Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘La Bassée February 1915’ D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Sergeant J. F. Le Cras, Manchester Regiment, late Guernsey Royal Artillery Militia, who was briefly taken Prisoner of War at Givenchy in 1914, before escaping, and was later wounded at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (1787 [sic] Cpl. J. Le Cras. 1/Manch: R.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (787 Pte. J. Le Cras. Manch: R.); British War and Victory Medals (787 Sjt. J. Le Cras. Manch. R.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver (No. 787 Pte. J. Le Cras. Manch. Rgt.) contemporarily engraved naming, mounted court-style for wear, sometime lacquered, contact marks and minor edge bruising, very fine and better (7) £2,000-£2,400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 5 June 1915:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and ability on 19th and 21st February, 1915, near the La Bassée road, in voluntarily reconnoitring the enemy’s position from a distance of only 20 yards and obtaining most useful information on both days.’

John Frederick Le Cras was born on 3 September 1881, in St Saviours, Guernsey, Channel Islands. At the age of 14 he ran away to sea, but returned to Guernsey some time between 1898 and 1900 and joined the Guernsey Royal Artillery Militia. In 1905 he attested for service in 2nd Battalion the Manchester Regiment at St. Peter Port, serving in the Guernsey and Alderney garrisons. He served in India with his battalion arriving at Trimulgherry in December 1906. His battalion was on duty at the 1911 Delhi Durbar, and his name appears on the medal roll.

Le Cras served in France with the B.E.F., landing with the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment on 27 August 1914. He was briefly taken prisoner at Givenchy but managed to escape and earned the D.C.M. at La Bassée. He was wounded at Neuve Chapelle on or around 10 March 1915, and was repatriated to England. After recuperating he was posted as an instructor to the Machine Gun Corps, but was then posted to the Railway Depot Royal Engineers at Longmoor in November 1917. He was promoted to Sergeant, Railway Operations Head Quarters at Cherbourg, where he remained for the rest of his war service. He was demobilised and transferred to Class ‘Z’ Army Reserve on 25 August 1919.

In August 1939 Le Cras joined the Kesteven and Grantham National Defence Company, later Home Guard, and was sent to guard Spitalgate Aerodrome, near Grantham. He later transferred as a Private in ‘B’ Company, 3rd Kesteven Home Guard, and was later Range Warden and Sergeant at Honnington Range. On the stand down of the Home Guard he received a Certificate of Good Service from the Battalion Commander and ‘the Order of Merit, Northern Command, Home Guard’. He was discharged from the Home Guard in 1945, and died in 1968 aged 77.

Sold with extensive copied research including a 14-page copy of a typed memoir My Life Story by John Frederick Le Cras, D.C.M., dated March 1960.