A Great War ‘Italian theatre’ Piave River Crossing M.C. group of four awarded to Second Lieutenant O. J. Olding, 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. O. J. Olding.); together with the recipient’s Italian Armata Altipiani Medal 1918, silver, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (4) £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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M.C. London Gazette 10 December 1919:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 27th October 1918, near Cimadolmo. The courage and leadership of this officer throughout the whole action were most praiseworthy. At the critical stage during the wading through the Piave river, and the continuation of the advance upon reaching the mainland under heavy machine and rifle fire, he led his platoon forward with great skill and control. Later by the tactical handling of his platoon, he captured several enemy strong points with a large number of prisoners and machine guns with the minimum number of casualties. He did fine work.’

Oliver James Olding was born in Southampton in 1891. A shopman by occupation, he attested at Portsmouth as a Private in the Hampshire Regiment for the duration of the War on 17 November 1915. He joined the 15th Battalion at Etaples on 1 June 1916; attached to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on the Somme on 11 July 1916, the battalion took part in the actions at Bazentin Le Grand, High Wood, and Ginchy between July and September 1916.

Olding was formally transferred to the 9th Battalion on 9 October 1916 with the rank of Corporal. Posted to an Officer Cadet Battalion at Oxford on 9 March 1917, he was commissioned temporary Second Lieutenant in the Devonshire Regiment on 27 June 1917 and transferred the 8th (Service) Battalion near Bullecourt on 27 June 1917. The 8th Battalion entrained for Italy on 18 November 1917 and took over the trenches along the River Piave on 26 January 1918, subsequently transferring to the Asiago Plateau in April 1918. He commanded No. 4 Party, ‘C’ Company during the raid on Vaister, on the Asiago Plateau, on 4 May 1918, and served as Second in Command of ‘C’ Company during the operations to cross the River Piave on 26-27 October 1918, for which services he was awarded the Military Cross. Advanced Temporary Lieutenant, he relinquished his commission on completion of service on 21 February 1920, and retained the rank of Lieutenant. Following the Great War he obtained employment as a Hotel Steward and died in hospital at Coulsden, Surrey, on 3 February 1929, aged 36.

Note: The Armata Altipiani Medal 1918 was awarded for the Battle of the Piave, Asiago Plateau, on 15 June 1918. About 450 of these medals were awarded to British Officers. The medal is not official but was created by the Italian authorities on the initiative of General Montuori, commander of the Italian 6th Army, and awarded early in 1919 to Italian, British and French officers of the forces that had fought in the Battle of the Piave from 15 to 24 June 1918. The medal, when attributed, is scarce.

Sold with the recipient’s Identity disc (2nd Lt. O. J. Olding C.E. 8th Devons); and copied research.