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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 52

A Rare and Well Documented Defence of Leros M.C. Group of Six to Lieutenant F. J. Belle, Royal Welch Fusiliers, Wounded and Taken Prisoner at the Fall of Leros November 1943 Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse engraved ´2/Lt F.J. Belle R.W.F. 276421´, lower arm dated 1945, in case of issue, with named enclosure document; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War and Defence Medals; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., with ´Territorial´ suspension (Lt. F.J. Belle. M.C. RWF.), in card box, the group extremely fine, with a silver (Hallmarks for Chester 1934) Cardiff and District Amateur Foorball League medal for 1934-35, and the following original documents -- Territorial Army Notice to Join, dated 1.9.1939 -- Field Medical Card, stating Gun Shot Wound to Right Thigh 18.11.1940 --German Prisoner of War Identity Card, with photograph and thumb print -- Two letters to Belle in Prisoner of War Camp, one from his mother dated 5.3.1944 ´I hope you are quite recovered from your wound´, the other from his father dated 9.8.1944 ´we have received your travelling-case and kit bag today´ -- Three photographs, two group shots, the third with written note on the back ´This is the only picture of F.J.B. ever taken wearing M.C. Queen Street Cardiff´ -- Letter of recommendation from C.O.16 Bn R.A.O.C. dated 9.3.1946, Estimate £ 1,200-1,500 M.C. London Gazette 13.9.1945 Lieutenant (276421) The Royal Welch Fusiliers (attd. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)) (Rochester) Lieutenant Frederick John Belle, Royal Welch Fusiliers was born in Cardiff 11.7.1919; he was taken prisoner at the fall of the Greek Island of Leros, 17.11.1943, and held in Oflag VIII F (prisoner number 1826), and later in Oflag 79. Resistance on Leros officially ceased at 6 p.m. on 16.11.1943. The island had been held by British troops and the Italian garrison for nine weeks since the capitulation of Italy. The Germans had air bases in Rhodes, Cos and the neighbouring islands. The nearest allied air bases were Cyprus and Africa. The German radio announced the conquest of the 8-mile-long island as a great victory, claiming 8,000 prisoners. General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, claimed two days later that the attempt to hold Leros had been worthwhile, as a diversion of enemy forces, and because their losses were heavy.

Sold for
£5,500