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Auction: 9004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 945

A Fine Family Group: A Great War ´1916, Western Front´ M.C. Group of Seven to Brigadier J.M.J. Evans, Royal Welsh Fusiliers a) Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse engraved ´Lt. J.M.J. Evans´ b) 1914 Star, with Bar (Lieut: J.M.J. Evans. R.W.Fus:) c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaves (Lieut. J.M.J. Evans) d) Defence and War Medals e) France, Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze palm on riband, good very fine or better, mounted as originally worn, with the related Great War miniature awards Five: Captain R.V.J. Evans, Welsh Guards, Who Took Part in Both the Vigil Over King George VI, and His Funeral Procession, 1952 1939-1945 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953, very fine or better, mounted as originally worn, with the related miniature awards and the following documents and photographs &c.: - Letter from H.M. The Queen thanking the recipient for taking part in the Vigil over the late King in Westminster Hall, 11-15.2.1952 - Invitation to the recipient from The Earl Marshal to take part in the procession at the funeral of H.M. King George VI, 15.2.1952, and accompanying envelope - Recipient´s Certified Copy of Attestation, dated 6.2.1941, and two related letters - Nine photographs, including one of H.M. King George VI´s funeral, and one of the recipient in Brussels on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of Liberation, 3.9.1984 - Ten Chapters, by Field Marshal Montgomery, containing the thoughts and impressions of the Prime Minister, 1942-45 (lot) Estimate £ 1,800-2,200 M.C. London Gazette 14.1.1916 Lieutenant John Meredith Jones Evans, Royal Welsh Fusiliers M.I.D. London Gazette 1.1.1916 France, Croix de Guerre London Gazette 6.11.1918 Captain John Meredith Jones Evands, M.C., Royal Welsh Fusiliers Brigadier John Meredith Jones Evans, M.C., born 1894; commissioned Second Lieutenant Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 5.2.1913; Lieutenant 20.6.1914; at the outbreak of the Great War he was serving with the 1st Battalion and landed with them at Zeebrugge, 7.10.1914; as part of the 7th Division, the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers were engaged in very heavy fighting in October in particular in the advance on Menin and the battle of Langemarck; in the advance the Division lost just under 200 men, half of which came from the 1st Battalion, and at Langemarck they suffered heavily again, ´´The 1/Welch Fusiliers, occupying the right... had suffered heavily losing 10 officers and 250 other ranks´´ (Official History of the Great War, Military Operations in France and Belgium, refers); as a consequence of both actions the 1st Battalion´´s strength by the end of October 1914 had been reduced to 6 officers and 206 men; in 1915 Evans´´ battalion were in action again at Festubert, where on the 16th May they led the assault of the 22nd Brigade on the German positions with the 2nd Queen´´s, ´´As they were going over the parapet at 3.15am, it was just light enough to see, and whilst they were in No Man´´s Land the enemy opened heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. As there was no covering fire to check him, he inflicted severe casualties. The Royal Welch Fusiliers, in spite of Lieutenant-Colonel R.E.P. Gabbett being killed and his Second-in-Command severely wounded reached and rushed the German front trench, and pressed on´´ (Ibid); by 7 am the 22nd Brigade had carried their objective, but ´´the 2/Queen´´s lost 21 officers and 433 other ranks out of 22 and 773, and the 1/Royal Welch Fusiliers 19 officers and 559 other ranks out of 24 and 806´´ (Ibid); Adjutant 24.6.1915-24.9.1915; Captain, 17.12.1915; specially employed with the War Office 31.5.1916-7.6.1921; Brevet Major 3.6.1919; Deputy Assistant Director of the Territorial Army, War Office, from 8.6.1921; re-engaged for the Second World War as Acting Lieutenant-Colonel 1.5.1940, and was appointed as a Assistant Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War, 24.7.1940; appointed Acting Brigadier, Deputy Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War, 1.1.1943. Captain Robert Victor John Evans, born Kensington, London, 27.12.1921; was a Cadet at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, prior to joining the Welsh Guards as a Second Lieutenant 2.8.1941; Lieutenant 27.6.1944; Temporary Captain 1.5.1948; appointed Staff Captain, Headquarters Household Brigade, from 1.10.1950; took part in the Funeral Procession of King George VI, 15.2.1952.

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£2,100