Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.C. group of three awarded to the Reverend A. Kenelm Swallow, Royal Army Chaplain’s Department, attached 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Rev. A. K. Swallow.) mounted as worn, together with a related British War Medal (A. Swallow.) nearly extremely fine (4) £800-1000

M.C. London Gazette 16 September 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He superintended the clearing of wounded under heavy fire from snipers and machine-guns. When both stretcher-bearers carrying a wounded man became casualties, he remained with the man under heavy fire till fresh bearers arrived and carried him away.’

The Reverend Arthur ‘Kenelm’ Swallow was born in 1890, son of a cleric who was once headmaster of St Kenelm’s Prep School in Durham. He was a deacon in Leicester before joining the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers as a chaplain in the First World War. He proceeded to France on 11 November 1916 and was awarded the Military Cross in 1918. After the war he went to Coventry as an assistant priest at the Cathedral and to teach at the Grammar School. He shortly afterwards founded Coventry Prep School where he continued teaching until well into his 80s. He died in January 1979 at the age of 88. Sold with an article from The Coventry Evening Telegraph of 21 October 2000, detailing his distinguished academic career.