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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 441

King's Own Scottish Borderers

A Great War Second Battle of Gaza M.C. group of three awarded to Lieutenant S. C. Roberts, 1/5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, who led a charge 'under intense fire of every description'

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. S. C. Roberts), very fine or better (3)

M.C. London Gazette 16 August 1917:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After the capture of a hostile redoubt by his battalion, he greatly distinguished himself by leading a charge and repulsing a strong counter-attack, afterwards setting a fine example to his men by his coolness and determination under intense fire of every description.'

Stephen Charles Roberts first saw action in Gallipoli as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1/5th (Dumfries & Galloway) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers in Gallipoli; the unit landed at 'V' Beach, Helles, under a heavy artillery fire on 6 June 1915.

Following the Battalion's costly part in the Gallipoli operations, and as part of 155th Infantry Brigade, it was deployed to Egypt and Palestine. And it was at the Second Battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917 that Roberts won his M.C.

On that occasion, the Battalion was among those units chosen to storm Outpost Hill, an unenvious task that resulted in losses of 301 killed or wounded. The advance itself was bad enough, 'spelling certain death to nearly all who were in the open' - The History of the 52nd Division, refers - but on entering the enemy's redoubt atop the Hill, all broke loose:

'The redoubt soon filled up and men of the following lines had to lie outside, taking what shelter they could from its walls. The intensity of the enemy fire which had been experienced during the advance soon paled by comparison as the exposed work was pounded by shrapnel, high-explosive shell and raked by incessant machine-gun fire' (Gaza 1917 - Second Battle: April, by Martin Glen, refers).

It was amidst this storm of fire that Roberts rallied his men, in readiness to face off a strong counter-attack; the whereabouts of Roberts' 1914-15 Star remains unknown.


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Sold for
£950