Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 78

Seven: Warrant Officer Class 2 M. McDonald, 3rd (The King's Own) Hussars, late 'B' Company, Kildare Battalion, Irish Republican Army

Ireland, Free State, General Service Medal 1917-21, with top riband bar and in box of issue, this inscribed in ink 'Presented to Michael McDonald, Golden Falls for War of Independence, with forwarding slip; United Kingdom, 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., Regular Army (7882816 W.O.Cl.2 M. McDonald. 3H.), good very fine (7)

Michael McDonald was born on 24 February 1903 and was living at Golden Falls, Ballymore Eustace, Kildare. During the War of Independence he served in 'B' Company, Kildare Battalion, Irish Republican Army under Thomas Lawlor, Arthur Doran, Martin O'Neill and James McGrath. McDonald was duly issued with his Medal in August 1952.

He has the highly unusual record of having served with distinction in the British Army from April 1939-November 1949. During that time the 3rd Hussars fought in North Africa from 1940-41. Having then split into two Squadrons, one was captured in its entirety on Java by the Japanese in 1942, but the other - with McDonald no doubt present - shared in the breakthrough at El Alamein in 1942. These events left it so short of men that it was transferred to Syria and Lebanon until April 1944, when it joined the Italian campaign.

Sold together with a German Fuhrer Kompass 38 (Fk. 38), numbered P21113, by Ludolph Bremerhaven, captured by McDonald from a downed Luftwaffe from the Western Desert.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£800 to £1,200

Starting price
£600