Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of seven awarded to Major A. M. Bellingham, Royal Irish Rifles, late Imperial Yeomanry and Middlesex Regiment - later rewarded for services during the Allied Intervention in North Russia

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut., Imp. Yeo.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (Lt., I.Y.); 1914-15 Star (Lieut., Midd’x. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); Russia, Order of St. Vladimir, 4th Class with swords, non-Russian manufacture, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse centre missing and enamel damage to reverse, mounted as worn, contact marks, nearly very fine (7) £1800-2200

M.C. London Gazette 16 September 1918. ‘Capt. (A./Maj.) Alan Mure Bellingham, R. Ir. Rif.’ ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer, though not ordered to take part in a counter-attack, seeing men on the left hesitate to start, led them to the attack under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, and gained his objective. His fine example of gallantry inspired the men and caused the success obtained.’

Alan Mure Bellingham was born on 21 February 1881, a descendent of Sir Alan Edward, Bellingham, 3rd Baronet. Employed as a War Correspondent for The Daily Sketch, he embarked for South Africa on 28 March 1900 and was commissioned on 31 April 1901, serving as a Lieutenant in the 16th (Worcestershire) Company, 5th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. As such he was dangerously wounded at Kleinfontein, 24 October 1901. Recovering, he remained in South Africa until the cessation of hostilities. A note with the lot states he was also a prisoner-of-war and escaped. Bellingham was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Middlesex Regiment on 4 July 1903 but was placed on Half Pay in October 1906 and resigned his commission in November 1907.

In February 1915 he was listed as a Lieutenant in the Reserve of Officers of the Middlesex Regiment, serving with the 11th (Service) Battalion. Still with the Middlesex Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 15 November 1915 and was on attachment to the Machine Gun Corps, December 1915-May 1916. In May 1916 he was promoted to Captain in the Royal Irish Rifles on attachment to the M.G.C., being advanced to Acting Major on attachment to the M.G.C. in January 1917. For his services in the latter part of the war, Major Bellingham was awarded the Military Cross. A note with the lot states that he was twice wounded during the course of the war. He later served in North Russia. In White Russian Awards to British & Commonwealth Servicemen during the Allied Intervention in Russia 1918-1920, collated by Ray Brough, it is stated that Captain Alan Mure Bellingham, of the Royal Ulster Rifles, was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 4th Class with swords. The Royal Ulster Rifles Association reports that his Order of St. Vladimir was on the ‘War Office Confidential List’.

With copied research.