Auction Catalogue

21 September 2001

Starting at 12:00 PM

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Orders, Decorations and Medals

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1268

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21 September 2001

Hammer Price:
£1,500

A very good Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C., M.M. pair awarded to Lieutenant G. Reeve, Royal Irish Fusiliers

Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse contemporarily inscribed ‘Lieut. G. Reeve, 1st Royal Irish Fus., 3-5, 1-6, 1917’; Military Medal, G.V.R. (7574 Sjt., 1/R. Ir. Fus.) nearly extremely fine (2) £600-800

M.C. London Gazette 18 July 1917. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed great resource and determination in assuming command of his company when all other officers were casualties, in reorganising men of other companies, in digging in and maintaining his position. He subsequently withdrew with his flanks in the air, and brought all his wounded with him. His skill was most marked.’ The Battalion War Diary for 3 May 1917 states: ‘At about 4:25am ‘A’ and ‘B’ Coys. got held up on the near side of the Roeux-Gavrelle Road by heavy machine-gun fire from the chemical work, a house South of them and also from the buildings North of the Chateau and the Chateau itself. This force ‘A’ Coy. across ‘B’s front and Reeve although wounded, collected all Irish Fusiliers, reorganised them, and dug in on a line from West of the Chateau to the railway embankment, where he established himself and remained until recalled by order at 10:10pm. He succeeded in withdrawing with few casualties bringing his wounded with him.’

M.M.
London Gazette 11 November 1916. The regimental history states that this medal was presented to him by the G.O.C., 4th Division at Ercourt on 26 November 1916, along with 14 other men of the battalion, all awarded for gallant conduct during 1915.

George Reeve’s service in the Royal Irish Fusiliers was one of great distinction. First entering France on 22 August 1914, he was wounded in action four times, commissioned in the field for gallantry and awarded the M.C., M.M. He also had the unenviable task on 5 November 1917 of commanding the firing party responsible for executing Private G. Hanna, of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Late in 1918, probably as a result of his wounds, Reeves was attached to the 52nd Battalion, K.R.R.C. based at Colchester, Essex. Tragically, on 14 October 1918 whilst walking towards Colchester from the Goojerat Barracks, he was struck by a taxi, and died in hospital early the following morning. Sold with a very large and interesting quantity of copied research detail, including photographs of recipient. This pair of medals is extensively featured in the book
Researching British Military Medals, by Steve Dymond, a copy of which is included with the lot.