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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 169

(x) The '1954' O.B.E. and Great War 'Livens Projector' M.C. group of six awarded to Captain T. T. R. Lockhart, 'O' Special Company, Royal Engineers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Civil Division, Officer's (O.B.E.) breast Badge, silver-gilt; Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse engraved 'Lievin Lieut. T. T. R. Lockhart, R.E. 17 August 1917'; 1914-15 Star (106179 Cpl. T. T. Lockhart. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. T. T. R. Lockhart.); Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, gold and enamel, mounted as worn, good very fine (6)

O.B.E. London Gazette 10 June 1954.

M.C. London Gazette 18 October 1917:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of oil projectors during an action. When the plan of attack was altered at very short notice he altered his arrangements on his own initiative in the face of great difficulties and under heavy fire, and got his projectors into action at the appointed time with great success'

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 January 1917.

Italian Order of the Crown London Gazette 2 March 1923.

Thomas Thomson Rankin Lockhart was born at Leith, Midlothian on 8 November 1889, the son of George and Annie Lockhart. Educated at Edinburgh University, Lockhart achieved an M.A. in 1913 before the outbreak of the Great War, enlisting upon the outbreak of the conflict he was mobilised as a Sapper in June 1915.

Serving on the Western Front from 17 June 1915, he was advanced Sergeant in March 1916 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 30 April 1916. Having been wounded soon after in November 1916, he was posted to 'O' Special Company. Lockhart was placed in command of a section of Livens Projectors supporting the 3rd Canadian Division, Canadian Corps. The D.S.O., M.C. group of the man himself - Captain W. H. Livens - were sold in these Rooms in July 2018.

A War Diary extract from March 1917 notes Lockhart as attending courses on German Salvus apparatus, rebreather devices used largely by machine gunners. Advanced Lieutenant in November 1917, a report on an operation he commanded at this time survives and provides some details of the kind of actions he was commanding, it states:

'All but 15 drums were successfully discharged at Zero hour. The remaining 15 were reset and fired at Zero plus 15 minutes.. The enemy sent up neither rockets nor flares, but at Zero plus 8 mins. his strombos horns and gas gongs were heard very distinctly for some time (say 3 mins.) in the direction of CITE DU NORD, suggesting that the CITE must be well garrisoned. There was no enemy retaliation of any description, and as such this target has never been fired on before, this fact suggests that he must have been taken completely by surprise.

Although the operation was comparatively small, many physical difficulties has been to be overcome - such as the nature of the ground, inaccessibility of the position (railway to position badly damaged and could not be used) and inclement weather. Infantry and mile transport rendered valuable help.'

Promoted Captain in July 1918 Lockhart went on to serve in Italy where he was made a Chevalier of the Italian Order of the Crown. After the war he returned to his studies, became a teacher and was being commissioned Lieutenant in the George Watson's Boys School O.T.C. Contingent in 1919.

The 1939 census has him living at 5 Claremont Road, Cheadle where he was to become the long running Headmaster of the Cheadle Hulme School, he was also listed as an Air Raid Warden suggesting possible entitlement to a Defence Medal.

It was for his work there that Lockhart was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1954. He died not long later on 27 December 1968; sold together with copied research.

For his miniature dress Medals, please see Lot 304.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£800