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Auction: 11007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 19

A Great War 1918 ´Western Front´ M.C. Group of Four to Lieutenant G.E. Birkett, Royal Army Medical Corps, attached Gloucestershire Regiment, Late Surgeon Probationer, R.N.V.R., Who Was Shot in the Spine By a Sniper Whilst Bringing Wounded in from No-Man´s Land; A Renowned Radiologist After the War, He Finally Succumbed to His Wounds in 1931 a) Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in Royal Mint case of issue b) 1914-15 Star (Surg. G.E. Birkett. R.N.V.R.) c) British War and Victory Medals (Surg. Prob. G.E. Birkett. R.N.V.R.), nearly extremely fine, last two in original named card box of issue, with the following related items and documents: - Two brass R.N.V.R. buttons - Congratulatory scroll from H.Q. Fourth Army named to recipient on the occasion of the award of his M.C., dated 10.12.1918; Army Orders by General Sir H.S. Rawlinson listing the award to the recipient, both scrolls in original postage tube addressed ´C/O G. Birkett Esq., Thomfield, Marlborough Rd, Morecambe´ - Six Telegrams informing Birkett´s family of his wounds and recuperation in France - Various newspaper cuttings (lot) Estimate £ 900-1,100 M.C. London Gazette 1.2.1919 Lt. George Edmondson Birkett, R.A.M.C. (Spec. Res.), attd. 1st Bn., Gloucester Regt. ´For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty throughout 15th and 16th September, 1918, during operations south of Maissemy. Working under heavy shell and machine-gun fire he brought in several wounded men. The enemy shot down many stretcher-bearers and stretcher parties on the 16th, but this officer worked indefatigably and continued to search for and bring in wounded until he was wounded in the spine by a sniper on the 16th. By his personal courage and energy he undoubtedly saved many valuable lives.´ Lieutenant George Edmondson Birkett, M.C. (1893-1931), ´It is with the deepest regret that we have to record the loss at the early age of thirty-seven of our brilliant colleague, George Edmondson Birkett. It is only a few weeks since we him saw slogging along our corridors bent only on the work in front of him..... Dr. Birkett was born in Morecambe on November 26th, 1893..... After receiving his early education at the Royal Grammar School, Lancaster, he won an open scholarship to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, but his career there, both scholastic and athletic, was interfered with by the war. He was Secretary of football and cricket at his college in 1914, and in the ordinary course of events would have been captain in the following year.... Despite advice to the contrary, he joined the Navy as a surgeon-probationer. After about fifteen months´ service with H.M.S. Loyal, he returned to qualify. His amazing activity was shown by the fact that before the end of 1917, he had completed a period of residence as an unqualified house surgeon, had taken his Conjoint Board diploma, and was out in France with the R.A.M.C. (Special Reserve). On September 16th, 1918 - with the end of the war within sight - he received a gun shot wound in the spine. One can see him now near St. Quentin, south of Maissemy, where he won the Military Cross...... A laminectomy was performed in France and later, in October, 1918, he was transferred to St. Thomas´ Hospital, where he remained until Christmas, 1920. After months of suffering and further operations, the almost impossible was achieved, and he succeeded in getting about again. In January, 1921, immediately after his discharge from hospital, Birkett went into residence again at the Manchester Royal Infirmary as house-physician to the late Dr. Reynolds. His extra-ordinary determination was shown by the fact that he had to start dressing at six a.m. in order to be on the wards at nine a.m. Later on in the year he was appointed Pathological Registrar to the Manchester Royal Infirmary - a post which he held until 1924....... In 1924, he became attached to the Manchester and District Radium Institute. First as Pathologist, later as assistant and then as radiologist, he served the Institute in that wholehearted manner which was so characteristic of him.... in 1928, a party of surgeons came from London and saw the excellent work that Birkett was doing. Fifty cases of carcinoma of the mouth and tongue, treated by radium, were asked to come to the demonstration. Forty-eight patients came and the other two sent apologies for their unavoidable absence - a glowing tribute to his skill. The surgeons returned to London, and Birkett was established as one of the leading radium workers in Britain. Gordon-Taylor was so struck by the demonstration that he mentions it in his book The Dramatic in Surgery. It was not long before Birkett was writing leading articles, annotations and book reviews.... Success followed success. He became well known in London and on the Continent. At the time of his death, in addition to his various appointments in Manchester, he was consulting radiologist to Chester and Wrexham hospitals. His views were always listened to with the greatest respect, because they showed originality, clarity of thought, honesty and logic. A combination such as this will always command a hearing. In 1929 and 1930, he devoted all his spare time to the preparation of his book Radium Therapy - its Principles and Practice..... The points in Birkett´s character which stand out and which gained for him the regard of his fellows, were his courage in the face of a tremendous physical handicap and in his intellectual honesty. Few, even amongst his intimates, had any idea of the severity and constancy of his pain. Scarcely a night passed when his rest was not disturbed by it. Yet he never complained of his ill-luck. He was intolerant of humbug, and his success was due to thoroughness, systematic attention to detail and balanced judgment. We have lost him at a very early age, but not before he had made Manchester one of the principal radium centres in the world, and had left the hall mark of his ability on medical literature.´ (Manchester University Medical School Gazette, Obituary, refers)

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£1,300