Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Captain D. Leslie, Army Ordnance Department, late 14th (London Scottish) Battalion, London Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914 Star, with clasp (2147 Cpl., 14/Lond.R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.) mounted as worn, extremely fine (4) £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Langham Collection of Medals to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

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M.C. London Gazette 26 September 1917, citation London Gazette 9 January 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When a hostile shell had ignited some trucks of high explosive ammunition he rushed to the spot and put out the fire, by his action saving twenty-one trucks of ammunition and four trucks of other material. Later on the same day, he performed another act of equal gallantry, extinguishing a fire in a truck full of cordite, in spite of intense heat and hostile shells falling in close proximity.’

Donald Leslie was born in Leeds and employed as a Clerk with N.M. Rothschild & Son before the war. He attested for the London Scottish at Buckingham Gate on 5 August 1914 and embarked with the regiment at Southampton on the 15th September. He was wounded by a gun shot in the thigh on the 1st November and spent three weeks in Hospital before returning to his regiment at Rouen. Gazetted Temporary Lieutenant on 10 August 1915, he was posted to the Army Ordnance Department and employed as a Railhead Ammunition officer. At the time of winning his M.C. he was serving at St Idesbald Ammunition Railhead which was atacked by an enemy aeroplane with incendiary bombs early in October 1916. His brave actions were commended by Sir H. Rawlinson in 4th Army Routine Order on 14 December 1916. Sold with further research.