Charge of the Light Brigade - Medals

[JPL]

Another good news story:

A collection of medals honouring the heroism of the last surviving officer of the Charge of the Light Brigade was returned to Britain yesterday after half a century in an American safety deposit box. Tony Kent, a former RAF reconnaissance pilot who moved to the United States in 1946, had considered keeping his great grandfather's military decorations and personal papers in Virginia. But fearing the collection of Crimean medals, described as unique by historians, might eventually be split up and sold to US collectors, he returned to England to hand them over to his ancestor's regimental museum in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. His father's personal papers, which will be examined closely by military historians, reveal an astonishing story of British heroism by his great grandfather Captain Percy Shawe-Smith, a lieutenant and acting adjutant in the 13 Light Dragoons. Shawe-Smith was promoted to Captain and awarded the Crimean Medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman, Balaklava and Sebastopol; the Turkish Medal, the Sardinian Medal, with a citation for distinguished conduct during the charge, and the Order of the Medjidie (5th Class).

Read the complete article: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/great-grandson-returns-with-medals-of-hero-who-led-the-charge-of-the-light-brigade-2362472.html

Jean-Paul

[IrishGunner]

Yes, a good news story for such a historically significant - unique - group.

Nonetheless, to play devil's advocate; while possible - it is not by any means certain, that the the group would be split if sold to US collectors. As a US collector, I find that part of the article just a bit disingenuous. Just because the items were physically located in the US doesn't mean British collectors - or German - or any nationality - could just as well buy and split the group given the world-wide nature of auction houses etc. Why not just say "collectors" in the article without a modifier?

And even then, I think it's not certain it would be split up; I would expect the price tag would attract a true collector from anywhere in the world who wouldn't even think about splitting.

But that's not the most salient point I'd like to make - it's a double-edged sword for us, isn't it? We see this as good news (and again, I agree in this case it is); however, if families didn't offer their ancestor's awards for sale we'd have almost no hobby would we?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Nonetheless, to play devil's advocate; while possible - it is not by any means certain, that the the group would be split if sold to US collectors. As a US collector, I find that part of the article just a bit disingenuous. Just because the items were physically located in the US doesn't mean British collectors - or German - or any nationality - could just as well buy and split the group given the world-wide nature of auction houses etc. Why not just say "collectors" in the article without a modifier?

Depends how much the old guy knew about medal markets.

Maybe his idea of collecting is what he has seen at the local collectors shop at the shopping mall in wherever... a small dish of medals and bowling association pins, pulled apart and never to be brought together again. Sold to the people of the town he lives in.

I get a lot of the "how ever did it land up there !?!?" when I tell folks where I have bought things from....

[Mervyn Mitton]

JeanPaul - there was a post on the 24 Sept. on these medals - doesn't matter, an interesting set.