A rare Russian Civil War, North Russia Relief Force 1919 M.C. group of three awarded to Captain C. H. Fuller, Middlesex Regiment, attached 45th Bn., Royal Fusiliers, who was decorated for leading his company through machine gun fire into the village of Lipovets during the attack of 10th August 1919, shortly before being wounded

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. C. H. Fuller.) extremely fine (3) £2000-2600

M.C. London Gazette 21 January 1920:

FULLER, Capt. Charles Hutson, M.C., Midd’x Regt. attd. 45th Bn., R. Fus. (NORTH RUSSIA [ARCHANGEL]).

‘For gallantry and devotion to duty. On 10th August, 1919, during the attack on Lipovets, he led his company to the attack against machine-gun fire. The attack was successful, but he was shot through the stomach. His evacuation through the forest, which was much harassed by parties of the enemy, lasted for 48 hours, during which he showed great pluck.’

For gallantry on this same day, Corporal A. P. Sullivan, an Australian serving with the 45th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Charles Hutson Fuller served in France with the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, as a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant from January 1917 before being commissioned in the substantive rank of 2nd Lieutenant on 22 September 1917. Mentioned in Despatches on 21 November 1917, he was granted a permanent commission as a Lieutenant on 18 November 1918.

Sold with Ministry of Pensions correspondence granting a ‘disablement addition’ to his retired pay and wound pension of £100 a year, for ‘gunshot wound, left buttock and pelvis’; and an original news cutting concerning his death during the Second World War, having recently resigned as a Major serving with the 5th Bn. West Sussex Home Guard, which states, “He was seriously wounded in Russia in 1919 and the wound never healed. Despite this he made repeated applications to the War Office to be allowed to serve with the regular forces during the present war... He was a very fine soldier and when his wound compelled his resignation from the Home Guard the Battalion suffered a grievous loss. From 1915 to 1926 he served with the second Middlesex Regiment, winning the M.C. and mention in dispatches.”

Fuller is mentioned on pages 267 and 273 of Churchill’s Secret War with Lenin, by Damien Wright.