Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War M.C. group of six awarded to Major A. R. Moncrieff, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, late Seaforth Highlanders and 2nd Dragoons (Queen’s Bays): having been wounded at Paardeberg with the Seaforths in February 1900, and again at Messines with the Queen’s Bays in October 1914, he won an immediate M.C. for leading a Squadron of the Inniskilling Dragoons into the attack near Epehy in December 1917 - an attack launched at the gallop over fire swept ground

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Transvaal (Lieut. A. R. Moncrieff, Sea. Highrs.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lt. A. R. Moncrieff, 2/Drgns.); 1914 Star, with clasp (Capt. A. R. Moncrieff, 6/Dns.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Major A. R. Moncrieff), mounted as worn, the Boer War awards with contact marks and edge bruising, very fine, the remainder good very fine or better (6) £1600-1800

M.C. London Gazette 4 February 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading his squadron to the attack. Though his flank was exposed, and he was counter-attacked by large numbers of the enemy, he held his position throughout the day with the greatest courage and determination.’

Alaric Rimington Moncrieff was born at Vicarage Gate, Kensington in March 1880, the son of Sir Alexander Moncrieff of Perth, Scotland. Having attended the Royal Military College, young Alaric was gazetted to the Seaforth Highlanders, and quickly saw action in South Africa, where he participated in the advance on Kimberley and in the operations in the Orange Free State, from January 1900 - but was severely wounded at Paardeberg on 21 February, wounds that necessitated his evacuation to the U.K.

Rejoining his regiment in August of the same year, he witnessed further active service in the Orange River Colony, August-November 1900, and in the Transvaal, March-August 1901 and again in March-May 1902, in which latter month he transferred to the 2nd (Queen’s Bays) Dragoons as a Lieutenant. In June 1910, however, as a newly promoted Captain, he transferred to the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, in which capacity he was still serving on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

Embarked for France in the following month, as second in command of ‘C’ Squadron under Captain Bridgewater, he was swiftly attached to his old regiment the Queen’s Bays, with whom he was slightly wounded on the last day of October 1914 - that day, 1,000 British cavalrymen faced six times that number of German infantry, the whole becoming embroiled in a desperate house-to-house struggle for the possession of Messines.

Thereafter, Moncrieff served with the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons until the War’s end, gaining appointment in the temporary rank of Major in June 1918. And it was in that rank, as C.O. of ‘C’ Squadron, that he won the M.C. near Epehy on 1 December 1917, his official report on the action appearing in the regiment’s war diary:

‘Report on the operations of ‘C’ Squadron, Inniskilling Dragoons, on 1st December 1917’

This report may be divided into 3 headings:

(i) The advance to the German wire and occupation of the trench.
(ii) The holding and defence of the trench.
(iii) The withdrawal after dark.

1. The Squadron advanced at a gallop on the left rear flank of the 2nd Lancers from Peiziere to sheet reference 57c 1/40000, a distance of about 3 kilometres - the last half of which was over a fire-swept zone.

The mounted advance terminated at the German wire at obstacle distance from a fire trench held by the 418th Regiment, who left hurriedly on their wire being crossed. Here the Squadron dismounted for action, crossed the wire and gained the shelter of that trench just vacated by the enemy and already entered by the 2nd Lancers.

2. The trench occupied ran north and south, the direction of advance having been N.N.E. The Squadron held the northern end of this trench, which terminated in a sap-head commanded on three sides by a ridge under 100 yards distant; this ridge overlooked Viller-Guislain to the north, and enfiladed the trench to the south.

To hold this, the post nearest the enemy, a post was pushed out on the ridge, and a machine-gun: all the men and the M.G. officer [Lieutenant R. Oakley] soon became casualties, the machine-gun had to be withdrawn, and it was not possible after this to leave the sap-head. Owing to lack of space, this sap-head could only be held by 2 machine-guns, 2 Hotchkiss guns and a few men. The enemy soon crawled up and enveloped this flank from three sides.

Fortunately, several boxes of ammunition and bombs were found in the trench - formerly a British one - and the machine-guns with a party filling belts, were able to check the repeated attempts of the enemy to crawl through the scrub and rush the sap-head.

Unsuccessful in this, the enemy bombed his way down a communication trench from the north-west leading into the main trench 50 yards south of the sap-head. A counter-bombing party was organised, bombs fortunately being at hand, also many German grenades which were experimented with and timed. This party was gallantly led by a Corporal, who killed the leading German; bombs were at the same time thrown with such good effect that one German was blown off his feet above the level of the parapet, and the remainder so hurriedly withdrew that when they left the trench they came into the open under direct fire of the sap-head machine-gun under which they were shot down. The enemy did not again attempt to advance down this communication trench, but pressed the attack from the ridge. Had the enemy effected an entry into the sap-head, the whole length of the trench, untraversed, would have become untenable, and the five Squadrons would have been driven from shelter into the open. It was thanks to the machine-guns, the magnificent way they were served, and the supply of ammunition found, that the position was held for 12 hours.

Reinforcement, communication and removal of casualties was rendered more difficult owing to the trench being filled with horses (some wounded) of about 2 squadrons, 2nd Lancers and a few of our leading troop.

3. In order to carry out the withdrawal after dark, in agreement with Major Knowles, D.S.O., commanding 2nd Lancers, the Squadron held the sap-head during the withdrawal of that regiment. It was not found possible to withdraw under cover of the 2nd Lancers, owing to the necessity of their horses being led out single file to the southern limit of the trench, necessitating one man to each horse. Very Lights were fired frequently from the sap-head and successive covering positions taken up, until the wounded and horses were withdrawn, when the Squadron withdrew, arriving back at Epehy at about 1 a.m.

I have brought to notice of the Officer Commanding, Inniskilling Dragoons, the names of those who were conspicuous amongst all who showed such devotion to duty, and have rendered a separate report to the Officer Commanding, No. 11 Squadron, M.G.C. (Cavalry).

In addition to his M.C., the gallant Moncrieff was twice mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 15 May 1917 and 20 December 1918 refer); sold with a file of research.