Auction Catalogue

23 September 2005

Starting at 11:00 AM

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

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

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Lot

№ 1271

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23 September 2005

Hammer Price:
£5,500

An excessively rare Iraq 1920 operations D.C.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal F. Denny, 2nd (afterwards 6th) Armoured Car Company, Tank Corps

Distinguished Conduct Medal
, G.V.R. (7869792 A. Cpl. F. Denny, Tank Corps); General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Iraq, N.W. Persia (319011 A. Cpl. F. Denney, Tank Corps), note slight difference in spelling of surname, edge bruising and polished, good fine (2) £3000-3500

Of 32 Distinguished Conduct Medals gazetted between the Wars, seven were awarded during 1921, and four of these were for the Mesopotamia theatre of operations.

D.C.M.
London Gazette 28 September 1921 (under Mesopotamia):

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Khanakin. He repeatedly volunteered out of his turn to form one of a Vickers gun team. Though badly wounded he refused to leave his gun, and by his gallantry and coolness set a splendid example to his comrades.’

The following eye-witness account of the action at Khanakin appeared in the
Tank Corps Journal:

‘The following may be of interest to some of the boys at Bovington and Wareham. It is a history of the 2nd Armoured Car Company during the recent war out here. While being in summer camp at Karind (Persia), we had orders from Baghdad (from some old sweat, I suppose), stating that we were to return to Baghdad at once. Of course the order was carried out (after arguments). But the men were sent down in batches. The last batch were unlucky. On arrival at Oriton, the rail head, we learned that the lines and communications to Baghdad were cut. The following day we were sent down the line with four Vickers guns. Of course we didn’t know at the time what was coming off. At 6.30 p.m. we arrived at Sharaban and were told to stand by our guns. About 10 miles from Sharaban and six or eight miles from Bakuba our train was attacked by Bedouins. The men took the whole affair in a quiet and cool manner. Owing to shortage of ammunition and rations we had to retire to Sharaban. We stayed at Sharaban over night and after warning the P.O. started back for Oriton. We arrived there about 11 a.m. and at 3 p.m. were sent down the line again, but this time for the defence of Khanakin. On the 12 August at 7.30 a.m. the Arabs attacked the station. There were 30 men of No. 2 Company, 40 Carnatic infantry and 20 men of the R.I.Rs. As near as possible there were 30 Arabs to one of us, but thank God they are not trained fighting men. They worked round our left and burned a bridge, and also cut the lines on either side. Then started what we call the siege of Khanakin. By this time we were missing from Oriton, so a party was sent out by rail to reconnoitre. Unfortunately they ran into the trap. The train was wrecked about one mile out of the station. An engine and two armed trucks were sent down as far as possible to relieve the trapped men. Private Molyneux was wounded, also Lance-Corporal Denny, who won the D.C.M. After an hour’s fight the party was brought in. The casualties during the siege were three killed and eight wounded. The history will, no doubt, fill a writing pad, so I finish now ... ’

Sold with assorted research, including
MIC entry comfirming Denny’s change of regimental number and that he had seen no previous active service.