The Great War 3rd Ypres and Defence of Givenchy double M.C. group of four to Captain Harry Lonsdale,

The Great War 3rd Ypres and Defence of Givenchy double M.C. group of four to Captain Harry Lonsdale, Royal Fusiliers and Loyal North Lancashire Regiment: Military Cross, George V, with second award bar, reverse privately engraved '1/4 LOYAL NORTH LANCS. 2ND LIEUT. H. LONSDALE WIELTJE JULY 31ST 1917 55TH DIV.' in six lines; 1914-15 Star (5220 PTE. H. LONSDALE R. FUS.); British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal (CAPT. H. LONSDALE); mounted for wearing, about very fine, ribbons worn; together with a mounted group of corresponding dress miniatures including also a Defence Medal, the case of issue for the M.C., and an associated marching compass dated 1917.

Harry Lonsdale was born in Prestwich, Lancashire, on the 10th of November 1894. He attended Rossall School until 1912, where he was a member of the O.T.C. On the 3rd of September 1914 he attested for the 20th (3rd Public School) Battalion Royal Fusiliers, He disembarked in France in November 1915, and was wounded in the back on the 20th of February 1916, though he remained on duty. Discharged to a commission on the 25th of January 1917, he joined the 1/4 Battalion L.N.L. on the 25th of March 1917 and his first M.C. was awarded for action on the 31st of July in the initial assault of the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a mopping-up party. He carried out his task with such dash and rapidity that he was able to rejoin his own wave before it reached its final objective. He then pushed forward a patrol under very heavy machine-gun fire, reorganised his platoon along with the remnants of several others, and effectively consolidated the captured position. His coolness and fine leadership were of immense service at this period of the operation."

Lonsdale, by now an Acting Captain, earned the bar to his M.C. on the 9th of April 1918 for his part in the 55th Division's famous 'Defence of Givenchy' in the face of the German spring offensive:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy was reported to have broken through on both flanks he organised an all-round defence, personally visiting the positions of his platoons under heavy bombardment and machine-gun and rifle fire. He later led a counter-attack, resulting in the retaking of a concrete machine-gun fortification and the capture of forty-six prisoners, including two officers. He behaved splendidly."

On the 1st of June 1918 Captain Lonsdale's battalion was in the line in the Left Sector at Givenchy when it came under heavy bombardment, including "mustard gas shells and whizzbangs", from 3am until 5am. Lonsdale was seriously wounded by a machine-gun bullet which entered below the right side of his neck and penetrated the length of his right lung. He survived to see out the remainder of the war on home service and he was released from the army in February 1919.

The bullet in Captain Lonsdale's lung was not removed, and he suffered from pain and shortness of breath until at least 1920. He seems to have maintained an interest in his regiment, and on the 15th of June 1931 he joined in a reunion and march-past in Chorley, Lancashire, as part of the town's Civic Jubilee celebrations.