THE VICTORIA CROSS AND CAMPAIGN MEDALS AWARDED TO CAPTAIN ARTHUR KILBY, SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT, WERE SOLD AT AUCTION BY SPINK OF LONDON AND ACQUIRED BY THE LORD ASHCROFT VC COLLECTION. |
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2 January 2013 |
The Victoria Cross, Military Cross and campaign medals awarded to Captain Arthur Kilby, 2nd Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment, were sold at auction by Spink of London on the 19th July 2012. The sale hammer price realised £200,000. The VC group was purchased by the Michael Ashcroft Trust the holding institution for the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection and will be displayed in the Imperial War Museum's Lord Ashcroft Gallery.
For the award of the Victoria Cross:
[ London Gazette, 30 March 1916 ], La Basse Canal, Near Cuinchy, France, 25 September 1915, Captain Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby, 2nd Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment.
The company charged along the narrow tow-path, headed by Captain Kilby, who, though wounded at the outset, continued to lead his men right up to the enemy wire under a devastating machine-gun fire and a shower of bombs. Here he was shot down, but, although his foot had been blown off, he continued to cheer on his men and to use a rifle. Captain Kilby has been missing since the date of the performance of this great act of valour, and his death has now to be presumed.
Arthur Kilby's Victoria Cross was presented to his father by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 11th July 1916.
Arthur Kilby was commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing at Dud Corner Cemetery. However, his body was eventually found on the 19th February 1929 and was interred at the Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt, Plot III, Row N, Grave 27.
[ London Gazette, 18 February 1915 ], For the award of the Military Cross ( MC ), Captain Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby, 2nd Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment
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Iain Stewart, 2 January 2013