Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant-Colonel J. H. Courage, Royal Welsh Fusiliers - held as a P.O.W. in both wars

1914 Star, with (loose) clasp (Lieut., R.W. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.) mounted as worn; together with a mounted set of three miniature dress medals, good very fine (6) £260-300

John Hubert Courage was born on 28 December 1891, son of Edward Hubert and Beatrice Mary Audrey Courage. Educated at Wellington College and the R.M.A. Woolwich. He joined the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers in October 1911. In the Great War he served in France/Flanders, 7 - 22 October 1914, being wounded and taken prisoner.

He was mentioned in the P.O.W. Statement of Captain H. O. Sutherland, Northumberland Fusiliers, when he was in Mainz Hospital, 22 December 1914-18 January 1915: ’On the 22nd December I was taken to the hospital with a very bad attack of rheumatism in the joints. No nurses were allowed to come near the prisoners. I was put in a room with two French officers, one Belgian and one English (Lieut. Courage, Royal Welsh Fusiliers). For about ten days I was absolutely unable to move, and had it not been for Lieut. Courage I should not even have had my face washed. The German orderlies brought our food, but did absolutely nothing else. ...’

Courage resigned his commission in 1921 and joined the family business - Courage & Co. Ltd. - subsequently Courage & Barclay Ltd., serving as its Chairman during 1947-59. With the start of the Second World War, he returned to the Army, serving with the Pioneer Corps and attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He served in France during 1940 and was a survivor of the sinking of the S.S. Lancastria by German aircraft at St. Nazaire, 17 June 1940 - the ship loaded with British troops being evacuated from France. He then served in the Middle East and Greece during 1941; was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 30 December 1941) and was for the second time taken prisoner by the Germans (in Greece) - being held at Oflag XII-B at Hadamar, Hesse.

Latterly his home address was at Kirkby Fleetham Hall, Northallerton, Yorkshire. He died on 28 April 1967.

Medals and and miniatures with riband bar, cap badge and button contained in a leather case. With copied research.