Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

A good Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M., M.M. group of six awarded to Farrier Sergeant H. Stacey, 153rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (54650 Far. Sjt., M.M., R.F.A.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (54650 Far. Sjt., ‘D’ By., 153/Bde. R.F.A.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (54650 S. Sth., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (54650 Sjt., R.A.); Defence Medal 1939-45; together with Belgian King Albert’s Veteran Medal; Safe Driving Medal; Silver War Badge; D.C.M. League enamelled badge; and R.A. Association enamelled badge, contained in an old leather fitted case, contact wear, edge bruising and polished, therefore good fine and better (11) £1200-1500

D.C.M. London Gazette 2 December 1919 (native of Bristol, serving with 153rd Brigade R.F.A.) ‘On 15 October 1918, he was in charge of wagons taking ammunition to the battery along Dadizeele-Kezelberg Road, which was under heavy fire. One wagon received a direct hit, ten men being wounded and seven horses killed. Though himself severely wounded in three places, he supervised the work of clearing the wounded, directed the wagons on to the guns, and cleared the road of debris. He did not have his wounds attended to until he had ensured the replacement of casualties. He showed marked gallantry and devotion to duty.’

M.M. London Gazette 29 August 1918.

Sold with an original photograph of recipient in Royal Canadian Mounted Police uniform wearing medals, and newspaper cutting, from which the following is extracted:

‘Sergeant H. Stacey, of Sturgess Avenue, Hendon, was astounded at a recent British Legion Parade, when he was called over to talk to a representative of the Belgian Embassy. The official demanded to know why Mr Stacey, as an Old Contemptible was not wearing the Veterans of King Albert the First Medal. Seventy one year old Mr Stacey did not even know this honour existed. The official explained that all British ex-servicemen who served in France and Belgium during the first three months of the First World War were entitled to the Belgian decoration. The result was that Mr Stacey was decorated with the medal at the Belgium Club, below the Belgian Embassy in Belgrave Square.

Mr Stacey is at present semi-retired and Command Quarter Master Sergeant of the Hendon detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with whom he has been enlisted for eight years...

Mr Stacey received several field decorations for gallantry while serving in France and Belgium. Among his medals are the Military Medal, the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Mons Star.

He received the D.C.M. [sic] at Passchendaele after being wounded in five places by a shell which burst only 12 feet away from him.

He was decorated with the M.M. [sic] at St Quentin in October 1918, when he was in charge of ammunition wagons under heavy fire. One wagon was hit, and ten men were wounded. Although Mr Stacey was severely hurt, he refused to have his wounds attended to until he had looked after the welfare of the men in his charge...

Mr Stacey was invalided out of the army in 1918. After the war he worked for a while in the coal trade, then started work as a driver with the London buses with whom he remained until 1946, when he was retired due to increasing trouble with his war wounds. Although he was on the buses during the Second World War, he put in over five years voluntary part time service with the Ministry of Information...’