01/08/2025 General News
From the military pomp of royal celebrations such as Trooping the Colour to the ever-present awareness of the role they play in keeping us safe in a dangerous world, our connection with the Armed Forces remains as strong as ever – something which is reflected in the continued interest in all things military in the saleroom, and especially military medals, writes Oscar Crocker.
It is the human stories behind the medals, the tales of bravery and valour, which make them so attractive to collectors. Whenever we offer a medal or medal group with a detailed history behind the individual to whom the medals were impressed, there is always much more interest.
The most expensive single British military medal ever sold at auction was a Victoria Cross awarded at Gallipoli to Australian Captain Alfred Shout, which sold for £406,716 in 2006. Three years later the Victoria Cross and Bar awarded to Captain Noel Chavasse, also in the First World War, sold for £1.5 million; Chavasse is one of only three people to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice.
While VCs sell for huge money, it is often the more modest medals, and especially those with a local story, which perform well in the saleroom. For me, and an increasing number of collectors, the real fascination comes in those medal groups which tell a more personal story.
Our most recent Medals and Militaria Sale featured just such a lot, relating to five brothers from Norfolk who all fought in the First World War, four of whom never came home.
The story of two of the brothers is particularly poignant. Charles Robert Creasey was born in 1896 in Little Melton; Thomas James Creasey was born the following year in Roughton. Both joined up on the same day – they even had consecutive serial numbers. Charles and Thomas joined C Company 1/5th Norfolk Regiment and spent the war together, mostly in the Middle East, including at Gallipoli and the Dardanelles.
They took part in the infamous second Battle of Gaza in April 1917, when the Norfolk Regiment was involved in an ill-fated attempt to take the city of Gaza from the Turkish Ottoman Army. The battle was a disaster, with the regiment suffering nearly 50% casualties in just three days. Tragically, Charles and Thomas were both killed on the third and last day of the battle, quite possibly fighting shoulder to shoulder.
The oldest of the Creasey brothers was Horace Creasey, who was killed in the third battle of Ypres in November 1917. The second son, George Henry Creasey, eventually became a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment. He reached the front in November 1917, just nine days after Horace had been killed. He was killed in April 1918, aged 33; by the time of his death, he would have known that Charles and Thomas had been killed.
Just one brother survived the war: John Edward Creasey served on HMS Maidstone, which acted as the principal depot ship for the offensive submarine force in Harwich. Promoted to Leading seaman in 1917, he continued to serve until 1921, marrying the following year. He died in 1968, aged 76.
The collection included the casualty medal groups for Charles, Thomas and George, along with John’s medal trio and an extensive collection of photos and papers, including postcards and letters sent between the brothers. It sold for £1,500, more than three times its pre-sale estimate.
Such a family tragedy was sadly not unique during the First World War, and collections such as this serve to remind us of the bravery and sacrifice shown by so many.
Keys next Medals and Militaria Sale takes place on Wednesday 17th September. If you have any medals which you would like appraised, free of charge and without obligation, contact oscar.crocker@keysauctions.co.uk.