THE 1914-15 STAR AND BRITISH WAR MEDAL ISSUED TO LIEUTENANT GORDON FLOWERDEW, LORD STRATHCONA'S HORSE, HAVE BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY NOONAN'S OF LONDON.
7 February 2025


Medal entitlement of Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew,
Lord Strathcona's Horse, Canadian Expeditionary Force

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal ( 1914-20 )
  • Victory Medal ( 1914-19 ) - ( current location not known )

  • 1914-15 Star naming
    2505 L. SGT. G. M. FLOWERDEW LD. S'CONA'S H

  • British War Medal ( 1914-20 ) naming
    LIEUT. G. M. FLOWERDEW.


The 1914-15 Star and British War Medal ( 1914-20 ) issued to Lieutenant Gordon Flowerdew, Lord Strathcona's Horse, Canadian Expeditionary Force, have been sold at auction by Noonan's of London. The sale estimate was between £6,000 and £8,000. The sale hammer price realised £15,000. The identity of the purchaser has not been revealed.

The mother of Gordon Flowerdew presented his Victoria Cross to Framlingham College, Woodridge, Suffolk, his old school. The Victoria Cross has been subsequently loaned to the Imperial War Museum where it is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery..


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 24 April 1918 ]. Bois de Mureuil, France, 30 March 1918, Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew, Lord Strathcona's Horse, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

For most conspicuous bravery and dash ( NE of Bois de Moreuil, France ) when in command of a squadron detailed for special service of a very important nature. On reaching the first objective, Lieutenant Flowerdew saw two lines of the enemy, each about sixty strong, with machine guns in the centre and flanks, one line being about two hundred yards behind the other.

Realising the critical nature of the operation and how much depended upon it, Lieutenant Flowerdew ordered a troop under Lieutenant Harvey VC, to dismount and carry out a special movement while he led the remaining three troops to the charge. The squadron ( less one troop ) passed over both lines, killing many of the enemy with the sword, and wheeling about galloped at them again.

Although the squadron had then lost about 70 per cent of its numbers, killed and wounded, from rifle and machine gun fire directed on it from the front and both flanks, the enemy broke and retired.

The survivors of the squadron then established themselves in a position where they were joined, after much hand-to-hand fighting, by Lieutenant Harvey s party. Lieutenant Flowerdew was dangerously wounded through both thighs during the operation but continued to cheer on his men. There can be no doubt that this officer s great valour was the prime factor in the capture of the position.


Gordon Floweerdew is buried in the Namps-au-Val British Cemetery, France.

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Iain Stewart, 7 February 2025