One of the most extraordinary groups of medals in British history has sold for £350,000 at a London auction today, July 24.
The “Operation Vulcan posthumous Victoria Cross group of five awarded to Lieutenant W. A. Sandys-Clarke, 1st Battalion, The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)” was sold by Spink in a live and online auction.
The set surpassed their low estimate of £300,000.
Sandys-Clarke’s conduct is the stuff of storybooks. He was the fifth member of his family to win a Victoria Cross, the highest award in the British army.
Sandys-Clarke, from Southport in Lancashire, was only 23 years old when he died in action in Tunisia in 1943.
The medals awarded to Lieut Sandys-Clarke for the courage that cost him his life. Image courtesy of Spink.
He could easily have accepted an honourable discharge from service after he was terribly injured in a motorcycle crash in 1940. But, he pestered and persisted until he was sent into action.
During fighting at Guiriat El Atach, Tunisia on April 23, St George’s Day and Good Friday, he single-handedly tackled a machine-gun post before going after an enemy sniper, who shot him dead.
The sale of the medals was by direct descendants of Lieut Sandys-Clarke.
They came with a large folder of documents and other personal effects including a school rugby cap, letters, photographs and telegrams.
The most valuable VC yet sold is that awarded to Thomas Kavanagh. An Irish civilian, Kavanagh was awarded one of the earliest VCs, in 1857. The award was inaugurated in the Crimean War. His medal made £930,000 in 2022.
By far the largest collection of Victoria Crosses is that assembled by Lord Ashcroft. His collection was on display at the Imperial War Museum until the gallery dedicated to it was closed last month.
Lord Ashcroft owns around 10% of all VCs ever awarded.
Spink described it as “one of the most outstanding World War II VCs to come to market, period”. It was their 89th Victoria Cross sale.
