Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.C, group of four awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel J. S. Harper, Manchester Regiment and Machine Gun Corps, one of the first Officers to be awarded the Military Cross in January 1915 when the first awards to the B.E.F. were promulgated, and the first recipient of the Military Cross to the Manchester Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R. unnamed as issued; 1914 Star, with clasp (Lieut: J. S. Harper, Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Col. J. S. Harper.) mounted court-style for display, very fine and better (4) £1,200-£1,600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1915 (this being the very first Gazette in which the Military Cross was awarded, and the first gazetted award to the Manchester Regiment).

M.I.D., London Gazettes 20 October 1914 and 4 January 1917.

James Stuart Harper was born on 3 November 1885 in Ceylon, the son of J. Harper, a tea planter, and Mary Harper. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in August 1905 and posted to 3rd Battalion the Manchester Regiment. He served with the Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front, was present at Mons, Bavay, Le Cateau, Marne, the crossing of the Aisne, Richebourg and L’Orgies, where he was wounded and repatriated to England, and was promoted to Captain on 27 April 1915. He rejoined 2nd Battalion at Ypres on 27 June 1915, before again being wounded and repatriated to England on 1 August 1915.

In November 1916, Harper was appointed Acting Lieutenant Colonel with the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), and was appointed 93rd Brigade Divisional Machine Gun Officer in August 1917. Following the Great War he was restored to the Manchester Regiment, reverting to the rank of Captain. He was promoted Major on 1 September 1924, and in May 1931 was transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died in March 1943 at Barnet, Hertfordshire.