Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1918 ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of seven awarded to Captain the Rt. Hon. C. Waterhouse, 1st Life Guards, attached Tank Corps, for his gallantry at Rosiéres on 8 August 1918, during which he was twice wounded; he later served as Conservative Member of Parliament for Leicester South

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved ‘Lieut. Charles Waterhouse. 1st. Life Guards, attached Tank Corps.. Rosiéres Aug. 8th 1918.’; 1914 Star, with clasp (2. Lieut: C. Waterhouse. 1/Life Gds:); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. C. Waterhouse.); Defence Medal; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued, generally very fine (7) £1,800-£2,200

M.C. London Gazette 2 December 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry during an attack. When his Tank was put out of action on a railway bridge thirty yards from the enemy lines he sent back his crew into safety and then assisted a dismounted troop of cavalry to take the bridge, only retiring when he had been twice wounded. He showed marked courage and devotion to duty.’.

The Rt. Hon. Charles Waterhouse was born in Salford, Lancashire, on 1 July 1893 and was educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 1st Life Guards, and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 8 October 1914. Attached to the 6th Battalion, Tank Corps, he was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry at Rosiéres on 8 August 1918.

Post-War, Waterhouse was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Leicester South in 1924, and held the seat until his defeat in the 1945 General Election. He was then re-elected for the new seat of Leicester South-East in 1950, and held that seat until his retirement in 1957. He held various junior ministerial offices, including Comptroller of the Household from 1937 to 1939; Assistant Postmaster-General from 1939 to 1941; and Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade from 1941 to 1945. Appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1944, he later served as a Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Derbyshire. He died in Sheffield on 2 March 1975.

Sold with a brass name plaque, inscribed ‘Captain Charles Waterhouse, P.C. M.C., D.L., J.P.’; and with the following related Family Medals:
Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-45; Rhodesia, General Service Medal (A174 S/O (A) G. A. Waterhouse); Rhodesia, Police Reserve Faithful Service Medal (5872G F/R A. G. Waterhouse) nearly extremely fine