Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Belgian Great War group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel P.-A. Tahon, Belgian Artillery, who was wounded at St. Eloi, 10 May 1915, and again at St. Jacques Capelle, 1 November 1917; was created an honorary Companion of the Distinguished Service Order; and was awarded the French Legion of Honour for his bravery during the advance on Lys, October 1918.

Belgium, Kingdom, Order of Leopold, Military Division, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt appliqué, and enamel, French motto, with Officer’s rosette and small silver palm emblem on riband; Order of the Crown, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gilt appliqué, and enamel, with Officer’s rosette and small silver palm emblem on riband; Croix de Guerre, A.I.R., bronze, with two bronze palms and small lion rampant emblem on riband; Yser Medal, bronze; Frontline Fire Service Cross, bronze; Commemorative War Medal 1914-18, bronze; Allied Victory Medal 1914-19, bronze; Great Britain, Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, gold appliqué, and enamel; France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated 1914-1918, with silver star emblem on riband; together with the recipient’s ‘Ypres League’ Lapel Badge, enamel damage in places to all the Orders except the D.S.O., nearly very fine or better (10) £1000-1400

Belgian Order of Leopold, Chevalier, awarded 12 April 1920:
‘For courage and devotion to duty in undertaking several missions during the recent conflict.’

Belgian Order of the Crown, Chevalier, awarded 17 October 1915:
‘For courage when in command of a Battery during the start of the campaign at Ypres in May 1915.’

Belgian Croix de Guerre, awarded 15 September 1916.

French Legion of Honour, Chevalier, and Croix de Guerre, awarded 13 December 1918:
‘A very good Officer, courageous and devoted. He bravely commanded, from 18 to 22 October 1918, a battery in direct support of the 164th French Infantry Division, in the advance on Lys.’

D.S.O. awarded per War Office List no. 13, 4 July 1917.

Paul-Alphonse Tahon was born at Schaerbeck on 28 October 1884, and was admitted to the Military School in Brussels on 2 October 1902. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 29 November 1905, promoted Lieutenant on 26 March 1911, and Captain on 30 April 1915, he served during the Great War as Captain-Commandant of the 18th Regiment of Artillery, Belgian Army, and was wounded at St. Eloi on 10 May 1915, and again at St. Jacques Capelle, 1 November 1917. For his service during the Great War he was created a Chevalier of both the Orders of Leopold and the Crown, awarded the Croix de Guerre, and received the French Legion of Honour and the British Distinguished Service Order. Created an Officer of the Order of the Crown on 8 April 1924, and an Officer of the Order of Leopold on 8 April 1926, he transferred to the Reserve on 27 December 1929, and was advanced to his ultimate rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on 26 June 1930. He died on 18 February 1936.

Sold together with the named Certificate for the recipient’s Ypres league lapel badge, and a large quantity of research containing details of the recipient’s service career.