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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 844

The campaign group of three awarded to Lieutenant T. S. U. de Guerin, Royal Field Artillery, who was wounded by shellfire during the Battle of the Somme in August 1916, and later suffered a broken leg when his horse was spooked and crushed him

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut: T. S. U. De Guerin. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. T. S. U. De Guerin.), mounted as worn, good very fine (3)

Thomas Shuldham Ussher de Guerin was born on 21 December 1883, the son of Elizabeth de Guerin of 14 Barclay Road, Fulham, London. Educated from 1896-1901 at Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex, de Guerin won a place at Cambridge University in February 1901, a contemporary article in the local paper noting 'distinguished in German' (The Mid-Sussex Times, refers). It appears however that de Guerin never took up the opportunity the study at Cambridge, preferring instead to travel to South Africa and work for the Cape and Transvaal Civil Service. In November 1901 he passed the Civil Service Examination in the Second Class, scoring 1158/2000 available marks, with French and German in addition. De Guerin returned home to England in 1907 and took work as a surveyor, before attesting at Shepherd's Bush for the Royal Field Artillery as Gunner on 16 December 1914.

Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 18 May 1915, de Guerin was posted to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, attached 39th Brigade. He served in France from 12 September 1915 and was soon amongst the thick of the action around the Bois des Foureaux, known to the British infantry as High Wood, on the Somme battlefield. July 1916 witnessed intense hand-to-hand fighting as the British attempted to capture and consolidate the wood and surrounding trenches - most notably the Switch Line - and on 11 August two large flame-throwers, pipe-pushers and thirty oil drums thrown by Livens Projectors were brought forward. As tensions escalated the Germans retaliated with artillery fire, de Guerin being likely caught by shellfire:

'At Bazentin-le-Petit on Aug. 13th 1916 he received GSW's of the l. thumb & l. leg & severe contusion of the r. hip & r. shoulder. He was admitted here on Aug. 18th 1916. The proximal phalanx of the left thumb is fractured. The other wounds were small & are all healed' (The Proceedings of a Medical Board held at the 3rd London General Hospital, refer).

Recovered after seven weeks, de Guerin returned to the Western Front where he served with No. 2 Section of the 1st D.A.C., Royal Field Artillery. On 17 September 1918 he was injured for a second time when his horse was apparently spooked by artillery fire. His service record includes two accounts, one briefly noting, 'accident whilst in action', the second as follows:

'On the 17-9-1918. Lt. T. S. U. de Guerin, R.F.A., in company with No. 44976, L/Bdr. Morley, was returning mounted from H.Q. 1st. D.A. when his horse stumbled and fell to the near-side, pinning the officer's foot beneath.'

With the assistance of Morley, de Guerin made it back to camp and was then evacuated back to hospital in London via Le Havre suffering from a fractured left fibula. Sent to a second Medical Board at Plymouth on 22 November 1918, de Guerin recovered and was finally demobilised on 8 April 1920. He spent the final years of his life living at Pen Cottage, Box, near Stroud, Gloucestershire and died on 24 March 1977; sold with copied MIC, service papers and research.


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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£100