Medals & Coins, Arms & Armour - 14th December 2021

Lot 7

The Victoria Cross group of miniature dress medals worn by Major General Henry Edward

Estimate £1,000 - £1,500 | Hammer £4200

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Description

The Victoria Cross group of miniature dress medals worn by Major General Henry Edward Manning Douglas, V.C., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Army Medical Corps, comprising: Victoria Cross; The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion's Badge; The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, Companion's Badge; Distinguished Service Order; Queen's South Africa Medal, 3 clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901; Africa General Service Medal 1899-1956, Edward VII, 2 clasps: Somaliland 1902-04, Jidballi; 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-20; Victory Medal; General Service Medal 1918-62, George V, clasp: N.W. Persia; Coronation Medal 1937; Serbia: Order of St Sava; Red Cross Society Decoration; Commemorative Medal for the 1912 War; 1913 Commemorative Cross; France: Croix de Guerre with Palm, the foregoing mounted for wearing, good very fine and better; together with two loose miniatures: The British Red Cross Society Medal for the Balkan Wars 1912-13, damage to central enamel, ribbon frail; and a second C.B., nearly extremely fine. [16 / 2]

London Gazettes: V.C. 29/03/1901, D.S.O. 19/04/1901, MID 16/03/1900

Born at Gillingham in Kent, 11th July 1875; Lieutenant Royal Army Service Corps, 28th July 1899; served in the South African War 1899-1901; won the V.C. at Magersfontein where he was also severely wounded; Captain, 27th July 1902; served in Somaliland 1903-04 and India 1904-08; Major, 1911; served in the Balkans 1912-13 and in the European war from 1914; Lieutenant Colonel 1915.

Lieutenant Douglas was medical officer in charge of the Black Watch (2nd Bn. Royal Highlanders) when he performed his V.C. action: "On the 11th Dec. 1899, during the action at Magersfontein, Lieut. Douglas showed great gallantry and devotion, under a very severe fire, in advancing in the open and attending to Capt. Gordon, Gordon Highlanders, who was wounded, and also attending to Major Robinson and other wounded men under a fearful fire. Many similar acts of devotion and gallantry were performed by Lieut. Douglas on the same day."