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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 383

(x) A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant R. F. Roland, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, late Royal Army Medical Corps, who served throughout the war on the Western Front and was decorated for assisting a brother officer in repelling an enemy counter-attack

Military Cross, G.V.R., contemporarily named to the reverse 'Lieut. R. F. Roland'; 1914 Star with clasp (18239 S.Sjt. R. F. Roland. R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals with M.I.D. oak leaf (2. Lieut. R. F. Roland.), mounted as worn, minor contact marks, very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 4 October 1919:

'On the 20th October, 1918, when the situation near Driesch was not clear, he made a daring reconnaissance to ascertain the dispositions of the front line troops. During his reconnaissance the enemy made a determined counter-attack on the right company near Spriete. He immediately moved to that flank and greatly assisted the remaining officer of that company in repelling the attack by his coolness and example under heavy fire.'

Robert Francis Roland was the son of Blayne Grier Roland, of Ballynagore, County Westmeath, Ireland. Roland served as a Staff Sergeant in France from 12 September 1914 with the 17th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, and likely marched at once upon landing at St. Nazaire to the Aisne. Moving north to Flanders, the Field Ambulance were hard-pressed at L'Epinette on 12 March 1915, when it received a considerable number of wounded:

'The M.O. of N. Staffordshire and his stretcher bearers however appeared overcome with the work and the Field Ambulance bearers were therefore used to work up to the trenches which was done most satisfactorily. Some 89 wounded were brought in to the 19th Field Ambulance, of which some 35 were sent to the 17th Field Ambulance' (War Diary for the 19th F.A., R.A.M.C., refers).

The 17th Field Ambulance were similarly employed a few months later at Hooge and went on to witness significant service during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on the Somme, followed by Morval and Le Transloy in 1916.

Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 28 August 1917, Roland was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, later transferring to the 1st Battalion. It was whilst serving with the latter that he was awarded the M.C. for repelling an enemy counter-attack near Spriete.

The night previously, at 23.30 hours, the 1st and 9th Battalions had successfully crossed the River Lys and captured the three small villages of Dusselghem, Spriete and Straete and Dries. They then consolidated on the edge of a fourth, Dries, and awaited the enemy response, as described in the citation. News of his award was later published in the Portadown Times, Roland - of Carleton Street - being 'one of four Portadown men awarded the Military Cross'.

On 23 November 1918, Roland, Lieutenant G. Ingham, M.C., and 50 other ranks represented the 2nd Army at the Parade at Tourcoing, when General H. C. O. Plumer presented the Flag of the 2nd Army to the City. Following an inspection before the Hotel De Ville, a speech was given by a French General and the Flag of the City was presented to General Plumer in return. Roland was promoted Lieutenant on 28 February 1919 before his discharge; sold with copied MIC and research, his 'mention' remains unconfirmed.


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Sold for
£850

Sale 19002 Notices
This lots is imported, therefore it is subject to 5% import VAT on the Hammer Price.