Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.S.O. group of three awarded to Acting Major C. O. von Treuenfels, Honourable Artillery Company, attached Royal Field Artillery, who died of wounds in June 1917

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major C. O. von Treuenfels), together with related Memorial Plaque (Carl Otto von Treuenfels), enamel slightly chipped in reverse centre of the first, otherwise good very fine and better (3) £1800-2200

D.S.O. London Gazette 27 August 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed the greatest disregard of danger in saving material and ammunition from burning buildings in which his battery was heavily shelled. By his coolness and magnificent example the guns were saved.’

Carl Otto von Treuenfels was born Edmonton, London, in 1887, the son of German timber merchant Conrad Leonhard Waldemar and Alice Von Treuenfels (née Holmyard). Employed by the family business pre-war, young Carl also joined the Honourable Artillery Company in October 1908 and, having gained advancement to Sergeant, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in April 1913.

Called up on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he did not go out to France until April 1916, when he joined ‘A’ Battery, H.A.C. Subsequently attached to ‘C’ Battery of 285th Brigade, R.F.A. that September, he won his D.S.O. for the above cited deeds at Armentieres on 8 June 1917 - not cited however is the fact von Treuenfels was seriously wounded on the same occasion, dying from his wounds on the 26th. Indeed the Battery suffered over 30 casualties that day, having been shelled all morning. He was posthumously mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig.

Sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate, dated 7 November 1917, in the name of ‘Lt. [Temp. Capt.] [Actg. Maj.] C. O. von Treuenfels, D.S.O., Honourable Artillery Company [T.F.] [died of wounds]’, together with his commission warrant for the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, Honourable Artillery Company, dated 11 April 1913.