TOPIC:

It should certainly be a most interesting explanation.

quote="David Grant" post=48502]I have spoken to MK and he will send out an email in the next few days explaining.[/quote]

Hi Brett

Thing is, there is a book backing you uo but I think it is wrong. I looked in British Gallantry Awards and they say there was one Natal Colonial DCM. This was to Farmer. They say it sold as a single at auction in London in 1949. However they also say it could be a specimen named up.

So there are four options. First, in 1949 there was a real Natal DCM. But since it was a single I suspect it could be a dud, as the one with Kaplan has some provenance from the named medals with it.

Second, the Kaplan one is a dud and the 1949 one was real.

Third, the Kaplan one is real and Farmer never had a Natal one.

Fourth, he has a late issue.

I just don't know. Good luck explaining this all when it comes to resell, especially with the (now no longer an issue) report of theft. And a broken group.

Ryan

So the group to Farmer was, in actual fact, not stolen after all?

From our man on the ground.......

"The Victoria Trophy of Arms DCM was bought by a NZ collector from Baldwin's in 1949. From him to a CT collector who was rather saddened to see the naming when it arrived in CT but decided to keep it anyway. This medal is impressed and in my view is a clearly named up trial striking or other such issue. Several of the unnamed Colonial issue medals emanating from the Baldwin medal archive and recently sold on one of their auctions included trial and unofficial strikings rather than just unnamed medals). The 1914/1915 star and Victory missing? It could be that Farmer only did home service during the GW and was never entitled to the two medals( this regardless as to what medals were apparently hanging on the Regimental wall). A really pity and omission that a comment on this not included in the relevant catalogue."