Beschreibung:

An outstanding Korean War M.C. group of eight awarded to Colonel C. W. Bowen, Royal Army Medical Corps, who was decorated for his gallantry whilst attached to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in January 1951: he was still serving as the Battalion’s M.O. at the battle of Imjin later that year and last saw active service in Northern Ireland in the 1970s Military Cross, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, the reverse officially dated ‘1951’, with its Royal Mint case of issue; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer’s (Brother’s) breast badge, silvered-metal and enamel; Defence Medal 1939-45; Korea 1950-53 (Capt. C. W. Bowen, M.C., R.A.M.C.); U.N. Korea 1950-54; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (Major C. W. Bowen, M.C., R.A.M.C.); General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (Col. C. W. Bowen M.C., Staff); Jubilee 1977, mounted loose style as worn, the fourth with officially corrected rank, generally good very fine or better (8) £7000-9000 Footnote M.C. London Gazette 17 April 1951. The original recommendation states: ‘Captain Bowen, as Medical Officer of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, was informed in the early hours of 3 January 1951 that ‘X’ Company, north of Seoul, had sustained serious casualties which required expert attention. In spite of the fact that 109 H.Q. was a mile up a fire-swept road from the Regimental Aid Post, Captain Bowen at once took his ambulance to the scene. The ambulance was hit several times before he reached his destination and he was forced to take cover in a ditch. From here he worked his way cross country to ‘X’ Company where throughout the day he continued to aid the wounded, being himself under fire for the greater part of it. He was slightly wounded in the hand by a rifle bullet. His complete disregard for his own safety and the meticulous care with which he attended the wounded were of the highest order and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Royal Army Medical Corps. His actions constitute an example of duty which will not be forgotten by those who witnessed them. Without question Captain Bowen saved many lives that day.’ Cecil William Bowen, who was born at Youghal, Co. Cork, Ireland in October 1920, the son of Major A. P. Bowen, M.C. Educated at Shrewsbury, he studied medicine at London University before joining the staff of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital - which was evacuated to Cambridge during the War. He subsequently did two ‘house’ jobs at Bart’s, before joining Great Ormond Street Hospital as a Registrar in May 1946. Appointed to a short service commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps in June 1947, and having completed the final 18 months of his time in Hong Kong, he was on the verge of returning home when he was recalled in August 1950 as a result of the Korean emergency. Posted as Regimental Medical Officer to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Bowen quickly found himself in action, not least on 3 January 1951, when ‘hordes of screaming Chinese’ attacked the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, thereby necessitating his swift journey by ambulance to their forward positions. Interestingly, as an accompanying typed memoir relates, Bowen very nearly added an American Purple Heart to his M.C. for his gallant deeds that day: ‘As a patient on the way back to the British General Hospital in Kure, I spent a few days in an American Hospital ... One day the Sister in charge actually put in an appearance in the ward. She led a small but impressive procession: an orderly holding a tray covered with a purple cloth on which lay medals, followed by an American General. He went from bed to bed handing out these medals. When he gave me mine I was stupid enough to say “Thank you, Sir” or words to that effect. He replied, “Say, you are a Brit” and snatched the medal back. So I never received the Purple Heart which I would so much liked to have had (and thoroughly deserved after all the blood they had taken from me for