REVIEW: ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS & MILITARIA: 11 JUNE

Judy the boxer proved triumphant in this sale, her Dickin Medal, the Animal V.C., selling well above it top estimate £18,000 at £22,000.

The sale proved another success for Dickin Medals at Noonans, which set a new auction record at £140,000 for a Dickin Medal in October 2022.

 

As the last newsletter recalled, Judy thwarted a night-time terrorist attack on British officers in Palestine, during which she protected and undoubtedly saved the life of her severely wounded brother Punch, at risk to her own life.

Judy's story inspired Country Life, which went on to write a feature about her and the other animals whose selfless acts saved others while putting themselves in danger. Of the 75 Dickin medals awarded, the recipients have been 38 dogs, 32 pigeons, four horses and a cat.

Other highlights from this latest sale included the South Africa 1877-79 medal awarded to Sapper J. McLaren, Royal Engineers, who was killed in action at the battle of Isandhlwana on 22 January 1879. It doubled low estimate at £12,000.