Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An extremely fine British War Medal awarded to The Reverend Major H. C. Eves, M.C. and Second Award Bar, Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, late Machine Gun Corps and Durham Light Infantry, who was twice decorated for personally capturing an enemy machine-gun and crew, and was later recognised for holding back waves of the enemy on the First Day of the German Spring Offensive.

Devoting his later life to the study of theology and God, he became a much admired and loved personality in Newmarket, notably after suggesting Public Houses could become good recruiting grounds for the next generation of parishioners

British War Medal 1914-20 (Major H. C. Eves.) attractively toned, minor edge bruise, good very fine £200-£240

M.C. London Gazette 4 February 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He personally captured an enemy machine gun and two of the team. On reaching the final objective he went forward in advance of the Tanks and captured two field guns. He showed great daring and initiative.’

M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 26 July 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy attack, when he controlled his battalion under very heavy fire, and later advanced to a most advantageous position, where his guns did great execution. Finally, although partially surrounded, he fought his guns to the last until overwhelmed by enemy bombers, and when all his guns except one had been knocked out, he succeeded in retiring with it.’

Harold Cecil Eves was born in Redcar, Yorkshire, on 13 June 1894. Educated at Coatham Grammar School, he was appointed to a commission as Second Lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry in the London Gazette of 9 June 1915. Posted to France on 4 June 1916, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and was twice decorated with the Military Cross. The Second Award Bar was later notified in The North-Eastern Daily Gazette on 9 May 1918:

‘Lieut. H. C. Eves, who was recently awarded the Military Cross, has now received a Bar to his distinction for bravery in holding up the enemy with the machine-gun during the attack on March 21st.’

Hostilities over, Eves was admitted to St. Chad’s College, Durham University, where he was awarded a theological scholarship and a prize for Hebrew in 1920. Graduating B.A. (1921) and M.A. (1924), he won an open exhibition for mathematics with £30 and represented the University at football; he also played for Stockton Football Club. Ordained at Durham Cathedral, he took appointment as Curate at Brotton Parva and Carlin Howe, followed by Wath-on-Dearne from 1926-31. The Sheffield Daily Telegraph later recorded Eves experiencing further sporting success, this time on the golf course:

‘Bishop of Sheffield and the Game for the Clergy.
The Reverend H. C. Eves of Wath, is the first winner of the Cup presented by the Bishop of Sheffield for competition among the members of the newly-formed Sheffield Clergy Golfing Society. On the course of the Abbeydale Club yesterday morning, the Rev. Eves led the way with an excellent card of 89-16: 73.’
The event proved a fine success, the Bishop keen to add: ‘He could think of no finer way for the Sheffield Clergy to get together than in God’s fresh air.’

Appointed to the living of Bradfield St. George, near Bury St. Edmunds, Eves subsequently spent the full duration of the Second World War as Chaplain to the Forces. The Bury Free Press & Post of 28 September 1945, adds: ‘In the early months he was in France, and was among the last to return to this country through St. Nazaire after the fall of Dunkirk. Since that time he has served in Scotland and Bury St. Edmunds.’

Transferred to the Suffolk and Essex Home Guard, Eves later found himself looking for new ways of filling his church pews with peace returned:
‘The Pub and the Parson.
The Reverend H. C. Eves, former Rector of Bradfield St. George and now rector of St Mary’s, had something to say about racehorses and “pubs” when he addressed his annual parochial meeting this week. He described his five months’ stay in Newmarket as simply wonderful, and later went on to speak of the danger of young folk losing their vision in Christ... “We must do our bit,” he said. “It is our part of the battlefield...”

There was laughter when the Rector said he had hinted to the men where they could talk about it, and he added: “I think the public house can be the best friend to a Parson!”’

A married man, the Reverend Harold Eves died at Newmarket on 6 January 1979.