The Ron Penhall Collection

The Great War campaign service group of five awarded to Sergeant D. Spencer, Machine Gun Corps, late R.N.A.S. Armoured Car Squadron, who was twice decorated by the Russians for his gallantry under fire as one of Locker Lampson’s drivers

1914-15 Star (F. 7587 D. Spencer, P.O.M., R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (79748 Sjt. D. Spencer, M.G.C.); Russian Medal for Zeal, small, silver, Nicholas II, on St. Stanislaus riband; Russian Cross of St. George, 4th class, the reverse officially numbered ‘564043’, the Russian awards fitted with unofficial second ring for suspension, good very fine or better (5) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Penhall Collection.

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Donald “Don” Spencer, a native of Cromer, Norfolk, joined the Royal Naval Air Service in March 1915 and served in ‘Squadron 15’ Armoured Cars in France and Belgium prior to being recruited by Commander Oliver Locker Lampson, R.N.V.R., M.P.

Embarked for Russia in December 1915, he was awarded an ‘efficiency star’ for his work as a driver in April 1916, while on detached service in Persia, which distinction presumably led to him receiving his Medal for Zeal. His Cross of St. George was awarded in respect of his subsequent bravery in the actions at Dobrudsha in late November - early December of the same year, when employed under the orders of the 4th Siberian Corps, Danube Army (ADM 171 74 refers). Five other Squadron drivers were similarly rewarded for these engagements and all of them received their decorations from General Sirelius on 8 December 1916 - official records confirm the number of Spencer’s award as ‘564043’. Two of these engagements are written-up in Spencer’s pocket diary:

‘30 November 1916: 8.30 a.m. proceeded in action with Russian Armoured Cars. Went into action 4 p.m. that afternoon, had a very hot time, Maxim gun put out of action, retired. Huckle escaped with a few splinters, No. 2 Gunner wounded in two places by shrapnel and sent to base. Altogether four cars of ours and two Russian cars went in, all ours returned. Russian cars stuck up against the Bulgarian trenches. One officer missing, one wounded and three men killed. The rest escaped with wounds. The cars are still in No Man’s Land. All our transport used for Russian wounded. Terrible scenes. 6,000 men lost in the day’s attack. Russian monitors on Danube continually shelling Bulgar trenches. Our car was subjected to severe machine-gun and shell fire. Considering everything we were lucky to escape.’

The details contained in this entry - especially the mention of two crew wounded and the fact their Maxim gun was knocked out - strongly suggest that Spencer was driving Sub. Lieutenant Walford’s car. If so, the following extract from Locker Lampson’s memoirs are not without interest:

‘At once Sub. Lieutenant Walford swooped out with his car to the rescue, drawing Maxim after Maxim of the enemy as he advanced. He won the flats and got within 40 yards of where the Russian car lay up to the axles against the barbed wire, and searched the trenches near him again and again. But the impact of accumulated metal was terrific. It failed, indeed, to pierce the armour, but shattered the bare thought of a continuous frontal attack. In fact, the enemy bullets sprayed against the driver’s shield in such numbers that, although harmless in themselves, they threw off nickel splashes in a sort of mist which obscured the driver’s view. Walford got the car to reverse and fired uninterruptedly with excellent effect until his car, too, foundered in the mud. Still he stuck to it, keeping the Bulgarians near him deep in their trenches and picking off those who exposed themselves, until a lucky enemy shot ripped up the casing of his Maxim and put it out of action. The feat of extricating the car was prodigious, but she struggled forth after two of her crew had been wounded. As for Walford and the driver, their faces a bleeding rash from the minute pinpoints of nickel flung off by the striking bullets.’

No wonder Spencer was prompted to close his entry, ‘Considering everything we were lucky to escape’. His diary next describes the events of 2 December 1916:

‘Went into action at 9.30 a.m. to Bulgarian trenches. The enemy were firmly entrenched with machine-guns. Barbed wire stopped us from getting further. Having fired several hundred rounds we returned with the gun out of action. The road was being continually shelled but we escaped the second time without a casualty. Car sent to Hasova for repairs. Kept behind for spare driver. 6 p.m. orders for instant return to Hasova. No. 2 in action lost two cars, one officer, and three men captured. One officer and three men missing believed to be in Russian trenches.’

Balanced against the content of the following extract from Locker Lampson’s memoirs, this second diary extract more or less confirms beyond dispute that Spencer was indeed Walford’s driver:

‘Walford got his car right up to the enemy lines and not fifty paces from the wrecked Russian cars. He continued firing with excellent results until his gun jammed irremediably. He was forced to retire and reached safety with a broken baseplate, from which all the grease had run out.’

Of Spencer’s subsequent services, official records state:

‘December 1916: on detached service in Roumania. Galatz base; 9 May 1917: transferred to Squadron 2; 8 June: left Tiraspol base for service in Galacia. Telyache; 12 September: left Proskurov base on special duty; 13 September: at Brovary base; 21 September: left Brovary for England on leave; 29 October: arrived England; 31 January 1918: transferred to the M.G.C.’

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, photographs and badges, including:

(i) The recipient’s wartime pocket diary, the inside cover with pencil inscription, ‘P.O. Spencer, B. 6252, ‘A’ Section, No. 1 Squadron, Russian Armoured Cars, Harova, Roumania’, with entries covering the period December 1915 to November 1917, two of them as quoted above, and the final entry, dated 13 November 1917, reading ‘Arrive home at last, 8 p.m. Cromer.’

(ii) Assorted photographs appertaining to the recipient’s service in Armoured Cars (13); several wartime newspaper cuttings, and a copy of The Times History and Encyclopaedia of the War, Vol. 14, 20 November 1917, which includes a feature on Locker Lampson and his men, the outer cover inscribed in ink, ‘P.O. Spencer’.

(iii) Assorted badges, comprising metalled Petty Officer’s cap badge, two embroidered R.N.A.S. uniform flashes, and three metalled R.N.A.S. oval-shaped Armoured Car badges, two of smaller design.

(iv) A weathered Union Flag, reputedly as once flown from Locker Lampson’s car.