Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel James Dow Sainter, Indian Army, late Seaforth Highlanders

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt.) later issue, correction to surname; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, these three unnamed as issued; together with an erased Victory Medal 1914-19, very fine and better (6) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Schweder Collection of Medals for Campaigns in Malaysia.

View
Collection

M.C. London Gazette 20 October 1916. ‘2nd Lt., Sea. Highrs.’ ‘For conspicuous gallantry during a raid. He led the left flank party of a raid in which forty or fifty of the enemy were killed and one prisoner captured. Previous to the raid he carried out and placed a torpedo in the enemy wire within 25 yards of the enemy trenches. He personally accounted for three of the enemy with his revolver, and, previous to the raid, carried out fine reconnaissances’.

M.I.D. London Gazette 20 October 1916.

James Dow Sainter was born on 3 January 1996. He joined the 6th Battalion Seafoth Highlanders in July 1915 and as a 2nd Lieutenant entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 12 July 1916. Served in the battles of the Somme and Ancre, he was wounded on 13 November 1916 at Beaumont Hamel and was invalided to England. For his daring actions with the 6th Battalion he was awarded the Military Cross. He then entered the Indian Army, joining the 1st Battalion 66th Punjabis in September 1917. Later with the 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment, he was granted the brevet of Major in 1933. He was promoted to that rank in May 1934 and attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1942. At the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, Sainter was C.O. of the 6th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. With the fall of Singapore, he together with his regiment became prisoners-of-war of the Japanese.

Sold with a quantity of copied research bound within hard-back covers. It includes m.i.c.; gazette extracts; Annual Confidential Reports; the ‘History of the 6th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment’, covering the period in Malaya and Singapore, July 1941-February 1942; and some reports post-war. In the latter there were some adverse reports of Lieutenant-Colonel Sainter’s conduct whilst a prisoner-of-war.

Note: It is quite likely that Lieutenant-Colonel Sainter’s original medals were lost with the fall of Singapore.