daughter Dora Rosemary Scott-Moncrieff.

Sold together with three original photographs of the recipient in uniform, two of these dating from around WWI and the other from later in life, possibly WWII; together with his original commission document to be 2nd Lieutenant dated 10 August 1915, and a later commission documents Lieutenant with the Royal Berkshire Regiment, dated 24 May 1940, both signed in the upper left-hand corner by King George VI.



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Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£480