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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 154

Six: Lieutenant H. S. Denton, Royal Signals, late Gloucestershire Regiment, who sang in the choir at the Coronation of H.M. King George V and went on to see service in both World Wars

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. S. Denton.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1911; Territorial Decoration, G.VI.R., officially dated '1951' to the reverse, mounted as worn, minor contact marks, very fine (6)

Harold Sidney Denton was born on 24 April 1897 at Barton Regis, Gloucestershire, the son of Lillian and The Reverand Sydney Denton of 5 Rokes Avenue, Bristol. Educated at St. Michael's College, Tenbury he achieved the position of Senior Chorister before matriculating to King's School Worcester as a King's Scholar. It was around this time that Denton served as a chorister at the Coronation of George V: he left a handwritten description (included with the Lot) of his experience which states:

'At about 11 o'clock Parry's anthem "I was glad" was sung, the "Vivats" of the Westminster boys being included in this, they were sung as the Queen passed by and repeated in the King's procession. I could see the King and the Queen kneeling at the faldstools in the Litany. I could not see the crowning or the anointing as there was a great pillar in the way. I saw the King sitting in St. Edwards chair. After the Ceremony was over I saw the King and Queen splendidly as they walked down the nave.'

The final step of Denton's education was Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, as an Organ Scholar.

On the outbreak of the Great War he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant from the Cambridge University Officers' Training Corps on 4 January 1916. Joining the 4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, Denton served in France from 25 July 1916. Here he saw heavy fighting, particularly during the withdrawal from the German Spring Offensive of 1918. He wrote of his experiences to his parents:

'We had our H.Q. in another village, but we did not stay there long but went into a sunken road. I snatched about an hour's sleep that night. Next morning the Colonel was wounded, I saw him hit; we were being shelled with shrapnel. Later on the Bosche got round our flank and we came under heavy machine gun fire, and another fellow and I lay down behind the stump of a tree for about half an hour with the bullets spraying the ground all round us. Eventually we got away, and got into a village about 6 p.m. but left there and went to another.'

Demobilised after the war, Denton was employed as a teacher and took a place teaching mathematics at his Alma Mater, St. Michael's College, Tenbury. Moving on to Red House as a Classics teacher in 1922, it wasn't until 1924 that he was able to return to his passion for music, taking a role as Music and Classics teacher at Chigwell School. Proceeding from there to become Director of Music at Denstone College and Warden of the Music Master's Association, whilst at Denstone the Second World War broke out and Denton returned to the colours - this time as a Lieutenant with the Royal Signals - seeing service in West Africa. Leaving Denstone not long after the end of the Second World War Denton became an Examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, also touring India and New Zealand between 1948-49. Remaining an Examiner he joined Trinity College of Music, although he continued to tour as a musician in his own right.

Denton remained in the Territorial Army and was awarded the T.D. (London Gazette 15 June 1951, refers) as a Lieutenant in the Royal Signals. A member of the M.C.C. and the Late Casuals Football Club, he died at Bristol on 8 September 1965. Sold together with an archive of copied and original research comprising:

i)
A handwritten account of the Coronation of George V (somewhat distressed) with a typed copy.

ii)
Typed letter from the recipient to his parents outlining his experiences during the German Spring Offensive (somewhat distressed) with a typed copy.

iii)
Letter from the Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse confirming the attendance of Mr Harold Sydney Denton at the Coronation of King George V, dated 21 February 1972.

iv)
Three photographs of the recipient in uniform, one with 'W. Africa' written on the reverse.

v)
A typed copy of the recipient's C.V.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£170