Antiques Trade Gazette 55 Recent highlights
in the provinces HIGHLIGHT among the medals at Lockdale’s (17.25% buyer’s premium) May 19-21 medals and militaria sale in Ipswich was this slightly bumped but otherwise very fine Peninsular War group awarded to John Stewart of the 88th Foot Regiment (Connaught Rangers), one of the eight Irish regiments in the British army. The Military General Service medal
carried bars for Fuentes D’Onor/Ciudad Rodrigo/Badajoz/Vittoria/Pyrenees/ Nivelle/Nive/Orthes/Toulouse and Salamanca, showing that Stewart – whose rank is unknown – was with the Devil’s Own, as the 88th were known, from at least 1811, during Wellesley’s successful driving out from Portugal of Massena, through the landmark engagements of early 1812 to the Battle of Salamanca, acknowledged as the turning point of the War, in which the 88th played a central part. The lot also included two
contemporary newspapers, copied service papers and a medal roll. A John Stewart of the 88th Foot
is listed as being born in Tronmore, Waterford and was discharged from the regiment aged 40 in 1832. Estimated at £5000-6000, it took
£8500.
BOSLEY’S (20% buyer’s premium) provided further evidence of the attraction of Falklands War material at their December sale, when this Military Medal group of seven took a top- estimate £100,000. The outstanding and unique group
was awarded to Colour Sergeant Stephen (Baz) Alan Bardsley, who won his Military Medal for the Battle of Goose Green, where “Lt Col H”, the officer commanding the regiment and the most senior British officer killed during the campaign, won the Victoria Cross. Bardsley, at the time a Lance Corporal, was a section commander during the
Above: the Peninsular War Military General Service Medal awarded to John Steweart of the 88th Foot (Connaught Rangers), which took £8500 at Lockdale’s in May. Below: Bosley’s took £100,000 for this Falklands War Military Medal group at their December sale.
The ultimate double blow
DOMINIC Winter (19.5% buyer’s premium) were able to offer a medal with an unusual link to the Titanic centenary at their May 24 sale in South Cerney near Cirencester. The silver C.Q.D. (All Stations Distress)
Medal awarded to Thomas McInerney was one of those awarded to the crew of three ships including the White Star Line vessel R.M.S. Republic which went down off the coast of Massachusetts after she struck another vessel in foggy waters in January 1909. This was the first time that a Marconi
wireless radio had been used to alert vessels within the shipping lanes and the operator Jack Binns became a hero when he reached New York on the rescue ship. In total 1700 crew and passengers were saved, including McInerney who was serving as an oiler on-board the Republic. Having survived the sinking,
Liverpudlian McInerney was struck by tragedy later in the same year when his wife Ellen died, and his luck finally ran out after he signed on as a greaser on board another White Star Line vessel, R.M.S. Titanic. His body was never recovered. At Dominic Winter his CQD medal
was estimated at £600-800, it took £1050.
Ivan Macquisten
night advance on Goose Green in the early hours of May 28, 1982. Having led his men in a series
of close-quarter attacks on enemy positions, he organised an orderly withdrawal after they became pinned
down by enemy fire. In withdrawing, one of his men was wounded and, disregarding his own safety, Bardsley returned to rescue him, later going on to lead his men with distinction in further action throughout the day.
DIX N O ON AN WEBB DNW A uc t ion e ers & Va lu e rs
www.dnw.co.uk 16 Bolton Street Mayfair London W1J 8BQ
Telephone 020 7016 1700 Fax 020 7016 1799 Email
medals@dnw.co.uk
The Authoritative Orders, Decorations and Medals Auctioneer • Quarterly Rostrum Auctions held in London’s Mayfair
• Discreet private treaty sales of fine quality medals for the serious collector and connoisseur Please contact Nimrod Dix, David Erskine-Hill, Pierce Noonan or Brian Simpkin for advice
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