Medals from the Collection of Warwick Cary, Part 2 x5
An outstanding Great War 1915 ‘Battle of Loos’ M.C. and 1918 ’Villeselve Cavalry Charge’ Second Award Bar group of four awarded to Captain A. B. P. L. Vincent, 3rd Dragoon Guards, who subsequently commanded ‘C’ Squadron of the Regiment during their charge at Honnechy, 9 October 1918
Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, unnamed as issued; 1914 Star, with copy clasp (2. Lieut: A. B. P. L. Vincent. 3/ D. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. A. B. P. L. Vincent.) light contact marks, nearly very fine (4)
£2,600-£3,000
M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916: ‘For Distinguished Service in the Field.’
M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 26 July 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a successful charge against the enemy infantry and machine guns, resulting in the capture of 100 prisoners and the recapture of a valuable tactical position. He also rendered fine service in obtaining valuable information on numerous mounted patrols during operations.’
M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916.
Arthur Birley Patrick Love Vincent was born on 5 July 1894 in Hove, Sussex, the son of Colonel Arthur Hare Vincent, 3rd Hussars, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Dragoon Guards on 1 October 1914, proceeding with them to France on 1 November 1914. Providing badly needed reinforcements for the 6th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, the 3rd Dragoons were immediately committed to the front line trenches at Herenthage Woods, South of the Ypres-Menin Road, during the First Battle of Ypres. Vincent remained serving on the Western Front throughout the war, gaining promotion to Lieutenant in October 1915, Acting Captain in April 1918 and Captain 5 December 1918.
The History of the 3rd (Prince of Wales’s ) Dragoon Guards 1914-1918 by Captain H. P. Holt confirms that Lieutenant Vincent’s Military Cross was awarded for his services at the Battle of Loos, 25 to 27 September 1915, specifically during the fighting around the slag heap immediately south of the village of Loos. Additional details in the narrative for the 26 and 27 September include: ‘[26 September]: 2nd Lieut. Vincent was sent to get in touch with the Royals on the other side of the slag-heap. During these movements 18 Poles and Silesians gave themselves up to Regimental Headquarters. [27 September]: During the night there was a good deal of rifle fire from the enemy lines. As it was expected that the Germans might make a counter-attack, 2nd Lieut. Vincent carried out a reconnaissance along the slag-heap to clear up the situation. He obtained valuable information, which was conveyed to the officer commanding the Scots Guards.’
Vincent was awarded a Second Award Bar to his Military Cross for his services in leading a detachment of the 3rd Dragoons in their cavalry charge at Villeselve on 24 March 1918. On this occasion a mounted party under Major E. Watkin, comprising troops from the 3rd Dragoon Guards, 10th Royal Hussars and 1st Royal Dragoons had been ordered to attack some hostile infantry and machine guns on the line of Hill 81 near Villeselve: ‘The detachment moved up the main road towards Villeselve, turning north along a sunken track leading to Collezy, where it came under a heavy machine gun fire from the north. Cover was, however, obtained in a large farm south-east of the village. Here the squadron was formed into three troops by regiments. The plan of attack had been explained to the troop leaders while moving up. The 3rd Dragoon Guards, under Lieut. A. B. P. L. Vincent M.C., were to attack towards Copse ‘B,’ charge any Germans met, and to secure the right
flank...Lieut Vincent moved off immediately, coming under fire almost at once. Some 1200 yards of plough land had to be covered to reach the objective. They advanced steadily and soon met parties of Germans, who fired until the troop was some 200 yards from them. The men then charged with a cheer and the enemy bolted for the copse. Many were sabred and shot as they ran, 4 machine guns being captured. Some of the troops now dismounted, pursued the Germans amongst the trees, and brought back 12 prisoners. Thus the right flank was
secured...The mounted detachment sabred about 100 of the enemy, themselves sustaining 73 casualties.’ (ibid)
Vincent was also present and in command of ‘C’ Squadron, 3rd Dragoons at another celebrated charge at Honnechy on 9 October 1918. Here, accompanied by the Royals, the 3rd Dragoon Guards galloped for about two miles in squadron column extended, under heavy shelling, over ground swept by gun-fire, toward Honnechy. Half a mile in, the regiment had to close-in to pass under a railway bridge, and here, while still under artillery and enfilade machine-gun-fire and with bombs dropping from low-flying aircraft, they incurred many casualties. Extending on the far side of the bridge they galloped through Honnechy and seized the orchards to the east of the village. The regiment’s comparatively light casualties had provided evidence of the usefulness of fast moving cavalry over reasonable ground, even in the face of heavy defensive fire. A Staff Officer who was present described this advance as the finest thing he had seen in the war; it was also the regiment’s last action of the war and, perhaps most notably, the last ever cavalry charge by the British Army.
Vincent remained a company commander with the regiment after the war. He was advanced Major on 4 October 1935 and retired 30 April 1936.
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