The specialist sale of Medals and Militaria complemented a fantastic auction on Tuesday 29th June at The Cotswold Auction Company’s Cheltenham saleroom. Following the success of the Naval General Service Medal at £4,600 in the March 2nd Auction we were lucky enough to attract two more. Lot 418 was a single clasp, 1st June 1794 given for the first and largest action against the French fleet also known as “The glorious first of June”. It sold for £1500 against an estimate of £1200-1500. Another with single clasp for St Vincent sold on the lower estimate for £900, however this medal had been brooch mounted (it was common practice for sailors’ loved ones to take the medal and wear it in a pin brooch), but from a collector’s point of view it is not as issued and therefore will be worth a fraction of the price.
Two Military Cross groups were consigned. First to go under the hammer was a Great War group to Lieutenant D. Hindson who served with the Royal Engineers. Hindson’s service took him all the way through the Great War and he was later a key figure with the St Johns Ambulance. Hindson’s recommendation for M.C. was published in the London Gazette on 6.4.1918 ‘For conspicuous gallantry and duty when in charge of parties which successfully completed three strong points in the newly captured ground on the exposed flank of the advance’, an emotive group selling within estimate for £950. Another Great War group to Major C.W.G. Bryan sold for £850, Bryan served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and not only received his Military Cross for his gallant actions but was mentioned in despatches too.
Medals to Australians have seen a recent surge in the market and Lot 313 was no exception. The Great War group to Private W. Bridges who served with the 23rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force created a lot of attention and far exceeded the estimate selling for £450; the group was part of a collection consigned to us by The Royal Air Forces Association in Gloucester. We were entrusted to achieve the highest prices for the collection which was formed over their many years in residence at Spa Road. The association is relocating and the sale of the collection will contribute substantially to the regeneration of their club later on this year. Top prices were paid for Second World War tunics averaging out £120 each, and many of the lithographic prints which hung in their bar sold well above estimate. Overall the collection sold incredibly well, Auctioneer Henry Meadows remarked ‘It was an absolute pleasure to assist the RAFA club from start to finish, and with a diverse and interesting collection such as this it just emphasises the importance of having specialist auctions. The online bidding service which our sales offer really came into its own with £16,000 in value being purchased by internet buyers”.