Auction Catalogue

16 December 2003

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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

Lot

№ 877

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16 December 2003

Hammer Price:
£1,400

A Great War M.C. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant S. C. Deed, 10th Hussars, later Intelligence Corps

Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., 10/Hrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Order of the Nile, breast badge by Lattes, silver, gilt and enamels, good very fine (9) £800-1000

M.C. London Gazette 30 arch 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry as bombing officer in the trenches. When the enemy suddenly and unexpectedly exploded a mine, he forestalled them and occupied the crater, and drove off the bombers. Later when the enemy had occupied the lip of the crater, he led out his bombers again and turned them out.’

Sydney Clifford Deed was born in Billericay in 1895. He joined the 10th Hussars in France as a Second Lieutenant on 24 May 1915, shortly before the Second Battle of Ypres. The 10th Hussars formed part of the 8th Cavalry Brigade, with the Royal Horse Guards and the Essex Yeomanry. A dismounted battalion was formed at the end of 1915, comprising one company from each regiment. Deed joined this battalion as Bombing Officer and was heavily engaged in the Hohenzollern Redoubt area of the Vermelles Sector from 3 January to 8 February, 1916. He won his Military Cross for bravery on the 2nd February after the Germans had unexpectedly exploded a mine at 6.15 that evening.

Deed was appointed Staff Captain, 6th Cavalry Brigade, on 5 August 1917, and subsequently served in Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Turkey. He was twice mentioned in despatches, for France and Egypt, and awarded the Order of the Nile, 4th class. He rejoined in September 1940, as a Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps, and was promoted to Captain in 1940. He served in Europe on the Second Front and was promoted to Major in November 1945. Released to the Unemployed List in December 1946, Major Deed died at Newcastle upon Tyne in December 1969.