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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 446

'Dearest Mother & Father

If by any chance I am killed remember it will only make me unhappy if I know that you are grieving about it.

I shall know it, of that I am sure & as we shall meet in good time please don't fret about. As it is I trust to God to bring my through safely as He assuredly can if He so wishes.

Your loving son, Cyril.'

Moving words indeed, written just over a month before his demise in combat.

A poignant Royal Flying Corps M.C., 1914 Operations Legion of Honour group of six awarded to Captain C. W. C. Wasey, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Royal Flying Corps

A veteran of the Battle of Mons, Wesey saw extensive action - and was wounded - on the Western Front, before being transferred to the Royal Flying Corps; a skilled Observer, he was killed in action by Jasta 17 Ace Julius Buckler on 28 October 1917

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, on its original pin; 1914 Star, clasp (Lieut. C. W. C. Wasey. R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. C. W. C. Wasey.); France, Republic, Legion of Honour, breast Badge, silver, gold centres and enamel, with its case of issue, the lid with name label 'Lieut. C. W. C. Wasey, R. War. R.'; Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Cyril Walter Carleton Wasey), this in metal mount, good very fine (6)

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1918.

French Legion of Honour London Gazette 3 November 1914.

Cyril Walter Carleton Wasey was born on 29 September 1893 and was educated at Eton (Kindersley House) and Sandhurst. Commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in February 1913, he served in France during the Great War from 22 August 1914. His entry in the Eton Chronicle gives more detail to his service in the period:

'Sent to France at the beginning of the War, he went through the retreat from Mons, where his Battalion marched for some miles parallel to a German Battalion and outmarched it. During that retreat he gallantly assisted the French adjacent to him, and his services to them were such as to earn for him the Cross of the Legion of Honour and a mention in one of Lord French's dispatches.'

Wasey was made Acting Captain from 26 December 1914 and confirmed in the rank on 2 October 1915. In the following period he served throughout the Somme battles, only away from the front when severely wounded with by a bullet in the arm on 5 March 1915. He was also 'mentioned' (London Gazette 22 June 1915, refers).

Wasey joined the Royal Flying Corps in the summer of 1916 and qualified as an Observer. Having completed his training he joined No. 16 Squadron, which operated the R.E.8., on 9 September 1917. Their Commanding Officer was Major Portal, who later became Marshal of the Royal Air Force. The main task of the unit was artillery observation, besides offering photo reconnaissance. Wasey joined up with Lieutenant (Pilot) E. H. Keir and despite their Operational Record Book for September 1917 not appearing extant, October 1917 shows the pairing taking to the sky on at least 18 Ops. His penultimate Op was on 23 October in R.E.8. 4426 on artillery observation, which was a success. He wrote home on 27 October, the day before his final Op:

'Dearest Mother,

I have spent a quiet day getting over my bruises etc. from yesterday.

The Squadron played the Wing at Soccer today and put it across them; our Soccer Team shaped well for the coming football cup. It has been fine today so machines were up in swarms & it is rather amusing as it grows dark to see them flipping round looking for their roost.

I have not been up for 4 days now owing to rain & clouds and it was Ross's turn today so Keir & I do a shoot with 2x 9.2s Hows tomorrow on some Hun battery.

Goodnight & love to all. With much love. Your Loving son. Cyril.'

As it was they took to the sky the following day and were attacked by a patrol of fighters of Jasta 17 at around 1600hrs. The Eton Chronicle continues:

'Their machine was attacked by two Hun scouts and they beat them both off, Cyril having fired 250 rounds before he was shot in the head. The machine returned under control untill the last 100 feet and the Pilot when picked up was found to have been slowly strangled with a wire that had been shot loose.'

They were claimed by the famous 29-kill Ace Julius Buckler, who was one of just four Germans to earn both the Pour le Merite and the Military Merit Cross. Wesey was buried in the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension alongside Keir and his family also raised an impressive memorial to his memory at St Katherine's, Savernake. His CO, Major Portal wrote to his mother:

'I never met a more splendid or stout hearted fellow. He was a thorough sportsman all through and afraid of nothing. He has done splendid work for me, but it will be as a friend I shall miss him most.'

With his M.C. thus being a posthumous award, his mother was in contact with his old Batman in the Warwickshires, Private Poole, to whom she wrote on 25 April 1918:

'I am extremely obliged to you for your kind letter. I know your name quite well as my dear boy often spoke of you, and I know he thought very highly of you.

It was a grief to us that he ever thought of going into the Flying Corps as he always intended to return to the Regiment some day.

He thought so much of the Regiment and all of you and I know he would have enjoyed being with you in Italy. I am glad you are there and out of the frightful fighting which is taking place again in Flanders.

If you ever find yourself in this part of the world I hope you will come and see us, and let us know if we can ever do anything for you. We shall always be glad to see any of the Warwicks.

I hope 'Treacle' has a good master now; he was so fond of her. Thanking you again for your writing and your sympathy. I know you are all so sorry.'

Sold together with his original M.I.D. certificate; a number of his letters; a telegram to his family confirming his death; forwarding letter for his 1914 Star and confirmation of future issue of the Campaign Medals; War Graves Commission photograph; besides copied research and a large watercolour memorial portrait of the recipient - to which the artist has also erroneously used his licence to add the riband of the D.F.C. to his laurels - glazed and framed, with his cap Badge affixed to the frame.

For the Medals of his Pilot, Lieutenant Keir, please see Lot 297.

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Sold for
£4,000

Starting price
£3800