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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 202

A Great War M.C. group of four awarded to Captain A. S. Russell, Royal Artillery attached 3rd Field Survey Company, Royal Engineers

Russell was 'mentioned', wounded, and earned an M.C. for his part in Sound Ranging work during the Great War - he latterly became a prominent nuclear scientist

Military Cross, G.V.R, the reverse engraved 'Capt. A. S. Russell Feuchy 1918.', on its original pin and in case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. A. S. Russell. R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. A. S. Russell.), good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

Alexander Smith Russell was born on 31 May 1888 at Musselburgh and was educated at Glasgow High School and the Universities of Glasgow, Berlin and Manchester and was a University Lecturer upon his joining the Royal Artillery. He landed in France on 26 June 1915, joined the Field Survey Company, Royal Engineers in March 1916 and suffered gunshot wounds to the foot and arm on 27 April 1916. Evacuated to England (making it there on 5 May), he was examined at Guy's Hospital on 11 May and granted two months sick leave to recover. Returned to the front Russell was soon back to work and earned a 'mention' (London Gazette 18 May 1917, refers) and a M.C. before war's end, together with leaving his unit 'sick' on 3 August 1918. He was released on 5 June 1919.

Appointed to command the Sheffield University O.T.C. from October 1919, he was soon forced to resign in order to go up to Christ Church, Oxford. Whilst there he was:

'...the first man to see the connection between atomic number and atomic properties. His hurriedly published paper in the Chemical News, in which he predicted that Uranium X would be found to be two substances in radioactive equilibrium, and made the first announcement of the displacement rule, is one of the classical papers in radio-chemistry.'

Russell died in 1972 and had risen to be Senior Censor of Christ Church.

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Sold for
£900

Starting price
£600