TOPIC: MM and QSA combinations

CURRELL William 4548 Sgt MM & Bar York & Lancaster Regiment and Essex Regiment

His Group came up for sale at Sheffield Auction Gallery on 4 March 2016 as lot 524. Victorian/WWI Group of Five Medals, consisting of Military medal and bar (George V), Queens South Africa medal with clasps - Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Paardeberg, Relief of Kimberley, South Africa medal with clasps - South Africa 1902 and South Africa 1901, 14/15 Star, War and Victory medal, mounted as worn, to 3-4548 Pvt. W. Currell 10/York & Lancs Regt.
*This man was awarded the Military medal and bar (9/7/1917) and transferred to the Essex Regt during the war. With paperwork.
Sold for £1300 Hammer -about £1560

A group I briefly owned in the mid 80s before I collected medals. I was trying to restore a William Turtle's QSA to the family and I found it was in the hands of a very keen York & Lancs collector. The only way I could find to prise Turtles medal from his grasp was to buy a group he wanted more and swop it. I paid £250 for Currell's group at the time and did the deal. I was hooked on medal collecting after that. Never wanted to reacquire Currell Group when it came up the last time but I am pleased to note someone got a bargain. I thought he was worth recording here but apologises for the poor photo that I downloaded from the website at the time.

Andrew

6 Sgt George Nixon B276 Bde RFA
George Nixon was born in Lancaster in 1877. He enlisted in the 5th Lancashire Volunteer Artillery on the 21st February 1895, being given the regimental number 2979. On his enlistment papers, he gives his address as 49 Prospect Street, Lancaster and his employer as "Lune Mills".

After five years service, George volunteered for service in the Boer War, serving with the 15th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The Lancaster Observer and Morecombe Chronicle for 16th March 1900 records:-

"the White Cross Mill, Lancaster, were stopped before the usual time for the purposes of making a presentation to Gunner George Nixon, of the Lancaster batteries, 5th L.V.A.he having been selected to go to the front with the Colt gun section. Mr Edward Storey handed the volunteer £4, which had been collected and the firm would grant his wife 10s per week while he was away."

Prior to their departure from Lancaster, the members of the 5th L.V.A., who had volunteered for service in South Africa, were entertained st the King's Arms Hotel to a farewell dinner by the officers of the unit. Lt.Col R Inglis presided over the event. Presentations of boots, socks, football sweaters, writing paper, Balaclava caps, a dozen handkerchiefs, tobacco, pipes and matches were made to the men. Additionally, the Mayor of Lancaster effected an insurance policy of $100 on the life of each member of the LVA who had agreed to serve in South Africa. The policies were issued through Messers Stanley and Patterson, auctioneers, Penny Street, the local representatives of the Prudential Assurance Company.

The detachment left Preston on the 31st March 1900 and sailed for South Africa from the Albert Dock, Liverpool on the transport Cairisbrook Castle. The ship arrived at Madeira on the 5th April and a letter from one of the detachment, Cpl J Clark describes the voyage and the activities on board. George Nixon is recorded as having successfully taken part in numerous "deck games". The ship finally arrived in Capetown at 6.30 am on the 7th April. Once disembarked, the unit proceeded to Maitland Camp and George served with them until taking his discharge in August 1901.

I wonder how many groups exist with this combination?

More to follow.

Hello Mark

Thanks for sharing such a fine group.

To answer your question on "how many groups" - I know of 82, you can see the full list on The Register ,



It is a free search.

Regards
Meurig

Meurig,

Very many thanks for the information. Do you mean 82 with the same combination or 82 withe a Military Medals?

I have several photos of Sgt Nixon and will post shortly.

Many (many!) years ago whilst researching DLOY and Lancashire Hussars men at the library in Preston, I came across a superb photo of the Colt gun section referred to in my post. Unfortunately I simply can't find it today!

Regards

Mark

www.flickr.com/photos/westerhamtown/8303...m-72157628082367447/

George Nixon is standing alone on the left of the photo

Picture courtesy of DNW

MM GV (20923 Pte. G. Cox. 86/Coy. M.G.C.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Transvaal, Orange Free State, unofficial rivets between second and third clasps (5945 Pte. G. Cox, Rl. Wt. Surrey Regt.);
KSA (2) (5945 Pte. G. Cox. The Queen’s.);
1914-15 Star (12557 Pte. G. Cox, R. Fus.);
British War and Victory Medals (12557 Pte. G. Cox. R. Fus.);
Army LS&GV GV 1st issue (20923 Pte. G. Cox. M.G.C.)

MM London Gazette 14 December 1916.

George Cox was born in Chelsea, London, in 1880 and attested for the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) at London on 12 April 1899, whilst serving in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the Regiment. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he sailed for South Africa for service during the Boer War after the rest of the Battalion, having been in hospital, and arrived in Cape Town on 13 June 1900, where he was immediately admitted to hospital. Discharged from hospital on 25 June, he finally re-joined his battalion on 23 August 1900, and was present during operations in Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, and in the Transvaal. Posted to the 1st Battalion in early 1902, Cox arrived in India on 11 April 1902, and joined his Battalion at Peshawar. He transferred to the Royal Fusiliers on 4 February 1907, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Sialkot.

Following the outbreak of the Great War the Battalion embarked for home on 9 December 1914, and after a couple of months at Nuneaton embarked for the Middle East on 16 March 1915 for service in the Gallipoli theatre of War, landing on ‘X’ beach, Cape Helles, on 25 April 1915. Transferring to the Machine Gun Corps on its formation on 26 February 1916, Cox served with the 86th Company in France from the end of March 1916, and on the eve of the Battle of the Somme the Company was billeted in Auchionvillers.

On 1 July 1916 86th Company Machine Gun Corps was heavily employed during the attack on the Hawthorne Redoubt. Cox was a member of 1 Section (4 guns) under Lieutenant K. F. McAlpin. The War Diary gives the following account:

‘At 07:20 a mine was exploded under the Hawthorn Redoubt near point 07 and as soon as the debris had settled four machine guns under Lieutenant McAlpin pushed over the north lip of the crater and set up, with 2 guns firing down the front line of trenches running north, and 2 guns down the trenches running south. These guns were immediately followed by 2 platoons of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, and a team of Stoke Gunners.’

During this action the Company suffered heavy casualties, including Cox, who suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh. Admitted to 12th Stationary Hospital at St. Pol, he was transferred to the 2nd General Hospital at Le Harve on 13 July 1916, and was evacuated to England the same day. He was awarded the Military Medal in December 1916- owing to the fact that his Company had seen very little action in France prior to the Battle of the Somme, and that he was hors de combat from the first day of the battle onwards, it is difficult to believe that his Military Medal was awarded for anything other than his gallant conduct at Auchionvillers on 1 July 1916.

Recovering from his wounds, Cox returned to France on 16 March 1917, and was posted to the 205th Company, Machine Gun Corps. He was awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal per Army Order 106 of April 1918. Following the cessation of hostilities he served briefly in the 5th Battalion, M.G.C., before transferring to the 32nd Battalion, M.G.C., on 3 June 1919, for service in Germany. Returning home on 12 November 1919 he was posted to the Foreign Service Details Battalion, M.G.C., before taking is discharge on 14 May 1920, after 21 years and 32 days’ service.

Mark Abbott wrote: Meurig,

Very many thanks for the information. Do you mean 82 with the same combination or 82 withe a Military Medals?

Mark - QSA + MM, now up to 85