Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Private G. C. Rennie, Gordon Highlanders, taken Prisoner of War at St. Valéry-en-Caux during the Fall of France on 12 June 1940

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (2873598 Pte. G. Rennie. Gordons.) re-impressed naming in India; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (2873958 Pte. G. Rennie. Gordons.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, suspension claw on IGS re-pinned, very fine (4) £200-240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Prisoners of War.

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George ‘Soup’ Rennie was born in Aberdeenshire on 4 April 1908, and attested for the Gordon Highlanders at Castlehill in 1928. ‘He served for a short period with the 2nd Battalion at Ballykinlar, later joining the 1st Battalion at Landi Kotal. He went with the Battalion to Palestine in 1933, and returned with them to Edinburgh Castle, going on the reserve from there in 1935. The following year, 1936, he was recalled from the reserve and joined the West Yorkshire Regiment in Palestine, on active service against terrorist gangs. Returning home, he was again recalled from the reserve, this time joining the 1st Battalion, and serving in the British Expeditionary Force. He was taken Prisoner of War at St. Valéry-en-Caux, finally being discharged in 1945, on his repatriation.
He holds the India General Service Medal 1908-35, with ‘North West Frontier’ clasp, and the General Service Medal, with Palestine clasp - a most unusual double for any Gordon Highlander serving at that time. In addition, he was awarded the 1939-45 star and the War Medal for service with the B.E.F. A very active member of the Royal British Legion, he has been standard bearer for his branch for some years, and has won many competitions for drill and deportment in this field.’ (article in The Tiger and Sphinx, March 1973 refers).

Rennie was held at Stalag XX-B at Marienburg for his duration as a prisoner of War, and was possibly part of the ‘death march’ from that camp in early 1945.

Sold together with the recipient’s Certificate of Transfer to the Army Reserve; a postcard photograph of the recipient; and a photographic image of him in later life wearing his four medals.

Note: Rennie does not appear on the Gordon Highlanders Medal roll for the India General Service, although his medal has been re-named in an official ‘India’ style.

Approximately 30 Gordon Highlanders received the India General Service Medal with North West Frontier 1930-31 clasp; and only 23 received the General Service Medal with Palestine clasp, all on attachment with the 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment.