Beschreibung:

The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of The Sudan 1896-1956 The rare Senussi operations M.C. group of seven awarded to Lieuenant John Davies Lawrence, Manchester Regiment, who commanded a Rolls Royce armoured car in actions at Dakhla Oasis in the Western Desert Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse inscribed, ‘2nd Lieut. J. D. Lawrence, Manchester Regt., Nov. 1915’; 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Lieut.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, East Africa 1918 (Lieut., Equatorial Bn. E.A.); Egypt, Order of the Nile, 4th Class breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, rosette on ribbon; Khedive’s Sudan 1910-22, 2nd issue, 1 clasp, Aliab Dinka (Lieut. Manch. R.) impressed naming; together with a set of seven miniature dress medals, all in glass-fronted case, very fine and better (14) £5000-6000 Footnote M.C. London Gazette 4 June 1917. The citation reads: ‘Whilst repairing one of his two Armoured Cars in the desert (he) received a helio message from W.D.A. to proceed at once to operate against DAKHLA OASIS in conjunction with No. 1 L.C. patrol*. After working all day on the car he was able to start at midnight and owing to his skill in guiding the car over unknown ground was able to overtake the L.C. patrol 10 miles short of DAKHLA, having travelled all night. The Senussi main camp at AIN BARABI being found evacuated he pushed on to TENEDA taking 1 officer and 2 o/r prisoners. Next morning pushing on quickly to BUDHKULU a party of 50 Senussi were encountered and after a short fight surrendered. Here the cars had to wait for supplies and on their arrival, he proceeded to MUT where another 50 prisoners were taken, 3 officers and 7 o/r of whom were ex-Coastguard. Work in the Oasis itself was difficult for the Armoured Car owing to the narrow bridges.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 6 July 1917. For Senussi campaign. M.I.D. London Gazette 18 January 1921. For Aliab Dinka. Order of the Nile London Gazette 4 August 1922 ‘for good services rendered during operations against the Aliab Dinkas in the Mongalla Province, Sudan, 1919-20’. John ‘Jack’ Lawrence was born on 19 February 1896, in the Jepperstown District of Johannesburg, South Africa. He was educated at Horton Preparatory School, Ickwellbury, Bedfordshire, where he was a well known sportsman and captain of all the school sports teams. He moved on to Tonbridge Public School Kent (1911-1913), again winning school colours at cricket, football and rugby. Here he was also a Sergeant Cadet, Tonbridge School Contingent, Junior Division, Officers Training Corps. He was apprenticed to the Midland Railway from 1913 to August 1914. On 9 April 1914 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th (Ardwick)Battalion Manchester Regiment. On 10 September 1914, Lawrence was posted to Palestine, retuning to the U.K. in March 1915 having been ordered to attend the Royal Military College. While at Sandhurst, on 20 October 1915, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Regular Army (Manchester Regiment) and posted for employment with M.G.C. In March 1916 he was posted to Egypt, and was employed with the Armoured Cars, of Nos. 11 & 12 Light Armoured Motor Brigade (LAMB) M.G.C., Desert Column, on the Senussi Campaign in the Western Desert. The unit consisted of one Rolls Royce Armoured Car (Lawrence) and tender; six Ford cars and 12 motor bicycles. The personnel consisted of two officers and 58 other ranks, with two Vickers and two Lewis guns. For his service in the Senussi campaign Lawrence was mentioned in despatches and awarded the M.C. Lawrence parted company with the M.G.C. on 10 September 1917, being transferred to the Equatorial Battalion, Egyptian Army, which was serving in the Sudan. Commanding No. 2 Company of the Equatorial Battalion, E.A., he took part in operations against the Northern Turkhana, Marille, Bonyio and other kindred tribes in East Africa in the vicinity of Southern Sudan be