Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian

Lot 3853    Session 12 (11:30am Thursday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian

Estimate $6,250
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $6,750

TRIO: Military Cross (GRI); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. Lieut A.J.Fell. 34th Bn A.I.F. Villers Brettoneux (sic). April 4th/5th 1918. on first medal, Lieut. A.J.Fell A.I.F. on last two medals. First medal engraved, the last two impressed. Court style display mounted, extremely fine.

Together with copy of newspaper report of award of MC to Lt Fell with photo in uniform; brief outline of operations involving 34Bn at Villers-Bretonneux April 4/5th, 1918; Statement of Particulars of Capture by Lieut A.J.Fell including his experiences through to his final internment at Graudenz, West Prussia; 34th Battalion, A.I.F. short history from formation through to end of WWI; original telegram requesting attendance by Lt Fell at Buckingham Palace in 1918.

Recommendation for MC: During the operation in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux on the night of 4/5th April, 1918, Lieut. Fell commanded a Company on the left flank, and despite heavy artillery and machine gun fire carried the operation through to a thoroughly successful issue. It was mainly due to his coolness and clever leading that the enemy on three occasions were defeated, one officer and 16 men captured and a considerable number killed; also nine machine guns taken. After the line was advanced he reorganized his position and arranged the consolidation. He very clearly demonstrated his ability as a leader to be of a very high order, and throughout set a splendid example to all men of his Company.

MC: LG 26/7/1918, p8864; CAG 27/11/1918, p2266,

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty while commanding a company. In face of heavy artillery and machine-gun fire he successfully attacked the enemy on three occasions, killing many, and capturing one officer, sixteen men, and nine machine guns. He showed leadership of a very high order, and set a splendid example to his company.

Alfred James Fell, accountant, age 25, born at Liverpool, Cheshire, England; the son of Captain and Mrs Alfred Fell, Langside, Watson's Bay, Sydney, NSW; educated at the Wallasey Grammar School (England) and the North Sydney Grammar School; Enl.22Aug1915; Emb.02May1916 as Sergeant; Disemb.23Jun1916 at Plymouth; 06Aug1916 TOS 34Bn from Bombing School, Lyndhurst; 23Oct1916 at Officer's School for NCOs, Tidworth; 21Nov1916 to France; 17Jan1917 to be 2Lt MO223/17 and CAG 7/3/1917; 30May1917 Lt; 13Aug1917 to be Adjutant; 07May1918 MIA France believed to be POW; one eye-witness stated 'I know that Lts Brown, Fell, McMahon, and Capt McMinn M.M. were all taken prisoners at Villers, they went too far, and were all captured.'; confirmed as POW, taken initially to German Divisional HQs a little east of Bray for questioning, then sent to Etricourt, next to Cambrai and after five days to a hotel room at Karlsruhe in Germany for more interviews then to the Karlsruhe Camp proper (Distributing Camp) and finally to a lager at Graudenz, West Prussia; 01Dec1918 arrived in England from Germany as repatriated POW; 18Dec1918 received telegram from Lord Chamberlain requesting his attendance at Buckingham Palace for presentation of his decoration; RTA and disembarked at Sydney 03Apr1919; Disch.27Jul1919 as Medically Unfit. With research.