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Auction: 22075 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 120

An interesting campaign group of five awarded to Captain H. E. R. Widnell, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, who was twice wounded during the Great War and latterly served as Custodian of the Beaulieu Estate, which trained some 3,000 agents of the Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) in the 'dark arts' that they required before going out into the field to 'set Europe ablaze'; 'Widdy' Widnell is noted as having as passed on a few of his own skills

1914-15 Star (2, Lieut. H. E. R, Widnell. A. & S. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. E. R. Widnell.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Civil Defence Long Service Medal, E.II.R. (1271. Mr. H. E. R. Widnell. 19-1-61), contemporarily engraved naming, mounted as worn, good very fine (5)

Henry Edward Rochfort Widnell was born at London on 16 October 1893 and lived as a boy in the South of France. Educated there and latterly at Radley College, he also was a pupil to Edward Knox at Amerdown Park, Somerset.

With the outbreak of the Great War, Widnell served in France with the 2nd Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders during 1915, also being attached to the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. He was present for the Battle at St Julien on 24 April 1915 when he found himself in Command of his Company and in receipt of a notice marked 'Men to See' from the C.O., with the unit expecting a gas attack:

'Remember no Seaforth Highlander ever has left or ever will leave his post. Whatever damnable engine of War the enemy shall use the Seaforths will stick it out and will have their reward in killing the enemy.'

Further heavy attacks on 2 May saw gas deployed and by the following day, 3 Officers and 321 Other Ranks were sick, Widnell included. Recovered from the effects of gas, he returned to see further action in Mesopotamia, being severely wounded in the head and retired on 20 June 1918.

Widnell was afterwards appointed as Personal Assistant and latterly Agent to John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Lord Montagu of the Beaulieu Estate. During the Second World War, the Estate was requisitioned as the 'finishing school' for the S.O.E. but 'Widdy' remained resident to oversee all that occured. He gains numerous mentions in Cyril Cunningham's Beaulieu - The Finishing School for Secret Agents which references his strict nature in ensuring the Estate was properly cared for. The Authorities had first written to Widnell regarding a Bomb Disposal Unit taking over 'The Rings', but by January 1941 it was to become Special Training School 31. Indeed, throughout the War he was quick to remind the S.O.E. Commandant that the ancient woodlands should not be damaged. Widnell also lent a hand in retrieving lost stragglers from the Estate, whether they be agents in training or members of the general public who had strayed.

By the end of the Second World War, nearly 3,000 agents had passed through the Estate and no less than eleven Special Training Schools were present on its land - it really was the 'Finishing School' for any agent before they went out into the field. To touch briefly on the agents who passed through, many under the watchful eye of Widnell, these really were a 'Who's Who' of the S.O.E.. Famous decorated names like Szabo, Odette and Suttill (please see following Lot) all honed their trade. Many also departed for Europe from the Estate, either via the Aerodrome or onto Motor Torpedo Boats via the River. He is also noted by Stella King in Jacqueline - Pioneer Heroine of the Resistance of conducting 'off the books' training of agents, including teaching them how to stun salmon with the use of hand grenades.

Widnell remained on the Estate until 1977, when a stroke forced him to retire. He was involved in all aspects of life on the Estate and was the man who reorganised the Estate Archives, also surely attending the many S.O.E. re-unions which occured after the War. Widnell died in December 1983 and the Lord Montagu wrote a glowing obituary for a man who was devoted to Beaulieu; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£1,300