Medals to The Gordon Highlanders and Associated Units from the Collection of A.J. Henderson

A fine Second World War period Knight Bachelor’s Badge, Givenchy 1914 operations D.C.M. group of five awarded to Sir Harold L. Sanderson, a Director of the Ministry of Food, late Lance-Corporal, 14th London Regiment, The London Scottish

Knight Bachelor’s Badge, 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, hallmarks for London, 1948, in its Royal Mint case of issue; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2151 L. Cpl. H. L. Sanderson, 1/Lond. Scottish - T.F.)); 1914 Star, with clasp (2151 L. Cpl., 14/Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (2151 Pte., 14-Lond. R.), the last four contained within an attractive metalled display frame, the arched top with applied London Scottish badge, minor contact marks, good very fine and better, and possibly a unique combination of awards (5) £800-1000

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.C.M. London Gazette 1 April 1915: ‘For conspicuous gallantry at Givenchy on 22 December 1914. Fired upon by two snipers, at a range of 20 yards, he rushed at the men presenting a pair of wire-nippers, which they took to be a revolver, and made prisoners of both - notwithstanding that he was quite unarmed.’

Harold Leslie Sanderson was born in September 1890 and was educated at Blackheath School. Enlisting in the 1st Battalion, 14th County of London Regiment, the London Scottish, on 6 August 1914, he served with them in France and Flanders between 15 September of that year and early January 1915, when, having been wounded by a gunshot wound in the arm, he was invalided to the U.K.

On 31 October 1914, Sanderson was present with the Regiment when it made its gallant stand at the Battle of Messines, the first time a Territorial Battalion went into action as a unit. Unusually, the incident for which he was awarded his D.C.M. was afterwards depicted on a cigarette card of W. D. & H. O. Wills Ltd., as part of a series of 50 commemorating ‘War Incidents’ - an original card accompanies the Lot. And suitable mention of him is also to be found in The London Scottish Regimental Gazette, including confirmation that he was actually wounded on 3 January 1915; and a portrait photograph in the April 1915 issue [Vol. XX, No. 232]. His D.C.M., moreover, was the first to be won by the London Scottish as a regiment, those awarded in the Boer War having been to Gordons or C.I.V.

Sanderson was subsequently discharged from the Army on 13 June 1915, on account of his being unfit for further military service, being awarded £1 per week conditionally for a year, plus a further 3/6d a week for his D.C.M.

In 1918 he was a member of the Royal Commission of Wheat Supplies, and was a Partner of the firm Charles Wimble Sons & Co. from 1921 to 1953. He was appointed a Director of Rice at the Ministry of Food in 1941, and continued as such until 1953, services that resulted in him being created a Knight Bachelor soon after the War. He was also a Director of the Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Co. Ltd.