Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Great War M.C. group of five awarded to Captain G. B. Arnold, Essex Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (2.Lieut., Essex R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); Defence Medal, mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the Essex Regiment from the Collection of Jack Webb.

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M.C. London Gazette 18 July 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in an attack when in command of four Stokes Mortars. Although exposed to enemy fire, he, with great bravery and devotion, persisted in his work until each gun had been knocked out, all the Battery officers killed or wounded, and until finally he himself was severely wounded.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 25 May 1917.

Gilbert Barrington Arnold was born on 23 February 1893, and educated at Dulwich College, one of six brothers and no less than eight cousins to attend that college. He enlisted on 3 September 1914, and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, Essex Regiment, on 12 May 1915. He was very severely wounded at Monchy-le-Preux on 23 April 1917, which action gained him the M.C., and was again wounded and taken prisoner at Gavrelles/Fampoux, near Arras, on 28 March 1918, when the 2nd Essex were heavily attacked and suffered many casualties. The battalion war diary reported him ‘missing believed killed,’ but he was later confirmed as a prisoner of war. Arnold’s condition was reported in a letter from his Oflag at Lahr, in Baden: “Partial deafness, disfiguring scar right across face, unable to walk far.” He was repatriated on 12 December 1918, demobbed in February 1919, and relinquished his commission as Captain on 23 December 1920. Sold with further research, including his report of capture and application for a Wound Gratuity which he submitted from his prison camp at Lahr in June 1918.