Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War M.C. and Bar group of four awarded to Captain G. R. Montague, Cheshire Regiment, late 2nd County of London Yeomanry

Military Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (1833 Pte., 2-Co. of Lond. Y.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.), good very fine (4) £2000-2500

M.C. London Gazette 26 July 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During a determined enemy attack, when ammunition was urgently needed, he personally organised and supervised the carrying forward of stores and ammunition to the front line, in spite of a heavy enemy barrage. During the whole operations there is no doubt that the front line was kept supplied owing to his courage and powers of organisation.’

Bar to M.C. London Gazette 8 March 1919:

‘During the operations near Moen on 25 October 1918, he showed conspicuous courage and devotion to duty. Throughout the long advance of some 7,000 yards to the final objective he acted as Adjutant, and under heavy fire performed his task with great coolness. He went out under machine-gun fire to ascertain the latest situation in the front line, and brought back very valuable information.’

George Ralph Montague, who was born in Hornsey, Middlesex in June 1892 and was educated at Dulwich College, enlisted in the 2nd County of London Yeomanry (The Westminster Dragoons) in August 1914. Embarked with his regiment for Egypt, he served in Gallipoli until October 1915 when he was evacuated to Malta with enteric, and thence back to the U.K. aboard the hospital ship Mauritania.

In November 1916, Montague was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment, and went on to serve with distinction in France, where he won his first M.C. for bravery near Vaulx, 21-24 March 1918, while attached to the 10th Battalion from the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment - the unit’s war diary describes two massive German assaults on the 23rd, casualties for the period amounting to 20 killed, 117 wounded and 101 missing. As it transpired, Montague was not to escape such grim statistics, himself being wounded in the leg at Montmoin on 17 April. But he made a sufficient recovery in time to return to the Front before the year was out, and won his second M.C. in the operations at Moen on 25 October 1918, this time while attached to the 1/4th Battalion. He was demobilised in the rank of Captain in February 1919.