Six: Captain Henry McDonnell, East Lancashire Regiment, late Battery Quartermaster Sergeant, Royal Artillery

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Chin-Lushai 1889-90 (Serjt. H. McDonnel, Comt. Dept.); 1914-15 Star (Q.M. & Lieut. H. McDonnell, E. Lan. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Q.M. & Lieut.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (25091 B.Q.M. Serjt. H. McDonnell, R.F.A.); Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 3rd issue, Crowned Head (B.Q.M. Sjt. H. McDonnell, R.A.) mounted as worn, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better, the last rare (6) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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L.S. & G.C. medal notified in Army Order 75 of April 1904.

M.S.M. and Annuity notified in Army Order 106 of June 1942.

55 George VI Crowned Head M.S.Ms. are believed to have been awarded - issued in error in place of the usual Coinage Head issue - all being notified in A.O. 44 of March and 106 of June, 1942.

Henry McDonnell served as a Sergeant in one of the Chin-Lushai Expeditions of 1889-90 in the Commissariat Department and afterwards transferred to the Royal Field Artillery, becoming a Battery Quartermaster Sergeant. He served during the Great War as Quartermaster, with honorary rank of Lieutenant, in the 9th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, entering a Theatre of War on 4 September 1915.

The following account of Captain McDonnell appears in the regimental history of the East Lancashire regiment: ‘Formerly a Warrant Officer in the Royal Artillery, that regiment in which slackness is unknown, he had, of course, amongst his many accomplishments a thorough knowledge of how to deal with horses and wagons. His assistance, therefore, was often invaluable when inexperienced transport drivers were getting into confusion. The imposing appearance of “Mac” on the largest horse we possessed at a narrow gate or cross-roads, changing a tangled mob of distracted transport into an orderly line of march will not readily be forgotten.’

McDonnell was granted the honorary rank of Captain on 19 September 1917, and was afterwards employed under the Ministry of Munitions. Sold with full research.