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Auction: 7012 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 547

A Great War D.S.O. Group of Four to Lieutenant-Colonel W.B. Ritchie, South Lancashire Regiment, Twice Wounded and Twice Mentioned in Despatches, He Trained, Commanded, and Led the 11th Battalion (St. Helens Pioneers) South Lancashire Regiment at the Battle of the Somme 1916 a) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, minor enamel damage to wreath, with integral top riband bar b) 1914 Star, with Bar (Capt. W.B. Ritchie. S.Lan:R.) c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaves (Lt. Col. W.B. Ritchie.), very fine or better, with photographic image of recipient (4) Estimate £ 1,200-1,400 D.S.O. London Gazette 18.2.1915 Captain W.B. Ritchie, The Prince of Wales´s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) Lieutenant-Colonel William Buchanan Ritchie, D.S.O., born 1877; joined the 9th Battalion The Rifle Brigade as a junior prior to being commissioned Second Lieutenant South Lancashire Regiment, 1899; Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, 26.5.1900; Captain 1.12.1904; served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion on the Western Front (M.I.D. London Gazette 19.10.1914 and 4.1.1917); Major 11.12.1914, ´He went to France with the B.E.F. on the outbreak of war and took part in the retreat from Mons. He was mentioned in despatches and invested with the D.S.O. for a part he took in a rearguard action. In October 1914 he was invalided home but took command of and trained a Service Battalion [11th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment] which he subsequently took into France in 1916 and took part in the battle of the Somme. He remained in France on active service until 1917 when, once more he was invalided home. He returned to France in 1918 and remained there until the armistice. He served for two years in Dublin as Second in Command of the 1st Bn....... In 1921 he commanded the 2nd Battalion...... After service in Egypt and India he returned to the U.K. and was offered command of the South Staffs Territorial Brigade but ill health forced him to refuse the opportunity.´ (Obituary in the Gloucestershire Echo, dated 13.9.1937, refers); Lieutenant-Colonel 4.7.1921; retired 1925.

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£1,800