Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Great War D.S.O., M.C., D.C.M. group of eleven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel T. B. Lawrence, Gordon Highlanders, onetime attached to the Liverpool Regiment: his D.S.O. citation states that he ‘personally shot a number of the enemy’, while his D.C.M. might have stemmed from a V.C. recommendation

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; Military Cross, G.V.R.; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (6401 C.S. Mjr. T. Lawrence, 2/Gord. Hrs.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (6401 Pte., Gordon Highrs.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (6401 Corpl., Gordon Highrs.); 1914 Star, with clasp (6401 C.Q.M. Sjt., 2/Gord. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col.); Defence Medal; Delhi Durbar 1911, regimentally engraved ‘No. 6401 Sergt. T. Lawrence, 2nd Gordon Highrs.’; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (6401 C.S. Mjr., Gord. Highrs.), together with related Defenders of Ladysmith Association gilt and enamel lapel badge, single initial ‘T.’ throughout except B.W.M. & Victory Medal pair as ‘T. B.’, the first with slightly chipped enamel wreaths and loose reverse centre, the remainder with contact marks and polished, thus generally good fine or better and extremely rare (12) £6000-8000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson.

View
Collection

D.S.O. London Gazette 27 July 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in skilfully withdrawing his battalion, when ordered, without a casualty, from close contact with the enemy. Also for gallant defence of his H.Qs in the support line, when he personally shot a number of the enemy.’

An award for the actions at Fontaine-les-Croisilles and Heninel on 21 and 28 March 1918, while attached as an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel and C.O. to the 13th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment.

M.C. London Gazette 29 September 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry during operations. In command of a company he organised an attack, and gained a position, capturing prisoners. Later he led a party which cleared a wood of snipers. He displayed ready initiative and cool judgement.’

An award for the action at Bazentin Le Petit Wood on 14 July 1916, while serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.

D.C.M. London Gazette 5 August 1915:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and ability on the 16 May 1915 at Festubert. He organised and repaired the first line German trench for defence under a heavy shell and rifle fire. He also assisted to carry in wounded men under a heavy fire, and set a splendid example to all under him of the greatest bravery and devotion to duty.’

An award for services as a Company Sergeant-Major in the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.

Thompson Brook “Tommy” Lawrence was born at Farnham, Surrey in April 1879 and enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders at Aldershot in February 1898. Arriving in South Africa, via India, in October 1899, he was present at Elandslaagte, Lombard’s Kop, the siege of Ladysmith, Witkopjes, Rooi Kopjes, Frischgewagd, Geluk, Belfast and Lydenberg. He was also lucky to escape a disastrous armoured train action near Pietersburg in July 1901, having changed places with a Corporal, an incident about which he would later say: ‘By this - for me - lucky exchange I was spared to serve in the Great War, through every rank from Private to Lieutenant-Colonel in 15 years.’

From South Africa his Battalion went to India where it remained until December 1912. During this time Lawrence attended musketry and maxim-gun courses and received his Delhi Durbar 1911 Medal as part of the allotment authorised by the Adjutant-General in India. And from December 1912 to September 1914, he was with the Battalion in Egypt.

At the outbreak of hostilities Lawrence was serving as C.Q.M.S., 2nd Gordons, and went with the Battalion to France on 7 October 1914, gaining advancement to C.S.M. later that month - his warrant as a W.O. Class II actually bears the date 29 January 1915 - and was awarded his D.C.M. for ‘the greatest bravery’ at Festubert in May of the latter year: as a result, it is worth speculating whether he was originally recommended for a V.C.

Commissioned in late June 1916, he remained on active service with the 2nd Gordons, almost immediately winning the M.C. for his bravery at Bazentin Le Petit Wood on 14 July 1916, when his unit went into action in support of the 2nd Royal Irish during a counter-attack. A few weeks later, in an assault on High Wood on 20 August, Lawrence was ‘wounded by barbed wire above [the] German trenches’ which caused an infection on his inner thighs.

In mid 1917, having been advanced to Acting Captain and transferred to the 1st Battalion, he attended a Senior Officers’ School at Aldershot, and, while there, went to an Investiture at Buckingham Palace on 15 August. In December, he was advanced to Acting Major and attached to the 8th Battalion of the King’s Own Regiment, but almost immediately, however, he was further advanced to Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of the 13th Battalion of the King’s Liverpool Regiment - confirmation of his appointment to substantive Lieutenant arrived 24 hours later!

Quickly back in action, he went on to win his D.S.O. for his skill in withdrawing the Battalion at Heninel and Fonteine-les-Croiselles during late March 1918, but his wartime career was effectively curtailed on 22 September 1918, when he suffered ‘shell gas poisoning’ (official records refer).

In addition to his remarkable combination of decorations, Lawrence was three times mentioned in despatches, once by Sir John French in his despatch of November 1915 and twice by Sir Douglas Haig in his despatches of 8 November 1918 and 16 March 1919; he had also been awarded a “Certificate of Bravery in the Field” in May 1915 by the C.O. of the 2nd Gordons, and two “Certificates for Conspicuous Gallantry” by the G.O.C. 7th Division in May and September 1915.

Advanced to substantive Captain, with the Brevet of Major, in June 1919, Lawrence retired from the Army in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, with an annutiy of £2000, in June 1920. Settling near Farnham, Surrey, he returned to uniform as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Surrey (Farnham) Battalion, Home Guard, in August 1942, in which capacity he served until the unit’s disbandment in 1944.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including M.I.D. certificates dated 8 November 1918 and 16 March 1919; Buckingham Palace telegram regarding an Investiture on 15 August 1917; membership card for the Defenders of Ladysmith Association, with subsription payment to 1949; warrant for the rank of W.O. Class II, dated w.e.f. 29 January 1915; and a letter of reference from the C.O., 2nd Gordons, dated at Glasgow 4 May 1920 (‘ ... He has served in every rank from Private upwards and as Lieutenant-Colonel commanded a battalion with distinction during the late War ...’).