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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 269

Sold by Order of the Family

The superb Shanghai Volunteer Corps Long Service Medal awarded to Captain H. E. Middleton, who served for no less than 30 years as an officer in the Machine-Gun Company of that famous corps, he saw much active service during the Great War, which culminated in the award of a well-deserved M.B.E. in 1920

Shanghai Volunteer Corps Long Service Medal, silver, the reverse officially engraved: 'Capt. H.E. Middleton M.B.E. 1908-1938 M.G. Coy.', on its original riband and pin for wear, about extremely fine and rare

[M.B.E.] London Gazette 14 January 1920.

Herbert Edgar Middleton was born in Croydon on 1 March 1884 and arrived in Shanghai in May 1907 to join the Finance Department of the Municipal Council; within a year he had clearly joined the Volunteer Corps, the start of an association which was to last an impressive 30 years. During the Great War he appears to have travelled back to the United Kingdom and, with experience of machine guns, was commissioned into the 89th Company Machine Gun Corps, seeing action with them in France from 9 February 1916 and mention is made of him being wounded in action in 1917 around Ypres.

Mentioned in Despatches in December 1917, Middleton's war later took him to Russia with the British Military Mission, as evidenced by his being appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) 'for valuable services rendered in connection with military operations in Siberia'. It should, however, be noted that whereas the London Gazette initially states this award to one 'George Henry Middleton' of the 5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a correction was later made to confirm Herbert Edgar Middleton as the recipient of the award (London Gazette, 31 March 1920, p. 3999 refers).

Heading back out to Shanghai after demobilisation, Middleton returned to both his former employer and unit; in the former he eventually rose to the position of Assistant Treasurer, before retiring around 1940. In a most interesting piece of further information, during his life in the International Settlement he is also known to have been a keen sailor; he was variously Secretary and Vice Commodore of the Shanghai Yacht Club, and was the owner of the famous racing yacht Eveline: built in 1911, she still exists to this day and is actively sailed throughout the waters of Southeast Asia.

Sold together with original silk ribands for Middleton's full medal entitlement (M.B.E., First Type, Military Division; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oakleaf; Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal 1937), including partial full-size and miniature riband bars.

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Sold for
£3,800

Starting price
£1200