# - Sassoon, Siegfried--

i) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Civil Division, Commander's Neck Badge, in silver-gilt and enamels, with original neck riband, a contemporary fitted case and original Warrant of Appointment
ii) 1914-15 Star, late claim, with official machine-engraved naming on reverse capt sl sassoon rwf
iii) British War Medal, late claim, with official impressed naming on edge capt sl sassoon rw fus
iv) Victory Medal, late claim, with official impressed naming on edge capt sl sassoon rw fus



Great War medals as supplied by the Army Medal Office, Droitwich, in 1985, with correct ribbons but unmounted, in forwarding boxes and padded postal envelope addressed to "Mr. G.T. Sassoon"

C.B.E.: London Gazette (Supplement), 1 January 1951. Although gazetted in the New Year's Honours List, the C.B.E. warrant is dated 1 June 1951

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Captain Siegfried Loraine Sassoon, M.C. joined the Sussex Yeomanry as a volunteer before the declaration of War on 4 August 1914.  However a severely broken arm, sustained in a riding accident, was to keep him in England whilst his brother Hamo served with the Royal Engineers in the Dardanelles Campaign.  In May 1915 Siegfried was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, being posted with them to the Western Front later in the year.  In France he learned of the death of Hamo in Gallipoli on 1 November, a loss which affected him deeply.

Siegfried's frequent courage in the trenches, often near-suicidal in its application, earned him the sobriquet "Mad Jack" from his men.  He was awarded the Military Cross "for conspicuous gallantry during a raid on the enemy's trenches" and the citation for the award, published in the London Gazette (Supplement) of 27 July, 1916 continues: "He remained for 1½ hours under rifle and bomb fire collecting and bringing in our wounded.  Owing to his courage and determination all the killed and wounded were brought in".  The medal itself was rediscovered in 2007 amongst family property in the Isle of Mull, together with Sassoon's original identity disc (or "dog tag") and service revolver. 

In a celebrated gesture of protest which he was later to recount in Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, Sassoon tore the M.C. ribbon from his tunic and threw it into the Mersey whilst on convalescent leave in 1917.  He refused to return to duty, sending his Commanding Officer by way of explanation a copy of A Soldier's Declaration, written in July as a statement against the conduct of the War.  It was widely published in the Press as well as being read in Parliament.

It would appear from the official record that the three Great War service medals to which Siegfried Sassoon was entitled were prepared and issued - in common with millions of others - in circa 1920.  It cannot be stated with certainty whether Sassoon refused to accept them, returned them or destroyed them, but in 1985 the Army Medal Office must have been satisfied as to the loss or destruction of the originals before acceding to an application from his next-of-kin for the provision of replacements.  It is independently confirmed in the relevant National Archives card file that the three medals were indeed officially issued (or re-issued) in July, 1985.