Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Great War ‘Somme’ M.C. group of four awarded to Second Lieutenant J. A. B. Paul, East Surrey Regiment, late Honourable Artillery Company, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 10 October 1916

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘2nd Lieut. John Andrew Bowring Paul, 7th East Surrey Regt., Ovillers, 1916, 29th July, 2nd Aug., 13th Aug., Killed at Geudecourt 10th Oct. 1916’; 1914-15 Star (2384 Pte. J. A. B. Paul, H.A.C.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. J. A. B. Paul); Memorial Plaque (John Andrew Bowring Paul), traces of adhesive to reverse; Memorial Scroll, ‘2nd Lieut. John Andrew Bowring Paul, M.C., East Surrey Regt.’, the whole contained in an old wooden display case including an inlaid portrait photograph of the recipient and an East Surrey Regiment cap badge, generally extremely fine (6) £3,000-£4,000

Dix Noonan Webb, December 2010.

M.C. London Gazette 26 September 1916:
‘For conspicuous gallantry when in charge of a working party. When a shell burst in an ammunition store, causing many casualties, he rescued and bound up several wounded men at great risk from exploding bombs. Later, on two occasions, he rescued officers under heavy fire.’

John Andrew Bowring Paul was born in 1894 and attested for the Honourable Artillery Company at Armoury House on 21 September 1914. He served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 30 December 1914, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, on 12 August 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry on the Somme on 29 July 1916, the the regimental history of the East Surrey Regiment giving the following account:
‘On the night of 29 July, “C” Company sustained thirty-two casualties through an 8-in. shell landing in the Brigade advanced store containing bombs, S.A.A., Véry lights and rockets. Several men were badly burnt by the Véry lights and rockets, but only a few bombs exploded. 2nd Lieutenant J. A. B. Paul, who was in charge of the working party, showed great coolness in extricating his men from their dangerous position, and for this and other gallant acts was subsequently awarded the Military Cross.’

Paul was killed in action a few months later, on 10 October 1916, while serving on attachment to the 7th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment - ‘He was an absolutely fearless officer and a great loss to the Battalion’. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Sold with Buckingham Palace enclosure; named Record Office enclosure for he campaign medals; and copied research.