Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely well-documented Second War campaign group of three awarded to Major A. S. T. Swan, 11th (Jersey) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, attached 2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, who was M.I.D. for service in Italy, having been recommended for a Military Cross, and was killed in action trying to force a crossing of the River Rubicon, Italy, 22/23 September 1944

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Memorial Scroll ‘Major A. S. T. Swan Royal Hampshire Regiment’, in an On Her Majesty’s Service envelope addressed to ‘Mrs. P. C. Swan, 37 Knightsbridge Court, Sloane Street, London, S.W.1.’, M.I.D. Certificate, dated 19 July 1945, and a Lever Arch file replete with letters, testimonials, extracts from Books of Remembrance, pre-war photographs and other ephemera (lot) £300-£400

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, October 1995.

M.I.D. London Gazette 19 July 1945 (Italy, since killed in action).

Aubrey Spencer Travers Swan was ‘killed in action in Italy [23] September, 1944, aged 35. The youngest son of Lieut-Col. C. T. Swan [of La Haule, Jersey], 64th Pioners, I.A., he was at [Victoria] College [Jersey] from 1920 to 1927. He won the Gold Medal for Classics, and also the Girard de Quetteville Gold Medal by virtue of being Head Prefect in his last year. His elder brother Dermot, who entered with him, was Head Prefect in 1926. Dermot, it will be remembered, perished, together with his young wife, in the Jersey air disaster of November 1938. They were a splendid pair of brothers. The years 1921-29 stand out from any other period in the history of the School. It was a period of almost unbroken success against Elizabeth College, and the English school matches, against Canford, Weymouth, Ardingly and Chigwell, were all won. And no two boys did more than, or as much as, the two Swans. Aubrey though not a “class” cricketer on Dermot’s level, was a useful member of the XI for four years. Captain his last year, two years in the Football XI, three in the Hockey, two in the Athletic team, Captain his last year. On leaving he went up to Oxford with a Channel Islands Scholarship at Exeter. He took a second in Mods and a third in Greats, in each case a class lower than we had hoped. His tutor said that in Greats he was the only man that he had taught who was most certainly given the wrong class. He had the making of a fine scholar. Thoughtful, clear-minded, possessed of a refined taste and a real appreciation of the beauties of literature, he had no use for loose thinking or slovenly writing.....

From Oxford he became a schoolmaster. After a short period at Ripon School, followed by three years at Glasgow Academy, he joined the staff of King Edward VI School, Birmingham. His good work in command of the O.T.C. there led to his appointment, immediately on the outbreak of war, to an instructorship at the Sandhurst O.C.T.U., with the rank of Captain. On termination of that appointment he went to the 11th (Jersey) Battalion of the Hampshires. He soon had his company, and not long afterwards was promoted Major and appointed Second-in-Command. A little later he was posted as Second-in-Command to a regular unit, the 2nd Essex, with whom he remained till he went overseas. He then went as a Company Commander to the 2/5th Leicesters in the Eighth Army. After the fighting at Cassino they went to Palestine to reorganise, returning to Italy in the Summer of 1944. His C.O. wrote: “Since we came back into action Aubrey was my best and steadiest Company Commander. His men speedily grew to respect his courage and coolness, and I always knew that, as long as he was there, I could rely on one firm corner. We were part of a team that has done great things in the last month. Without Aubrey and the spirit he fostered in his men, such success could not have been won.”

He had been recommended for the M.C., and his widow treasures the King’s Certificate and Oak Leaf.’ (Victoria College, Jersey, The Second Book of Remembrance refers)

Major Swan was killed in action during an attempt to force a crossing of the River Rubicon near Veruccio, 23 September 1944. His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel F. L. Martin, 2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, wrote the following to Swan’s widow four days after his death:

‘I am afraid this letter will confirm the sad news of Aubrey’s death, which occurred in action about midnight on the 22/23 of this month.

We were attacking the enemy and trying to force a crossing of the River Rubicon. All went well and his company was, as always, doing splendidly. Unfortunately, he and another officer went forward to make a reconnaissance of the next stretch of country, and an enemy automatic post opened fire on the group and hit Aubrey very badly. He gallantly handed over to a junior officer and told him what to do before he died. You will be glad to know that his batman very gallantly went forward, at great risk, and stayed with him for the short while he lived [a letter from Private Turner is also included in the lot]- and for that I have commended him to the G.O.C.’ (Letter included in the lot refers)

Major Swan is buried in the Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy.