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Auction: 9033 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 7

The Boer War D.S.O., Great War O.B.E. Group of Seven to Lieutenant-Colonel G.C. Lambton, Worcestershire Regiment, Who Commanded the 2nd Battalion During the Great War at the Battles of Festubert and Loos, May to September 1915 a) Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar b) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1st type, Military Division, Officer´s (O.B.E.) breast Badge c) Queen´s South Africa 1899-1902, four clasps, Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (Capt. G.C. Lambton, D.S.O. Worc: Rgt:) d) King´s South Africa 1901-02, two clasps (Cpt. G.C. Lambton. D.S.O. Worc. Rgt.) e) 1914 Star, with Bar (Major G.C. Lambton. D.S.O. Worc: R.) f) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaves (Lt. Col. G.C. Lambton), generally good very fine or better, together with the related miniature awards and the recipient´s riband bar (7) Estimate £ 2,500-3,000 D.S.O. London Gazette 27.9.1901 Captain George Charles Lambton, the Worcestershire Regiment, 5th Battalion, Mounted Infantry ´In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.´ O.B.E. London Gazette 3.6.1919 Lambton, Maj. and Bt. Lt.-Col. George Charles, D.S.O., Worc. R. ´For valuable services rendered in connection with the War.´ Lieutenant-Colonel George Charles Lambton, D.S.O., O.B.E., (1872-1927), was born at Brownslade, Pembroke, the fourth son of the Lieutenant-Colonel F.W. Lambton, late Scots Guards, a veteran of the Crimean War, and Lady Victoria Alexandrina Elizabeth Campbell, the elder daughter of the 2nd Earl of Cawdor. Educated at Wellington College, Lambton was Commissioned Second Lieutenant, 7th Battalion, King´s Royal Rifle Corps in October 1892, transferring to the Worcestershire Regiment in December 1895. Promoted Lieutenant, March 1899, and Captain, 23.6.1900, he served during the Boer War with the Mounted Infantry, and took part in the operations in the Orange Free State, February to May 1900, including the actions at Thoba Mountain, Vet River (5-6.5.1900), and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal, May to June 1900, including the actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Diamond Hill (11-12.6.1900); operations in Orange River Colony, May to November 1900, including actions at Wittebergen (1-29.7.1900), Ladybrand (2-5.9.1900), Bothaville, and Caledon River (27-19.11.1900); operations in the Orange River Colony, November 1900 to March 1902; and operations in Cape Colony, February to March and September to October 1901. Mentioned in Lord Roberts´ Despatch of the 4th September 1901 (London Gazette 10.9.1901), he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in recognition of his services during the Campaign. Promoted Major, 4.5.1912, Lambton served during the Great War on the Western Front from 11.10.1914, and on the 6th March, 1915 was appointed to the Command of the 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, with the rank of Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel. Battle of Festubert Lambton´s first major action with his Battalion was at the Battle of Festubert, as part of the 2nd Division´s 5th Brigade. At 11:30 p.m., on the 15th May, 1915, following a preliminary bombardment, the 5th and 6th Brigades launched the first British night attack of the Great War. The sky was overcast, and it was quite dark, the moon being barely thirty six hours old, when the leading companies went over the top. As a distinguishing mark each man wore a white patch on his chest and back. Just beyond the British trenches and parallel to them was a dyke, 12 feet wide, which contained 4 feet of water. Beyond this lay 300 yards of No Man´s Land to the German trenches. Crossing the dyke by means of light bridges the attack of the 6th Brigade on the right was entirely successful, reaching the enemy trenches almost before a shot was fired, and securing them without serious opposition. Unfortunately the 5th Brigade, with the 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment in front had no chance of surprise. By means of light-balls the enemy detected the parties laying the light bridges over the dyke, and as the advance moved into No Man´s Land the enemy opened heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, which raked them from flank to flank. In addition, shell fire from the German artillery broke some of the bridges over the dyke and prevented the immediate advance of the supporting lines. The Worcesters were unable to reach the German trenches, and eventually the 5th Brigade´s advance had to be called off with heavy casualties, Lambton´s Battalion losing 6 officers and 305 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Battle of Loos Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22.6.1915) and promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, 23.6.1915, Lambton´s Battalion was next in action at the Battle of Loos, 25-26.9.1915, where despite capturing the German front line trenches at Givenchy with minimal casualties, the 5th Brigade came under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from the German communication trenches, and was eventually forced back across No Man´s Land to their own trenches, achieving nothing. The following day the 2nd Worcester and 1st King´s Royal Rifle Corps formed a composite brigade and began a renewed attack on the Quarries, a commanding position held by the enemy along the top of a low crest, and safe from artillery fire in the caves and recesses. At 4:00 p.m. on the 26th September, Lambton´s Battalion moved out into No Man´s Land, guessing the direction of their objective by the fall of the shells of the ongoing artillery bombardment. Suddenly they found themselves faced by an old German front trench, very deep with very few places where it was easy to scramble out. The men could only emerge a few at a time, and were further delayed by enemy bombers working down the communication trenches from the Quarries to meet them. After considerable loss of time the attack was resumed, with the two Battalions advancing by alternate platoons and sections, so as to ensure the ´fire and movement´ of pre-War training. In spite of heavy casualties they reached a partly dug communication trench, 200 yards short of the Quarries, where they were ordered to consolidate their position. Reserve forces arrived during the night, and Lambton´s Battalion remained in the Quarries sector until the 29th September, when it was relieved and re-joined the 2nd Division. Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 1.1.1916), the following year Lambton relinquished command of the 2nd Battalion, and returned to Britain, 15.5.1916, where he was appointed to command the Local Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, 14.7.1916; he transferred to command a Training Reserve Battalion, 1.9.1916, and returned to the Western Front, 11.1.1917, serving until the cessation of hostilities. Appointed an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his War-time services, he was later given the command of the 11th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, 1.8.1919. Lambton retired from the army, as a result of ill-health contracted whilst on active service, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, 8.4.1922.

Sold for
£3,600