Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Egyptian theatre’ M.C. group of four awarded to Major L. Gall, 1st City of London Yeomanry and 25th Cavalry Frontier Force, Indian Army

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Capt. L. Gall. 25-Cavalry.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major L. Gall.) minor patch of staining to obverse of VM, generally very fine (4) £600-£800

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916.

Lawrence Gall was born on 10 September 1884 and educated at Cheltenham College. Appointed to a commission on 21 January 1903, he is listed as a newly promoted Captain in the Cheltenham Looker-on of 6 April 1912 and witnessed initial service at home upon the outbreak of the Great War as Captain in the 1st County of London Yeomanry. Transferred to the 25th Cavalry Frontier Force, Indian Army, he served in Egypt from 28 April 1915 and was advanced Major. Composed of four distinct squadrons of Sikhs, Dogras, Punjabi Muslims and Hindustani Muslims/Pathans, the 25th Cavalry were later posted to East Africa and saw fighting at Nahungo and Chingwea. Involved in the pursuit of General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck to the Portuguese African border, their impressive campaign against the Schutztruppe finally ground to a halt in consequence of illness transmitted by the bites of tsetse flies.

Gall later applied for his medals - which were issued by the India Office mint - on 17 February 1922, his address at that time given as 90 Seymour Street, Hyde Park, W.2.