Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1918 ‘Béthune’ French Croix de Guerre group of four awarded to Acting Sergeant L. M. Schwabacher, 10th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), later attached Intelligence Corps

1914-15 Star (Stk-225 Pte. L. M. Schwabacher R. Fus.) first initial and last two letters of surname officially corrected; British War and Victory Medals (Stk-225 A. Sjt. L. Maurice. R. Fus.); France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre, bronze, reverse dated 1914-1918, all housed in an A. W. Baldwin fitted case, good very fine and better (4) £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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French Croix de Guerre London Gazette 7 January 1919.
The original citation (in French), dated 24 August 1918, states: ‘From 10 April 10 to 1 May, 1918, during the period when Bethune was being regularly and violently bombed, he showed courage and dedication in helping to evacuate the population to safety, despite the ever-present danger.’

Leslie Maurice Schwabacher (later Leslie Maurice) was born in 1895 in St. Pancras, London into a family of Jewish diamond merchants who settled in London in the 19th Century. He served with the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, during the Great War on the Western Front from 21 July 1915 and was later attached to the Intelligence Corps, with which unit he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for gallant services during the civilian evacuation of Béthune in 1918.
He changed his name to Leslie Maurice after the War and his British War and Victory Medals were issued under this name.

Sold together with rare original Citation for French Croix de Guerre.