THE VICTORIA CROSS GROUP AWARDED TO MAJOR FREDERICK BRADLEY, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY, HAS BEEN SOLD BY THE LONDON AUCTION HOUSE DIX NOONAN WEBB. |
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12 May 2015 |
The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Major Frederick Bradley, Royal Field Artillery, have been sold at auction by Dix Noonan Webb on 12 May 2015. The estimated sale price was between £140,000 and £180,000. The sale hammer price realised £180,000. The Frederick Bradley Victoria Cross group was purchased by the Michael Ashcroft Trust, the holding institution for the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection and is on display in the Imperial War Museum's Lord Ashcroft Gallery. For the award of the Victoria Cross. [ London Gazette, 27 December 1901 ], Itala, Zululand, 26 September 1901, Driver ( later Major ) Frederick Henry Bradley, 69th Battery, Royal Field Artillery.
During the action at Itala, Zululand, on the 26th September 1901, Major Chapman called for volunteers to carry ammunition up the hill; to do this a space of about 150 yards swept by a heavy cross fire had to be crossed. Driver Lancashire and Gunner Bull at once came forward and started, but half-way across Driver Lancashire fell wounded. Driver Bradley and Gunner Rabb without a moment’s hesitation ran out and caught Driver Lancashire up, and Gunner Rabb carried him under cover, the ground being swept by bullets the whole time. Driver Bradley then, with the aid of Gunner Boddy, succeeded in getting the ammunition up the hill.
Frederick Bradley was invested with his Victoria Cross by CinC South Africa, Lord Kitchener, at Pretoria, on the 8th June 1902.
Frederick Bradley died on the 10th March 1943 following an operation in Gwelo Hospital, Southern Rhodesia ( now Zimbabwe ) and was buried in Gwelo Cemetery. |
Iain Stewart, 12 May 2015