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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 1025

The M.C. and Two Bars mounted group of seven miniature dress medals worn by Major C. H. Atkinson, Royal Army Medical Corps, late Royal Field Artillery

Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second and Third Award Bars; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, reverse of B.W.M. stamped 'STERLING'; 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45; Special Constabulary Medal, G.VI.R., mounted as worn, good very fine and rare (11)

Just 170 M.C.'s with Second and Third Award Bars issued in the Great War.

M.C. London Gazette 14 August 1917:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when under heavy shell fire with his Battery in rescuing a wounded men, who had been buried and later in extinguishing a burning ammunition dump. By his promtitude and great coolness a serious explosion was averted.'

M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 14 February 1919:

'On August 24, 1918, at Moriancourt he brought his battery into action and kept them there for thirty-six hours under heavy shell fire. On August 27/28 during the attack on Trones Wood, he went forward himself with the attack and sent back valuable information. Throughout the operations since August 8 he commanded his battery with great skill and courage.'

M.C. Third Award Bar London Gazette 1 April 1919:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Le Cateau on 23 October 1918. Two guns were put out of action at the commencement of the barrage by hostile fire, and the remaining detatchments were short handed owing to casualties. He went up to the battery's position through the barrage and assisted in one of the detatchments until more gunners came up to replace casualties. He was all the time under heavy fire.'

Cecil Hewitt Atkinson was born in June 1894 and educated at Haileybury and Guy's Hospital where he qualified in Medicine. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery he served in France from 24 July 1915, was promoted Lieutenant on 1 November 1915 and served as Major from 22 March 1918. He was presented with his M.C. and Two Bars at an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 29 March 1919.

Returned to Guy's after his demobilisation on 7 January 1919, Atkinson was serving as Chief Clinical Medical Assistant of Medical Out-Patients before the Second World War. He had previously served - like many of his medic comrades at Guy's - as a Special Constable during the General Strike (Medal). At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was commissioned Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was posted as Registrar of the General Hospital, France and later at home until October 1941. A fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, he lived 53 Green Street, Mayfair and Thames Cottage, Bourne End. Atkinson died on 31 August 1954; sold with copied research.

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Sold for
£200