Orders, Decorations and Medals

The superb Great War ‘High Wood’ M.C., ‘Life Saving’ A.M. group of seven awarded to Captain W. L. C. Rathbone, 15th Battalion, London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles), formerly Devonshire Regiment, who was awarded the Albert Medal for great gallantly in disarming a ‘madman’ who had run amok in a trench carrying a loaded rifle with fixed bayonet

Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse inscribed ‘Captain W. L. C. Rathbone, 15th London Regt., 18th Sept. 1916’; Albert Medal, 2nd Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, reverse officially inscribed ‘Presented by His Majesty to 2nd Lieutenant William Leslie Coutts Rathbone, 15th Bn., The London Regiment, for gallantry in saving life in France on the night of the 6th May 1916’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Natal, Transvaal (5815 Pte., Devon. Regt.); 1914-15 Star (1210 Sjt., 15/Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R. (1210 Pte., 15/London Regt.) Q.S.A. and T.F.E.M. with single initial ‘L’ (he was serving with the single christian name ‘Leslie’ at the time), generally good very fine (7) £8000-10000

M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916 (awarded for action at High Wood, 18 September 1916). ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He collected together a party of men, and led them in an attack in conjunction with another battalion. Owing to his courage and initiative, his party succeeded in capturing the enemy support line.’

A.M. London Gazette 4 August 1917 (Joint citation with Corporal Feldwick) ‘As a working party under Second Lieutenant Rathbone, 15th London Regiment was proceeding down a communication trench by night, they were fired upon from close quarters. Second Lieutenant Rathbone ascertained that the shots came from a soldier who had run amok, and had posted himself with loaded rifle and fixed bayonet farther down the trench. Second Lieutenant Rathbone borrowed a rifle and, accompanied by Corporal Feldwick, advanced along the trench until in view of the mentally deranged man. They then advanced with rifles at the ready; the officer calling upon the man to surrender. Receiving no reply, they then dropped their rifles and rushed him, and after disarming him took him to the nearest dresing station.’

The following statement which was written by Second Lieutenant Rathbone on 7 May 1916, the day after the event is included in his A.M. recommendation file, copies of all of which are included in the lot: ‘I was taking a working party along Cabaret Road and had nearly reached the artillery positions when I heard a shot and the bullet seemed to pass close to the party. I concluded that it had probably come from an incinerator and took no notice. A little further on the artillerymen shouted to us to stop, which I did thinking some guns were going to fire. As nothing happened for some time I called out to know what was the matter. The artillerymen then shouted “There is a man who has gone dotty further up the trench with a loaded rifle”. This explained the shot and as the trench is shallow I ordered the men to get down. The artillery did not appear to be making any attempt to deal with the situation so I borrowed a rifle - loaded - from Corporal Feldwick of the 8th and told him to get another and load that. I then worked my way along until I could see the madman and ordered him to put his hands up. He took no notice so I walked towards him with my rifle at the ready. As soon as I got near enough I dropped my rifle and grasped that of the man, holding it so that he could neither shoot nor use his bayonet. The Corporal and others then rushed up and collared him. The bayonet was fixed and the rifle was at full cock with a round in the chamber and one on the magazine. The man was with difficulty removed to the dressing station in Hospital Road. I do not know to what regiment the man belonged. The two men of my own party who were nearest were Corporal Feldwick and Rifleman Haynes, both of the 8th Battalion. Some of the artillerymen must also have seen what occurred.’ A note in one of the reports in this file suggests that the soldier who ran amok in the trenches belonged to the Royal Irish Rifles.

M.I.D. requires confirmation.

William Leslie Coutts Rathbone enlisted into the Devonshire Regiment in February 1898 under the name of Leslie Rathbone, changing to William Leslie Coutts Rathbone. circa 1908, by which time he was serving with the 15th Battalion, London Regiment. He was wounded by in the face by a splinter of shell on 7 October 1916, but made a full recovery. He died on 18 February 1929 and therefore did not live long enough to exchange his Albert Medal for a George Cross.

Sold with 21 pages from his National Archives correspondence file and a quantity of other copied research material, including several copied photographs of recipient in uniform and references to Rathbone in the book, The Civil Service Rifles and The Great War, by Jill Knight.