The superb Great War 1916 ‘High Wood’ M.C., ‘Life Saving’ A.M. group of seven awarded to Captain W. L. C. Rathbone, 15th Battalion, London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles), formerly Devonshire Regiment, who was awarded the Albert Medal for great gallantly in disarming a ‘madman’ who had run amok in a trench carrying a loaded rifle with fixed bayonet

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse inscribed ‘Captain W. L. C. Rathbone, 15th London Regt., 18th Sept. 1916’; Albert Medal, 2nd Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, reverse officially inscribed ‘Presented by His Majesty to 2nd Lieutenant William Leslie Coutts Rathbone, 15th Bn., The London Regiment, for gallantry in saving life in France on the night of the 6th May 1916’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Natal, Transvaal (5815 Pte. L. Rathbone, Devon. Regt.); 1914-15 Star (1210 Sjt. W. L. C. Rathbone 15/Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. W. L. C. Rathbone); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R. (1210 Pte. L. Rathbone. 15/London Regt.) generally good very fine (7) £8,000-£12,000

M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916 (awarded for action at High Wood, 18 September 1916):
‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He collected together a party of men, and led them in an attack in conjunction with another battalion. Owing to his courage and initiative, his party succeeded in capturing the enemy support line.’

A.M. London Gazette 4 August 1917 (Joint citation with Corporal Feldwick):
‘As a working party under Second Lieutenant Rathbone, 15th London Regiment was proceeding down a communication trench by night, they were fired upon from close quarters. Second Lieutenant Rathbone ascertained that the shots came from a soldier who had run amok, and had posted himself with loaded rifle and fixed bayonet farther down the trench. Second Lieutenant Rathbone borrowed a rifle and, accompanied by Corporal Feldwick, advanced along the trench until in view of the mentally deranged man. They then advanced with rifles at the ready; the officer calling upon the man to surrender. Receiving no reply, they then dropped their rifles and rushed him, and after disarming him took him to the nearest dressing station.’

The recipient’s own account of the action, dated 7 May 1916, the day after the event, states: ‘I was taking a working party along Cabaret Road and had nearly reached the artillery positions when I heard a shot and the bullet seemed to pass close to the party. I concluded that it had probably come from an incinerator and took no notice. A little further on the artillerymen shouted to us to stop, which I did thinking some guns were going to fire. As nothing happened for some time I called out to know what was the matter. The artillerymen then shouted “There is a man who has gone dotty further up the trench with a loaded rifle”. This explained the shot and as the trench is shallow I ordered the men to get down. The artillery did not appear to be making any attempt to deal with the situation so I borrowed a rifle - loaded - from Corporal Feldwick of the 8th and told him to get another and load that. I then worked my way along until I could see the madman and ordered him to put his hands up. He took no notice so I walked towards him with my rifle at the ready. As soon as I got near enough I dropped my rifle and grasped that of the man, holding it so that he could neither shoot nor use his bayonet. The Corporal and others then rushed up and collared him. The bayonet was fixed and the rifle was at full cock with a round in the chamber and one on the magazine. The man was with difficulty removed to the dressing station in Hospital Road. I do not know to what regiment the man belonged. The two men of my own party who were nearest were Corporal Feldwick and Rifleman Haynes, both of the 8th Battalion. Some of the artillerymen must also have seen what occurred.’

Corporal Feldwick’s account, also dated 7 May 1916, states: ‘On the night of the 6th May whilst on working party under Mr. Rathbone, 15th Battalion, proceeding through the Cabaret Road at 8:15 p.m. on the way to the R.E. Dump, we were surprised at having a rifle shot fired at us; a little further along the trench we were warned by some Royal Field Artillery men that there was madman in the trench in front of us. Mr. Rathbone and myself loaded rifles and waited for the man and called upon him to surrender. No receiving any reply Mr. Rathbone and myself rushed the man and after taking away his arms handed him over to the Royal Army Medical Corps.’

A note in one of the reports suggests that the soldier who ran amok in the trenches belonged to the Royal Irish Rifles.

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 November 1916.

William Leslie Coutts Rathbone enlisted into the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 13 February 1898 under the name of Leslie Rathbone, and served with them in South Africa during the Boer War. He transferred to the 24th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps on 5 December 1902, before enlisting into the 8th City of London Regiment (Territorial Force) on 1 April 1908. He transferred to the 15th Battalion, London Regiment on 2 April 1910, and having changing his name by deed poll to William Leslie Coutts Rathbone (hence the naming on his QSA and TFEM), he served with the 15th Battalion, London Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 17 March 1915. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 5 June 1915, and appointed temporary Lieutenant on 30 March 1916. For his gallantry at Villers-au-Bois on 6 May 1916, he was awarded the Albert Medal.

Rathbone was promoted temporary Captain on 16 September 1916, and two days later performed the act of gallantry at High Wood for which he was awarded the Military Cross. The Battalion War Diary states:
‘6th, 8th, and 15th London Regimens attacked Flers Line between Drop Alley and Goose Alley (left of New Zealand Division). At same time 15th London Regiment occupied Drop Alley and established block at its junction with Flers Line. Zero hour 5:30 a.m. Attack successful but owing to loss of direction, troops in Flers Line and Drop Alley did not quite join up. Several unsuccessful attempts made during the day to link up.’

Rathbone was was wounded in the face by a splinter of shell on 7 October 1916, but made a full recovery. He was presented with his Albert Medal by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 3 August 1917. He relinquished his commission on 12 March 1921, and was granted the honorary rank of Captain. He died on 18 February 1929.

Sold with 21 pages from his National Archives correspondence file and a quantity of other copied research material, including several copied photographs of recipient in uniform.

Note: Corporal A. E. Feldwick’s Albert Medal group was sold in these rooms on 19 July 2017.