Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The exceptional Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. and two bars group of four awarded to Captain R. R. Rawson, 19th Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers, who won an Olympic Gold Medal for heavyweight boxing in the 1920 Olympic Games, having already been crowned the Amateur Boxing Association Champion earlier that year, a title which he retained in 1921 - none of his three fights in the 1920 Olympics went beyond the second round and he won the final against his Danish opponent by a knock out

Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second and Third Award Bars, reverse of M.C. inscribed ‘Captain R. R. Rawson, New Years’ Honours, January 1917’, reverse of Second Award Bar inscribed ‘Battle of Arras 9th April 1917’; Third Award Bar, uninscribed as issued, 1914-15 Star (2. Lieut., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); together with recipient’s Olympic ‘Gold’ Prize Medal and eleven other sporting prize medals as listed below, nearly extremely fine (16)
£15000-20000

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1917.

Bar to M.C. London Gazette 26 July 1917 ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He maintained communication throughout the day under heavy fire. Although the whole of his party had become casualties, and he himself was slightly gassed, he continued his work for the remainder of the day.’ Awarded for an action at Arras on 9 April 1917 when serving with 9th Divisional Signal Company.

Second Bar to M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

Just four officers of the Royal Engineers were awarded a Military Cross and two bars during the Great War.

Ronald Rawson Rawson was born in Surrey on 17 June 1892. He was educated at West Downs School, Westminster and Cambridge University and prior to the outbreak of the Great War served in the University of Cambridge School Corps for three years. He applied for his commission in the regular army on 21 August 1914 and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Signal Squadron, Royal Engineers on 5 September 1914. He embarked for France the following May and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in August 1915 and Captain in July 1917. Rawson was invested with his Military Cross at Buckingham Palace on 17 February 1917, and returned there in June 1919 to be invested with both his first and second award bars. He was demobilized in May 1919 and died in March 1952, aged 60.

The following in relation to Rawson’s Olympic Gold Medal winning exploits is extracted from two contemporary newspaper reports:

‘The finals in the Olympic boxing attracted a great concourse. Long before the doors opened hundreds had gathered, and by the time the boxing began the hall was packed many having to be turned away. The proportions of ladies present was particularly noticeable and it is certain no other event in the Olympic games aroused such interest among the Belgians, who, however, had no representative among the finalists. The wildly enthusiastic spectators despite this cheered every hit with the most splendid impartiality.

The last bout of the heavyweights was an easy victory for England. Rawson knocking out Petersen (Denmark). In the second round the Englishman, who had a great advantage in reach, contented himself with pushing his left in the Dane’s face. Hugging it, the Dane rained powerful blows on Rawson’s right glove. In the second round Rawson went in and fought his man, showing quite a punch. Very soon a left, followed by a right and left to the face caused the Dane to sink on his hands and knees, and he did not attempt to rise.’

‘In the heavyweight division R. R. Rawson, this years amateur champion, carried off the trophy per three successes, and each one he registered was beyond dispute, as his opponents were not equal to going the scheduled three rounds but lost in the second session. His bouts with Stewart, an American and Eleure, a Frenchman ended with the referee applying the closure, whilst in the final he knocked out Petersen, a Dane, who had previously defeated F. S. Dove, the ‘Varsity heavy’ by the knock out route in the first series.’

Sold with the following sporting prize medals and original documentation and photographs:

a) VII Olympiade, Antwerp, 1920, Winner’s ‘Gold Medal’, in silver-gilt, by Josue Dupon, for 1st Place in heavyweight boxing, unnamed as issued, 60mm, in red leatherette case of issue, the front lid embossed ‘1er Prix, VII Olympiade, Anvers 1920’; together with recipient’s original named award certificate, inscribed ‘VII Olympiade, Anvers 1920, 1er Prix, Boxe (poids cowids) Ronald Rawson, Grand Bretagne’, medal with gilt worn, some contact wear and edge bruising, the certificate with one or two minor tears to extremities, otherwise generally in good condition, a superb piece and undoubtedly a rare survival

b) Six silver-gilt and two silver, uniface prize medals/plaques presented by West Downs School between 1904 and 1906, each named to recipient for the following sports: Senior Boxing; Middle Swimming; Middle Broad Jump; Senior Swimming (2); Senior Diving (2); Senior Cricket Ball

c) Two Cambridge University prize medallions, 50mm, each inscribed ‘C.U.B. & F.C. Freshmens Heavyweights R. R. Rawson, Trin. Coll. 1912’ and ‘C.U.B. & F.C. v London Hospitals Heavyweights 1913’, both in original fitted cases

d) British Expeditionary Force Recreational Training Inter-Theatre of War Boxing Team prize medal, inscribed ‘Captain R. R. Rawson, M.C., R.E., Officers Heavyweights’

e) An attractive Amateur Boxing Association Prize certificate awarded to recipient, inscribed ‘This is to certify that at the annual competitions held on 24th March 1920 at the Holborn Stadium, R. R. Rawson of Polytechnic Boxing Club was the winner of the Heavy (any weight) weight Championship of England’, some damage to extremities, but generally in good condition

f) A superb photograph of ten competitors in the Cambridge University Freshers Novices Boxing Competition, November 29th, 1912, with each of the ten identified.

g) An original studio portrait photograph of recipient in uniform and two original newspaper cuttings relating to the award of the Bars to his M.C.

h) A quantity of copied newspaper cuttings relating to Rawson’s boxing successes and four copied photographs of recipient, comprising one of him as a young boy with his two brothers, one of him in army uniform outside the gates at Buckingham Palace and two of him in boxing poses.