The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment

An outstanding Great War D.S.O. and Second Award Bar group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. F. Kirkpatrick, East Kent Regiment, who afterwards commanded the Anson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, and was mortally wounded in March 1918

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (2d. Lieut. H. F. Kirkpatrick 1st Bn. “The Buffs”); Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, Jubaland, Somaliland 1908-10 (Lieut. H. F. Kirkpatrick, E. Kent: Rgt:) officially engraved naming, second clasp loose on ribbon; 1914-15 Star (Capt. H. F. Kirkpatrick E. Kent R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. H. F. Kirkpatrick.) light contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine (6) £5,000-£7,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 26 July 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while in command of his Battalion. The enemy attacked and drove the troops of another division which caused the left flank of his Battalion to become exposed. By his magnificent courage and leadership he succeeded in restoring the situation.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916, 22 May 1917, and 11 December 1917.

Harry Fearnley Kirkpatrick was born on 8 January 1876, second son of Sir James Kirkpatrick, 8th Baronet of Closeburn, Dumfriesshire. He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) on 1 April 1895; Lieutenant, 4th May 1896; commissioned from the Militia as 2nd Lieutenant, The Buffs, 15 May 1897; Lieutenant, 9 October 1899; Captain, 15 February 1901; Temporary Major, 1 April 1905; retired as Captain, 5 February 1913. Captain Reserve of Officers, then Major 3rd (Special Service) Battalion, The Buffs, 5 December 1914; Acting Lieutenant-Colonel 1917, commanding a Battalion of the Royal Naval Division.

Joining the 1st Buffs on the Punjab Frontier of India in November 1897, he was involved in the attack and capture of The Tanga Pass.
Seconded to the East Africa (later King’s African) Rifles, in January 1901, he took part in operations against the Ogaden Somalis in Jubaland,
in late 1901 and then in Somaliland against the Dervishes in 1908-10. Retiring in February 1913, he was recalled in November 1914 as a Staff Officer with 3rd Buffs. Seconded to the Royal Naval Division, which came under Army Control in July 1916, he took over command of the Anson Battalion after the Battle of Ancre in December 1916. This period saw the capture of the Hindenburg Line, the Arras and Passchendael offensives, and the capture of Varlet Farm on 26 October 1917, when 50 prisoners were taken.

D. Jerrold’s The Royal Naval Division (1927) details his command of 188 Brigade during the Battle of Welsh Ridge in December 1917: “he wisely decided to postpone until dusk counter-attack on the Ridge with his support Bn. (the Anson) which then succeeded”.
Harry was awarded the D.S.O. and Bar in 1918, and had thrice been Mentioned in Dispatches.
During the Great German Attack in the early hours of 21 March 1918, Kirkpatrick, again in command of the brigade, led the fighting withdrawal and the Defence of Albert. On the 25th the brigade, reduced by casualties to no more than a battalion, halted on the Albert - Bapaume road with its left at Courcelette Mill. K. Tallett (RND magazine No. 8) writes: ‘188 Bde. withdrew to Courcelette amid many rumours of the enemy being behind or to the side of it, in the absence of friendly troops. There was much confusion. There were sporadic fire-fights during the late evening and early night, one of which claimed the life of Lt.-Col. Kirkpatrick, who was badly wounded in the abdomen and died of his wounds.’

Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Kirkpatrick was mortally wounded at Courcelette on 25 March and died of his wounds on 27 March 1918. He is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1.