Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. pair awarded to Second Lieutenant J. C. Lott, East Lancashire Regiment, late 18th (1st Public Schools) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 13 April 1918 - together with a rare Memorial Volume commemorating the recipient
Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (1758 Pte. J. C. Lott. R. Fus:); Memorial Plaque (John Cyprian Lott) very fine

Pair: Lieutenant R. C. Lott, 12th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, later attached General Staff, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his services in Salonika during the Great War
British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. R. C. Lott.) nearly extremely fine (5) £700-£900

M.C. London Gazette 17 September 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading his company to their objective with great dash and ability. During consolidation he set a splendid example of coolness and disregard of danger, moving about on the top and encouraging his men. On several occasions he has shown exceptional gallantry, within three days personally leading three bombing attacks against a strongly-wired enemy position.’

John Cyprian Lott was born on 28 February 1895 at De Aar, Cape Colony, South Africa the son of the Reverend Reginald Charles Lott and Alice Margaret Lott. He was educated at Sherborne School and Trinity College, Oxford and enlisted as a Private in the University and Public Schools Brigade, 18th Battalion Royal Fusiliers on 2 September 1914, proceeding to France with them on 14 November 1915. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers, 3rd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment on 5 September 1916 and was attached to the 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment on 29 September 1916.

Second Lieutenant Lott was wounded on 10 March 1917 and 27 March 1918 and was killed in action on 13 April 1918:
‘He was killed in the Trench Line between the village of Merris and Vieux Berquin, when he was hit by a bullet in the left temple and killed instantaneously. His body was buried in the garden at a farm house...During this last fighting under very adverse circumstances, he, in conjunction with orders, by their fine example, largely contributed to maintaining the line under very critical conditions’ (extract from a letter of condolence written in the field, 15 April 1918, from Colonel A. Rickman, 11th East Lancashire Regiment, to Mrs Lott). He is buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, France.

Sold together with a personal memorial volume dedicated to the recipient, not recorded in Tom Donovan’s Bibliography of Personal Memorial Volumes of the Great War 1914-18 and presumably one of a very limited number produced for family members and close friends or possibly unique. Bound in brown leather with gilt borders and lettering, the volume, in very good condition, contains a fine pencil portrait, biographical/career details and very neat handwritten ink transcriptions of tributes and letters of condolence from Lott’s former Commanding Officer, fellow officers and Chaplain. Also sold with an original photograph of the recipient’s wooden cross grave in France.

Ralph Charles Lott, older brother of the above, was born in 1892 in Bournmouth, Hampshire. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford in 1911 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant from the Officer Training Corps on 19 September 1914. Promoted Temporary Lieutenant in the 12th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers on 26 November 1914, he served with his battalion in Salonika from 22 December 1915 and was admitted to the 28th General Hospital on 6 September 1916, suffering from from malaria. Lott was attached to the General Staff, War Office in Salonika in 1916 and was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 6 December 1916). He was transferred to the General List on 26 November 1918 and relinquished his commission on 31 July 1919, retaining the rank of Lieutenant. For his services during the war, he was awarded the Order of the White Eagle, 5th Class by His Majesty the King of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (London Gazette 15 October 1920). Lott’s Medal Index Card shows he applied for his Great War medals, including 1914-15 Star, in 1927, at which time he was Schoolmaster at The School, Malvern Link, Worcestershire.