Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Russian Medal of St. George for Bravery group of four awarded to Petty Officer L. C. M. Milner, Royal Naval Air Service, who was decorated for gallantry in Armoured Cars in the Dobrudsha operations on the Caucasian Front in November 1916 - in common with other “Locker Lambs”, he subsequently transferred to the Machine Gun Corps
British War and Victory Medals (80047 Sjt. L. C. M. Milner, M.G.C.); Russia, Medal of St. George for Bravery, 4th Class, the reverse officially numbered ‘1032317’; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, with bronze palm, together with a Provisional Government Jeton, in white metal, and the recipient’s identity disc fashioned from a Russian silver coin, ‘P.O. L. C. M. Milner, No. 9848, British Armoured Cars, Russia’, generally good very fine (6) £1200-1500

Ex Douglas-Morris collection, 16 October 1996 (Lot 640)

Russian Medal of St. George for Bravery, 4th Class (No. 1032317): ‘During the battle of 19 November 1916, under heavy enemy fire, brought shells and petrol for the Armoured Cars, thereby helping the advance’ (T.N.A. ADM 171/174 and ADM 116/1626 refer).

Lloyd Clarence May Milner, who was born in Farnham, Surrey, in October 1889, and by profession a chauffeur, was appointed a Petty Officer Mechanic in the Royal Naval Air Service in November 1915. Embarked for Russia in the following month, for service in Armoured Cars under Commander Oliver Locker-Lampson, he was detached for service on the Caucasian Front in September 1916, where he won his Medal of St. George for the above cited deeds in the Dobrudsha operations, and afterwards saw further action at Topalul on 30 November and 2 December - four days later, he was presented with his decoration by General Sirelius at Hirsova. Remaining on detached service at Tudor Vlademerescue in Roumania, he returned to the U.K. via Tiraspol in January 1917, but was recalled to Russia that April, this time serving at Telyache, Galecia in June, and thence, from Proskurov Base, on special duty at Brovary Base and Kursk. Once more embarked for the U.K. in February 1918 (ADM 116/117 refers), and in common with other “Locker Lambs”, he joined the machine Gun Corps on his return; the award of his French Croix de Guerre has not been verified.