Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1915 ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. T. Swan, Rifle Brigade, who was awarded the King’s Medal at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1907

Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse contemporarily engraved ‘Capt. C. F. T. Swan. The Rifle Brigade. Presented by H. M. King George V October 5th 1915’; 1914 Star, with clasp (Capt. C. F. T. Swan. R.B.) both the Star and clasp a copy; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Bt. Major. C. F. T. Swan.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45; Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, E.II.R., 2nd issue (Charles F. T. Swan); together with the recipient’s Royal Military College Sandhurst King’s Medal 1907, E.VII.R., gold (18ct., 56g) (Gentleman Cadet Charles Francis Trollope Swan) small edge bruise to King’s Medal otherwise about extremely fine (8) £1,800-£2,200

M.C. London Gazette 23 June 1915.

Charles Francis Trollope Swan was born in 1887 at Aswardby Hall, Lincolnshire, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Swan, Lincolnshire Regiment, and his wife Ethel, and was educated at Charterhouse School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where, as the Officer Cadet gaining the highest scores in military, practical, and academic studies, he was awarded the King’s Medal for 1907.

Commissioned Second Lieutenant into the Rifle Brigade in 1907, Swan was promoted Lieutenant in 1912, and following the outbreak of the Great War proceeded with the 3rd Battalion to France on 7 September 1914, where he served on the Staff until 12 August 1915; that same year he was promoted Captain, was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1915), and was awarded the Military Cross. He served in British, German and Portuguese East Africa, Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia, 24 December 1915 to 29 December 1916, was promoted Brevet Major in 1917, and served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, 4 January 1918 to 31 October 1918. He was Mentioned in Despatches a second time (London Gazette 12 January 1920). Major Swan retired from the Army after the Great War and was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Pioneer Corps on 24 August 1939 from the Reserve List of Officers.

For the medals awarded to the recipient’s father and son, see Lots 155 and 1364.