Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

A very good Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Company Sergeant Major J. G. Reynolds, 1st & 2nd Battalions, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), killed in action in November 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (203062 C. S. Mjr., 2/Lond. R.); 1914-15 Star (1072 Pte., 1-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1072 W.O.Cl.2., 1-Lond. R.) good very fine and better (4) £800-1000

D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1918 ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When all his company officers had become casualties this warrant officer took command and carried forward the attack in spite of heavy enfilade machine-gun fire, and captured three enemy machine guns. Later on, though wounded in two places by a grenade, he declined to retire, but led on the men, showing them a splendid example of courage, initiative and endurance.’

John George Reynolds was born and lived at St Pancras and enlisted at Whitehall. He was killed in action in France and Flanders on 6 November 1918 whilst serving with the 1st London Regiment, attached 1/2nd London Regiment. He is buried in Angreau Communal Cemetery, Honnelles, Hainaut, Belgium.

The following is extracted from The 2nd City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) In The Great War 1914-19. ‘During the assembly the hostile shelling was very heavy, and caused the Battalion many casualties, ‘D’ Company losing over half its effectives. Among the casualties was C.S.M. J. A. (sic.) Reynolds, DCM, who was killed just as he was leaving the farmhouse in which his company’s headquarters had been established, by a direct hit on the building. This was a very sad occurrence. C.S.M. Reynolds had served in France during much of the war and had taken part in most of the battles in which the battalion had been engaged.’