TOPIC:

This trio, including the fabulous Victorian Trophy of Arms Victorian DCM is to be auctioned by DNW next month.



A Boer War relief of Ladysmith operations D.C.M. group of three awarded to Staff Sergeant J. Leonard, Royal Army Medical Corps

DCM VR ([7]649 Serjt. J. Leonard, R.A.M.C.)
QSA (2) TH RoL ([7]649 S. Sgt. J. Leonard, R.A.M.C.)
Army LS&GC Ed VII (7649 S. Serjt. J. Leonard, R.A.M.C.)

The ‘7’ of the recipient’s number scratched out on the first two, the Q.S.A. with flattened obverse suspension rivet and contact marks, polished overall, thus fine or better.

DCM LG 27 September 1901 (AO 15/02).

John Leonard was born in Co. Cork and enlisted in the Medical Staff Corps at Aldershot in January 1887, aged 22 years.

Embarked for Hong Kong in December 1889, he was advanced to Corporal on his return to the U.K. in April 1893 and to Sergeant in August 1896.

Actively employed in South Africa in the period November 1899 to August 1900, he was present in the relief of Ladysmith operations, including actions on the Tugela Heights, and was twice mentioned in despatches (London Gazettes 8 February and 10 September 1901, refer), in addition to being awarded the DCM and advanced to Staff Sergeant in January 1900.

Posted to the Permanent Staff of the Lancashire Fusilier Bearer Company, R.A.M.C. (Volunteer Force) in April 1904, Leonard was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in AO 189 of 1905, and discharged in March 1908. Afterwards employed as an Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, he died in Leicester in February 1940; sold with copied attestation and discharge papers.

Mr djb, Sir...

What an exciting award set.

Lacking a DCM citation allows conjecture as to what/where Serjt Leonard was doing to merit recommendation. Some fine drama if the Serjt had been in the thick of the Colenso-guns action, while at the same time Maj Babtie was busy with his V.C. Indeed this scenario seems attractively feasible as the rank "Serjt" (on DCM) at the time of the battle of Colenso predates advance to "S.Sgt" rank (on QSA) in January 1900, speculatively for earlier outstanding service.

His DCMVR certainly is a glamorous piece of medalwork. A question re:type of obverse - were all ABW period DCM's before January 1901 of this VR-type, with EVIIR-type only later - or was the type allocated depending on actual date award was gazetted?

Many thanks.
amb

Amb,

That's a good question. I think Victorian DCMs were stil being issued into,Edward's reign, presumably because there was a stock of medals to be used up at the time of Victoria's death.

Kind regards
David

David
I am pretty certain you are correct regarding the obverses of DCMs. Shipley's DCM (RPR) is in the same LG and same Army Order as Leonard's; yet it has the E7 obverse. They used what was next to be used.
Best regards
IL.

Hi everybody

Boer War DCM's with traceable citations have always been a passion with me.




I bought Sgt Haynes' group from Christies, April 1984 (for all of £400-! )because the catalogue entry stated "Mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 1 June 1902 for gallantry under heavy fire at Sweethome, Orange River Colony, January 29th

When the group arrived from the UK I was very pleased to see that it originated from the collection of my good friend, the late Ken Gibbon, and I kept it exactly as he mounted and displayed it. Ken had acquired the group in early 1970 but he never found the LG entry, and decided to dispose of it. Fortunately the Christies cataloguer added the important note.

Some years ago I obtained Haynes' original hand-written mention by Gen Charles Knox. This makes for very interesting reading: I think one can consider this DCM as a gallantry and not a service award.



Henk

Hello Henk,

Thank you for showing a most magnificent group.
The hand written mention makes the group extra special.

Regards
Paul

OSAKSA wrote: Hi everybody

Boer War DCM's with traceable citations have always been a passion with me.

I bought Sgt Haynes' group from Christies, April 1984 (for all of £400-! )because the catalogue entry stated "Mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 1 June 1902 for gallantry under heavy fire at Sweethome, Orange River Colony, January 29th

When the group arrived from the UK I was very pleased to see that it originated from the collection of my good friend, the late Ken Gibbon, and I kept it exactly as he mounted and displayed it. Ken had acquired the group in early 1970 but he never found the LG entry, and decided to dispose of it. Fortunately the Christies cataloguer added the important note.

Some years ago I obtained Haynes' original hand-written mention by Gen Charles Knox. This makes for very interesting reading: I think one can consider this DCM as a gallantry and not a service award.

Henk