A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. and Bar group of five awarded to Captain H. Treacher, Royal Sussex Regiment, late London Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, ‘H. Treacher, Messines, 1916’; 1914-15 Star (3647 Pte., 28-London Regiment); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); War Medal 1939-45, some contact marks, very fine and better (5) £1800-2200

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1917 ‘Temp. 2nd Lt. Harry Treacher, R. Suss. R.’

Bar to M.C. London Gazette 7 November 1918. ‘T/Lt. Henry Treacher, R. Suss. R.’ ‘For conspicuous gallantry and initiative. He went, with his runner, to the flank of the company that was being enfiladed by machine-gun fire, and working forward under heavy fire killed the gunner with a bomb and captured the gun. His skill and dash were worthy of great praise, and saved many casualties’.

Harry Treacher was born in 1894 and was educated at Tonbridge School, 1909-10. Serving as a Private in the 28th Battalion London Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 11 August 1915. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment on 5 December 1915, promoted to Lieutenant in July 1917 and advanced to Captain in August 1918. Treacher joined the 9th Battalion at Houlle on 12 December 1915 and moved to the trenches in the vicinity of Poperinghe in the Ypres sector with it in January 1916. Moving down to the Somme in the Summer of 1916, Treacher was Intelligence Officer at the time of the battalion’s attack on the German trenches on the outskirts of Guillemont on 18 August 1916 during which the battalion lost 7 officers and 179 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. This was followed by attacks on the trenches near Delville Wood, 30 August-4 September 1916 - Treacher again listed as the Intellingence Officer. Again there were heavy losses and on 11 September 1916 Treacher was listed as being sent to hospital. He was later attached to the 5th Battalion Devonshire Regiment and is recorded as being wounded on 7 November 1918. Between the wars he was employed in the wholesale book trade. During the Second World War he is believed to have been a Captain in the R.A.S.C. Sold with original telegram, dated 20 December 1918, requesting his attendance at Buckingham Palace; also with copied research.