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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 89

The poignant campaign group of three awarded to Captain Lord Guernsey, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, who was killed in action by a sniper at the Battle of the Aisne on 14 September 1914, alongside fellow old Etonian Captain Lord Hay


Queen's South Africa, no clasp, (Lieut: H. G. Lord Guernsey Wilts: Rgt); 1914 Star, clasp (Lieut: Lord Guernsey. Ir: Gds.); Coronation 1911, good very fine (3)

Heneage Grenville Finch, Lord Guernsey of Packington Park, Warwickshire was born on 2 June 1883, the eldest son of Major Charles Wightwick Finch Knightly, 8th Earl of Aylesford and his second wife Marcella. The family can trace their lineage back to William the Conqueror in an unbroken line. Educated at Eton, he went up to Sandhurst and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Irish Guards.

Lord Guernsey served in St. Helena with the 3rd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment from 1901-02, later serving as the A.D.C. to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar until he retired in 1906. He also served in the Warwickshire Yeomanry.

He married The Hon. Gladys Georgina Fellowes, daughter of the 2nd Baron de Ramsey on 11 June 1907. Remaining on the Reserve of Officers, he re-joined the Irish Guards on 12 August 1914 and immediately embarked with the unit for France. Lord Guernsey was killed just before dusk on 14 September 1914 at La Cour de Soupir in the attack by the 4th Guards Brigade during the Battle of the Aisne. The War Diary gives more detail:

'5pm. At his moment Captain Lord Guernsey who was acting Quartermaster came up and reported himself to the C.O. who posted him to No.2 Coy in place of Captain Guthrie who had been wounded. He went up to his company to assist Captain Lord Arthur Hay, and they were both immediately shot dead. It was now getting past dusk, so no further advance was made, and the Battalion bivouacked in battle outpost formation in the wood.'

Lord Guernsey and Lord Hay are buried at Soupir Communal Cemetery. The original wooden cross erected above his grave was sometime returned home and now features as part of an impressive memorial at St Mary’s Church, Putshull. Further tragedy was inflicted on the family when Lord and Lady Guernsey's only child, Captain Heneage Michael Charles Finch, 9th Earl of Aylesford, was killed in 1940 whilst serving with the Royal Artillery in France.

His 1914 Star and clasp were issued to Lady Guernsey in January 1919, but his British War and Victory Medals, together with the Memorial Plaque to which she was entitled, were never claimed. For the Medals of Lady Guernsey, please see Lot 153.


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Sold for
£2,200

Starting price
£950