A rare 1914 ‘Bombardment of Scarborough’ Boy Scouts Association Gallantry Cross First Class in Bronze group of three awarded to Patrol Leader P. Robertshaw, 3rd Scarborough Troop, later Private, Royal Army Medical Corps

British War and Victory Medals (101998 Pte. P. Robertshaw, R.A.M.C.); Boy Scouts Association Gallantry Cross, 1st Class, 1st issue, bronze, the reverse inscribed, ‘Percy Robertshaw, Scarboro., 16-12-14’, with ring suspension and integral top riband bar, in its original J. A. Wyllie, London, red leather case of issue, generally very fine or better (3) £1,000-£1,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boy Scouts Association Gallantry Crosses.

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Dix Noonan Webb, April 2006.

The Boy Scouts’ Headquarters Gazette of March 1915 confirms that Robertshaw received his Bronze Cross for stopping a runaway horse. He appears to have received his award, ‘the highest of the Association for gallantry’, in February 1915.

Although not mentioned in the official citation, the date on the cross provides ample reason for any horse to gallop away in a panic. In the early morning of 16 December 1914 the German battlecruisers Derfflinger and Von der Tann emerged from the mist off Scarborough and bombarded the North Yorkshire seaside town, whilst the accompanying light cruiser Kolberg laid mines. Some 500 shells were fired at the castle barracks and town, killing 17, injuring 80 and causing damage to property and to British prestige (and upsetting at least one horse!). At the same time, the battlecruisers Seydlitz and Moltke and heavy cruiser Bluecher bombarded the port of Hartlepool; later still the seaside town of Whitby was shelled by the squadron.