Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War 1942 ‘Western Desert’ M.C. group of four to Second Lieutenant B. F. R. Harris, 171 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery, who led his troop with distinction, under heavy aerial bombardment, during an air raid on Martuba aerodrome, 21 March 1942

Military Cross, G.VI.R. reverse officially dated ‘1942’; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, generally very fine or better (4) £1000-1400

M.C. London Gazette 12 May 1942.

The recommendation states: ‘This officer was in command of a Troop of A/A guns during the operations against the Martuba aerodrome on the 21st March, 1942. He continually took the place of members of his gun teams who were wounded, directing fire, laying and loading guns himself. His Troop was responsible for shooting down one enemy aeroplane and damaging several others. Later when ammunition was running short he personally went round with ammunition lorries and distributed it. Three successive lorries which he was in were set on fire by enemy air attack, but he was quite undaunted and successfully managed to unload the majority of the ammunition, though rounds which had caught alight were exploding round him in all directions.

Second Lieutenant Harris was entirely responsible for saving many valuable rounds of ammunition for use against the enemy.’

Bernard Francis Rawson Harris was the son of Mr and Mrs Frank Harris of Cheam, Surrey. He served with 171 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery during the Second War. He died 27 May 1942, and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt.

Sold with named campaign medal enclosure slip, and typed carbon copy of M.C. citation, officially stamped ‘Directorate of Royal Artillery, War Office, 17 Jul. 1942’.