Victoria Cross Noticeboard.

Indian Mutiny VC sells for 130,000 [pounds sterling]

The Victoria Cross awarded to Lance-Corporal Robert Kells, part of the Brian Ritchie collection of HEIC and British gallantry medals, was sold at auction on 2 March 2005 by Dix Noonan Webb for 130,000 [pounds sterling]. Following the fall of Delhi, the 9th Lancers including Trumpeter Robert Kells were detailed to join the Flying Column under Colonel Edward Greathed. On 28 September 1857 the Lancers were in pursuit through the narrow streets of Boolundshuhur when Captain William Drysdale, commanding the Lancers, had his horse shot under him at full speed and crashed to the ground, breaking his collar bone. Kells immediately closed around his stricken commander and successfully defended him against a number of the enemy before carrying him out of danger. Kells were subsequently mentioned in despatches by Brigadier Hope-Grant and was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Canadian VC appeal successful

The December issue of VC Noticeboard advised that funds were being raised in Canada to buy the VC awarded to the Corporal Fred Topham of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. The appeal has been successful and on 24 January 2005 a cheque for $C300,000 was handed over to the executors of the estate of his widow in exchange for the Victoria Cross. The full medal group was then handed by Jan de Vries of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association to the Canadian War Museum who agreed to place the medals in a secure display case to be shown in the Canadian War Museum and at various locations across Canada.

British First World War VC for sale in Sydney on 7 April

Noble Numismatics will auction the James J. Atkinson collection of British gallantry groups on Thursday 7 April at Hotel InterContinental Sydney. The Victoria Cross to Private James Towers, 2nd Battalion, Scottish Rifles, two George Crosses awarded to British civilians are among 65 medals groups to be auctioned. The collection was formed by the late Jim Atkinson who passed away suddenly on 7 August 2004 aged 65.

On 6 October 1918 the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles was engaged in a holding action of a Railway embankment at Mericourt near Lens. As a result of German pressure the order was made to retire however a company found itself isolated between the first and second lines of German advance. Volunteer runners were called upon to send the order to the surrounded company. Five volunteers came forward and each was killed in succession by enemy fire. Private James Towers then decided to volunteer, making the sixth attempt. Through heavy cross fire, Towers sped his way across no man's land. Crawling through barbed wire entanglements and across shell craters he came across the body of his best friend Private Frank Dunlop, who had been the company messenger. When Towers was trapped beneath a guarded embankment he made the decision to surprise the enemy by leaping over and was immediately confronted--several yards distant--by a fully manned yet startled German machine gun nest. Making a hasty escape Towers managed to conceal himself in the mist and avoided machine gun fire. Eventually Towers reached the trapped Company and dug in with the remaining soldiers overnight. The following morning he led the Company back through the mist to relative safety, recovering numerous fallen comrades along the way.