Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 June 2008

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 1249

.

26 June 2008

Hammer Price:
£2,800

A fine Second World War battle of Sidi Rezegh M.M. group of six awarded to Major T. V. H. Margesson, 4th (Rhodesian) Anti-Tank Regiment, attached 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Horse Artillery: an old Harrovian aged about 40 years at the time of winning his immediate M.M. as a Bombardier, his gun was credited with “brewing up” several enemy tanks - so, too, with working closely alongside V.C. winner Brigadier “Jock” Campbell in his armoured control vehicle

Military Medal
, G.VI.R. (1095701 Bmbr., R.A.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, extremely fine (6) £1200-1500

M.M. London Gazette 24 February 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘During the attack on the 1st South African Brigade near Sidi Rezegh on 22-23 November 1941, Bombardier Margesson’s section was protecting the 22nd Armoured Brigade H.Q. When the Brigade H.Q. withdrew south his two guns were continuously in action keeping off the German tanks. They knocked out two Mk. IIIs and one Mk. IV. In negotiating a soft patch one portee was bogged down and in trying to get it out the other stuck. In this position they were attacked by tanks but beat them off, knocking out three at 400 yards range. Bombardier Margesson’s guns were then extricated but were again attacked and knocked out one more Mk. IV tank. Throughout the action Bombardier Margesson showed extreme coolness and contempt for danger. His determined bearing was an example to all about him.’

Thomas Vere Hobart Margesson was born in July 1902, the younger son of Sir Mortimer and Lady Isabel Margesson - she was the sister of the 7th Earl of Buckinghamshire and his older brother became the 1st Viscount Margesson, a wartime Cabinet Minister. Like his father before him, Thomas was educated at Harrow, following which, in 1929, he settled in Rhodesia.

Enlisting in the newly formed Rhodesia Light Artillery Battery in May 1940, he was advanced to Acting Sergeant that October, and was posted to the 4th (Rhodesian) Anti-Tank Regiment. In June 1941, however, he reverted to the rank of Bombardier on attachment to the 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, in North Africa, and it was in this latter capacity that he won his immediate M.M. at Sidi Rezegh in November of the same year, while serving in Lieutenant Savory’s Troop:

‘Lieutenant Savory’s Troop was attached to the 7th Motor Brigade during the actual battle of Sidi Rezegh and it was not till the 22nd of November that they operated again with the 22nd Armoured Brigade. Bombardier Margesson’s gun came in for most of the fun during the first two days of this battle. He was usually near Brigadier “Jock” Campbell’s armoured control vehicle, and where “Jock” was there was sure to be action. On one occasion, when his Headquarters was attacked by enemy tanks, the two anti-tank guns became heavily involved in the ensuing tank battles. One portee [one of the unit’s gun-carrying trucks] was hit during the early stages of the battle and had to withdraw and resort to long-range firing, but the other gun, commanded by Bombardier Margesson, with his crew, Gunners Roselt, Edwards, Muller and McArthur, moved forward to close contact and did considerable damage to the enemy, and were definitely credited with four “Brew-ups”, two of which were Mark IV tanks. Lieutenant Savory’s Troop was also allotted two or three individual tasks investigating unidentified columns. One of these forays nearly led to disaster. Two guns had been detached, and, in their “swanning”, drove into a soft salt pan and were completely bogged down in a few minutes. Fortunately, some Honey tanks were close by, and assisted in winching these two portees out. Whilst in the process of towing them out, twelve Italian M13 tanks suddenly appeared and engaged them. Things looked nasty and, had it not been for Lieutenant Savory, who jumped into one of the layer’s seats with Gunner Roselt and knocked out eight of the Italian tanks, one gun at least would surely have been lost. As a result of these actions, Bombardier Margesson received the immediate award of the Military Medal, whilst Lieutenant Savory received a periodical award of the Military Cross, and Gunner L. Roselt the Military Medal’ (The history of the 4th Rhodesian Anti-Tank Battery refers).

Nor was this the last close encounter experienced by Margesson prior to him being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in March 1942, for, on 25 January, while acting in support of Crusader tanks of the Queen’s Bays at Antelat, his portee was hit by one of five ‘half-track German gun-towers’ that closed to 600 yards range in defence of a larger enemy force - indeed such was the ferocity of this close range action that several of Margesson’s comrades were wounded (see the history of the 4th Rhodesian Anti-Tank Regiment for further details).

Posted to 4th Battery, R.H.A. in April 1942, the recently commissioned Margesson served in the same capacity until joining H.Q., 7th Motor Brigade in February 1943. And he saw further action in Italy 1943-44 as C.O. of 76th Anti-Tank Regiment and 199 Battery, R.A. in the rank of Temporary Major, prior to being demobilised at the end of 1945.