Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare and impressive Great War M.C. group of twelve awarded to Group Captain A. J. M. Manson, Royal New Zealand Air Force, late New Zealand Machine Gun Corps and Hawke’s Bay Regiment, who became Sergeant at Arms and Black Rod to New Zealand Parliament

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘Captain A. J. M. Manson, N.Z. M.G.C.’; 1914-15 Star (11/1642 Lieut. A. J. M. Manson, N.Z.E.F.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (11/1642 T./Capt. A. J. M. Manson, N.Z.E.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; New Zealand Service Medal 1939-45; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953; Efficiency Decoration, G.V.R., New Zealand, the reverse officially engraved, ‘Maj. A. J. M. Manson, Hawke’s Bay Rgt.’; New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal (Maj. A. J. M. Manson, Hawke’s Bay Rgt.), contact marks on the third, otherwise generally very fine or better (12) £1800-2200

Just 530 M.Cs were awarded to the New Zealand Forces for the Great War.

M.C. London Gazette 14 August 1917:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed great skill in successfully bringing into action four captured enemy machine-guns, together with his own four guns. Later he displayed great gallantry in taking his Section through the enemy's barrage and bringing them into action. The following day, although badly bruised and completely buried by the enemy's shell-fire, he displayed complete contempt for danger, placing his guns in a forward position. He had been severely wounded early in the operations and his example has at all times had a splendid effect upon the spirit of his men.’

John Mackay Manson was born at lnvercargill in May 1895 and educated at Napier Boys' High School, at which establishment he became a teacher prior to enlisting for the duration of hostilities.

Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant to the Wellington Mounted Rifles, he was transferred to the 2nd New Zealand Machine Gun Corps, receiving promotion to Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) in June 1916. Heavily engaged in the Somme battles of September 1916, Manson receives mention in The History of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps, not least for his part in an engagement fought around Flers, when his Gunners ‘found themselves in an awkward predicament when the enemy attack was launched’. Owing to the cover afforded the enemy by some old saps, their machine-guns couldn't be brought to bear as the enemy bombed their way up to the New Zealand M.G.C. position. Consequently, according to the Regimental History, ‘Only one thing was possible - meet the enemy with the bayonet'. As a result of the spirited cold-steel charge that ensued, ‘the Huns gave an excellent demonstration of their sprinting capabilities’. Manson had earlier encountered a party of Germans that ‘in a few seconds was scattered by a shower of well-directed bombs’, yet another act of gallantry that prompted his C.O. to recommend him for a decoration. He was also mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 2 January 1917, refers).

After the War Manson entered business on his own account but retained his military associations by serving in the Territorial Army, attaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and becoming C.O. of the Hawke's Bay Regiment. He was awarded the New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal in July 1927 and the E.D. in August 1934, one of just 80 such distinctions, in addition to being gazetted for both the Jubilee 1935 and Coronation 1937 Medals (New Zealand Gazettes refer). It was in July of the latter year that he also took up appointment as Sergeant at Arms to New Zealand's Parliament, an office which he occupied until May 1965.



In September 1939 he was released from his military duties and seconded to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, being appointed Assistant Air Member for Personnel in March 1940. By November 1942 he had attained the rank of Acting Group Captain and in June 1943 was posted to London as Deputy Air Officer Commanding at R.N.Z.A.F. Headquarters. Promoted to Temporary Group Captain in August 1945, he was placed on the Retired List in the following month.

Returning to his duties at New Zealand's Parliament, he relinquished his position as Sergeant at Arms in May 1965, when he became the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, the only man ever to have held both offices. His Coronation 1953 Medal is verified in The New Zealand Gazette (Supplement of 3 July 1953 refers).

Group Captain Manson died at Hastings in June 1975.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including N.Z. Ministry of Defence and N.Z.E.F. Records Office letters regarding the recipient's M.C. (dated 7.9.1917 and 21.12.1917); a page from The Tatler and Bystander depicting ‘Dominion Air Chiefs in Britain’, the recipient among them (dated 15.12.1943); two wartime photographs, one depicting the recipient and his N.Z. M.G.C. Section ('Two of my Teams after the Somme'), and the other with R.N.Z.A.F. pilots in the 1939-45 War, including the famous ace “AI” Deere.