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Auction: 8010 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 114

The Second War 1943 ´Middle East´ D.S.O., ´Immediate´ 1944 ´Italy´ M.C. Group of Eight to Major B.A. Buckwell, Royal Horse Artillery, Thrice Wounded by the Enemy, and Once Bitten by a Deadly Serpent a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated ´1943´, with integral top riband bar b) Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ´1944´ and contemporarily engraved in large serif capitals ´B.A. Buckwell J Bty. R.H.A.´ c) 1939-1945 Star d) Africa Star, with 8th Army Bar e) Italy Star f) France and Germany Star g) Defence and War Medals, generally nearly extremely fine, mounted court style for display purposes. The Group with the following official documentation &c.: - Commission appointing Basil Adam Buckwell as Second Lieutenant, Land Forces, dated 28.1.1937 - Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service Order, named to the recipient, and dated 25.11.1943 - Portrait photograph of the recipient - Seven copied photographs relating to the recipient´s career, including one of H.M. The King inspecting 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery in Tunisia - Copies of the recommendations for the D.S.O. and the M.C., and a Daily Sketch cutting relating to the award of the M.C. - Copy of the recipient´s obituary, from The Gunner, August 1996 - Two cloth insignia badges, Desert Rat and Parachute (8) Estimate £ 2,200-2,500 D.S.O. London Gazette 25.11.1943 Captain (temporary Major) Basil Adam Buckwell (71014), Royal Horse Artillery ´´In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.´´ The Recommendation, dated 25.6.1943, states: ´´On 26th March, 1943, Major Buckwell was commanding ´´J´´ Battery, who, with the rest of the Regiment, were supporting a Battalion of Infantry in an attack on Terbegga. At dawn the attack was held up by heavy and accurate mortar and shell fire on the line of the minefield in the open plain. It was exceedingly difficult to observe the enemy Observation Post from which the accurate fire was being directed on our infantry. Major Buckwell, with great courage and determination, drove from place to place in full view of the enemy until he found a spot from which he could direct fire on to the enemy. This spot was raked by the fire of some 75mm over open sights and for two hours the spot was mortared and shelled without ceasing. He ignored these guns and managed to blind the Observation Post with smoke, whilst he brought the whole fire of the Regiment on to the enemy guns and mortars behind the hills, forcing them to withdraw. He finally brought down such fire on to the area of the 75mm guns that the enemy gunners deserted them. By this gallant action and complete disregard of personal safety on the part of Major Buckwell, the infantry Battalion was saved from sustaining heavy casualties. On 6th April, 1943, during our attack on the Akrit wadi, Major Buckwell displayed great energy and courage in relieving the pressure on the scattered parties of another Battalion of Infantry, which had gained a foothold on the high ground during the night, but was completely pinned to their ground by machine-gun fire from amongst the rocks on the top. During the advance to Sfax and in the hill country at Bjebibina, Major Buckwell continually displayed outstanding coolness, courage, and determination, and, by his complete disregard for personal danger, was a fine example to all his men.´´ M.C. London Gazette 10.2.1944 Captain (temporary Major) Basil Adam Buckwell, D.S.O. (71014), Royal Horse Artillery ´´In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy.´´ The Recommendation for an Immediate Award, dated 10.11.1943, states: ´´This officer was commanding the R.H.A. Battery which was in immediate support of the 1/7 Queen´´s Regiment during the period when the Battalion was engaged in operations on the River Volturno in the area of Grazzanise between 7th-16th October 1943. During the whole of this period the Battalion was in very close contact with the enemy and were under continual enemy artillery and mortar fire. The preparations which had to be made for crossing the river necessitated a great deal of work on the river bank which was completely commanded by the enemy´´s defences. The calls for fire against their infantry defences and their artillery and mortar positions were continual both day and night. Never once did this battery fail to give the support required, and, moreover, it was given with extreme rapidity and accuracy. On the night of 10th-11th October in particular the Battalion area was subjected to intense artillery and mortar fire, a great deal of which was falling in the Battalion Headquarters area. Major Buckwell remained quite impervious to the enemy´´s shelling and directed the fire of his guns with such effect that much of the enemy´´s fire was silenced. It was largely due to this magnificent support that the Battalion was eventually enabled to establish a bridgehead. The work of this officer and his battery earned the high praise of all ranks of the Battalion who gained such emphatic confidence in the handling of his guns.´´ Major Basil Adam Buckwell, D.S.O., M.C. (1917-1996) was Commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery 28.1.1937. His first appointment was in India, first to the horse-drawn 6th Field Regiment at Mhow, and then in 1939 to the 11th Field Regiment at Meerut, where he served as Adjutant to ´´Frizz´´ Fowler, who ´´taught him his trade as a Gunner, and developed his skills as a pig-sticker and polo player.´´ A keen sportsman, shortly after War was declared in 1939 he went panther hunting, and received a ticking-off from his General, who told him ´´If you want to give your life at this moment, you had much better do it fighting the Boche!´´ Promoted Lieutenant, 23.1.1940, the 11th Field Regiment moved to Iraq the following year as part of the force intended to protect the oil-fields from a German thrust through Turkey or the Caucasus- on arrival he was bitten by a Russell´´s Viper, and was dangerously ill for a short time. The fate of the serpent is unknown. Following the defeat of the 8th Army at Gozala, 11th Field Regiment was ordered to move to Egypt with all speed. After a 1,000 mile forced march, the Regiment arrived in time to take part in the defence of Ruweisat Ridge, 2.7.1942- Buckwell was wounded during the hard fighting; upon recovery he was given the command of ´´D´´ Company Royal Horse Artillery. He joined 3rd Regiment RHA on the 16.9.1942, on the southern flank of the Alamein position where they supported 7 Motor Brigade throughout the Battle of Alamein, and then 4 Light Armoured Brigade in the advance to Tripoli. Wounded on the 31.10.1942 at Alamein, he assumed command of J Battery, before being wounded again at Nofilia where the Brigade had a sharp encounter with the German rear guard, 17.12.1942. War Substantive Captain and temporary Major, 19.12.1942, his finest hour came in Tunisia when, supporting the 1/6 Queens in 131 Lorried Infantry Brigade, he was awarded the D.S.O. for ´´outstanding coolness, courage, and determination´´ in the attack on Terbegga, 26.3.1943. Landing at Salerno in September 1943, Buckwell took part in the two month march with 7 Armoured Division up to the River Garigliano- while crossing the River Volturno he again distinguished himself, being awarded an Immediate M.C. Returning to England prior to the Normandy Invasion, appointed Second-in-Command of 3 RHA, in which capacity he served for the whole campaign in North West Europe. After the War he held a variety of staff appointments, and was for three years a Company Instructor at Sandhurst, and advanced full Major, 28.1.1950. Recommended for Command of a Regiment in 1957, he was found to be medically unfit as a result of the wounds sustained during the War, and retired to Exmoor, where once again he was free to indulge in his passion for hunting.

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£3,600