Lot 132
Christmas Day Truce ‡
Clandestine Operations - Inc The D.J. Croll Medal Collection & Other Properties | M26002
Auction: 16 September 2026 at 10.30 BST
Description
The 1914 Star awarded to Private William Henry Gifford, 2nd Battalion the Devonshire Regiment who must have taken part in the 1914 Christmas Day Truce as the War Diary records, comprising 1914 Star, entitled to Aug-Nov Clasp, (8680 Pte W.H. Giffard. 2/Devon: R.), very fine. The 1914 Star awarded to Private, later Company Quarter Master Serjeant James Urquhart, 1st/4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders who is noted as receiving a Meritorious Service Medal for his Services During the Great War comprising, 1914 Star, (2168 Pte J. Urquhart. 1/4 Sea Highrs), very fine (2)
2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment War Diary – Ray Westlake refers:
25th December 1914
“Informal armistice – Germans got out of their trenches and came towards our lines. Our men met them and wished each other a Merry Xmas, shook hands, exchanged smokes etc.” Sniping began about 7.30pm, 1 man killed, 1 wounded.
Private Gifford
Enlisted 1908 landed in France with the Battalion on the 6th of November 1914, he was discharged by the end of 1915, (Silver War Badge 210165) with chronic nephritis, Died 1929.
Sold with Copy Medal index card, copy Medal and SWB Roll and Copy Hospital Admission Register
Pte./CQMS Urquhart
An extract from MM Haldane's book on the Seaforth Highlanders shows him an MSM but evidence of this in the London Gazette under either of his numbers has not located it. His Medal Index Card says: “No MSM card.” And below that: 24989 Re MSM but that number doesn't bring anything up either. Silver War Badge for wounds in 1919.
