A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Captain J. Gardner, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who died of wounds in September 1917

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in its case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Capt. J. Gardner, R. Sc. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. J. Gardner), together with the recipient’ silver identity bracelet, Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (John Gardner) and Buckingham Palace scroll, extremely fine (Lot) £1200-1500

M.C. London Gazette 24 June 1916.

John Gardner was educated at the Glasgow Academy, where he was a Sergeant in the Cadet Corps, and in Germany. Early in 1914 he travelled to the U.S.A. to gain business experience but he returned home on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 and was commissioned in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. Embarked for France in the 7th Battalion in July 1915, he was wounded at the battle of Loos that September.

Returning to active service, he was mentioned in Haig’s despatch of 30 April 1916 but was wounded again in the process of winning his M.C. in the following month, when he displayed ‘conspicuous gallantry under heavy shell fire. He organised and led a counter-attack by the men of his own battalion and men of the R.E. under very difficult circumstances, and set a fine example till incapacitated by a fragment of shell.’

Once more back on active service, he was wounded for a third time on 22 August 1917 and died at a military hospital in London five days later. The son of John and Mary Gardner of 20 Dalziel Drive, Maxwell Park, Glasgow, he was buried with full military honours at Cathcart Cemetery.

Sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate, together with War Office letters forwarding his M.C. and campaign medals to his father, the former dated 17 December 1917 and the latter 25 July 1922; also sold with the British Red Cross Society’s 1914-18 Medal awarded to his mother, Mary Gardner, this with related scroll and forwarding letter, dated 7 July 1920.