Auction Catalogue

2 December 2009

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Lot

№ 619

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2 December 2009

Hammer Price:
£920

A Great War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private T. C. Cawthorne, East Yorkshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (8669 Pte., 1/E. York. R.); British War and Victory Medals (8669 Pte., E. York. R.); together with an erased 1914 Star, nearly extremely fine (4) £800-1000

D.C.M. London Gazette 11 March 1920. ‘On 21st March 1918, near Saulcourt, for cool courage and devotion to duty. Whilst the camp was being heavily shelled and later on in the day for eleven hours, he assisted, under heavy shell fire, in evacuating the wounded. On 24th March and again on 28th March, it was largely due to his fine example and energy that many vehicles and horses amongst the transport were saved under heavy fire.’

Thomas Cawthorne came from Bethnal Green, London. A pre-war regular soldier serving with the 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 8 September 1914. Serving throughout the war, he was awarded the D.C.M. for several acts of gallantry near Cambrai during the first few days of the German Spring Offensive in March 1918. Sergeant Cawthorne was one of only about a dozen men who served continually with the 1st Battalion between September 1914 and the end of the war in November 1918. He survived the war and took his discharge. Entitled to the 1914 Star and clasp. With copied m.i.c., roll extracts and other research.