An Outstanding DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER & Bar
1914-15 Star Trio (M.I.D x3) Defence & War Medal WW2,
Silver Jubilee 1935, Coronation 1937, Territorial Decoration.
Belgian & French Croix de Guerre, with palms. (Group of 11)

To:
Lt Col. L.H.P. HART. 4th Lincolnshire Regt. Att: Yorks & Lancs Regt.
Twice Wounded & Mentioned in Despatches Three Times.
From Stamford, Lincolnshire.

An excellent senior officer's group to a pre-war Lincolnshire soldier with a substantial & gallant service record. The then Captain Leonard H.P. Hart was the commanding officer of "D" (Stamford) Company 4th Lincolnshire Regiment.






[THE MEDALS]
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. (LG. 3rd June 1918)
"For Distinguished Service in Connection with Military Operations in France and Flanders"~(While att: Yorks & Lancs)

BAR TO D.S.O. (LG. 7th November 1918)~(With 4th Lincs)
"For Conspicuous Gallantry" (Full citation below.)

1914-15 Star. CAPT: L.H.P. HART. LINC: R.
War & Victory Pair. LT. COL. L.H.P. HART
DEFENCE MEDAL
WAR MEDAL 1939-45
Silver Jubilee Medal 1935
Coronation Medal 1937
Territorial Decoration (Hallmarked 'd' 1919) (LG. 4th NOVr 1919)

Belgian Croix De Guerre with Palm
French Croix De Guerre with Palm (1914-18)

The Gallantry of Lt Colonel Hart was further recognised by both the Belgian & French Governments who awarded him their own "Cross of War" decorations. Apparently there is a surviving citation for the French medal which we are in the process of obtaining now.

[CITATION, BAR to D.S.O.]
London Gazette 7th November 1918.

"For conspicuous gallantry and good leadership. He planned and supervised all the preliminary details of an attack under great difficulties of darkness and the intricacies of a thick forest. He brought up his battalion to the exact position from which the advance was to be made, though at first he was led to the wrong spot. During the engagement that ensued he set a splendid example to all ranks by his coolness and composure under heavy fire"

[MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES]
Lt Col Hart was mentioned in despatches on three occasions.

L.G. 18th December 1917. For 'The Battle of Hill 70'
L.G. 23rd May 1918. For '3rd PASSCHENDAELE'
L.G. 27th December 1918. For 'The Capture of Baigneux Ridge

[4th Bn LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT]
4th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment were a unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ in Lincoln. They were part of the Lincoln and Leicester Infantry Brigade, North Midland Division.
"C Coy" were based at The Drill Hall, Main Ridge, Boston. "B Coy" Lincolnshire Yeomanry and 1st Lincolnshire Battery RFA were also based there. "G Coy" was based at The Drill Hall, South Street, Horncastle.

"D Coy" from Stamford were commanded by Captain LEONARD HART. Captain Hart was based at Luton, Bedfordshire and on 28th August 1914 he received just over 210 Lincolnshire men who had travelled from Stamford to formally enlist. A total of 37 men were from Stamford. The oldest was over 40 and the youngest 17.

When war broke out they were at once mobilised for war service and the Division concentrated in the Luton area by mid August.

[1915]
About half of the 4th Lincolns proceeded to France in late February with the rest arriving in drafts during the summer with landings at Le Harve. The North Midland Division were the first complete Territorial Division to arrive in a theatre of war when they joined the BEF in the Ypres salient.

On the 12th of May the Division was retitled 46th (North Midland) Division.

The battalion spent the spring & summer of 1915 holding first a sector of the front opposite the Messines Ridge at Sanctuary Wood. The first fatal casualty came on 12th May when Alfred Mackay Marks, an ex-bank cashier was shot through the head by a sniper. They were also in action during The German liquid fire attack at Hooge and took part in the assault on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October where eight members of the original 28th August volunteers were killed in action.

On the 23rd of December the Division was ordered to proceed to Egypt via Marseilles leaving the DAC, Divisional Train and the Mobile Veterinary Section behind. The 4th Lincolns sailed from Marseilles on the 7th of January 1916, but after only a few days in Egypt the Division was ordered to return to France and on the 4th of February 1916 they embarked from Alexandria and returned to Marseilles.

[1916]
[1st DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME]
On the 1st of July 1916 they took part in the diversionary attack at Gommecourt.





[1917] Mentioned in Despatches.
In 1917 they were in action during the Operations on the Ancre, Occupation of the Gommecourt defences, The attack on Rettemoy Graben, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The attack on Lievin and The Battle of Hill 70.





[1918] Twice Mentioned & Bar to DSO
On the 31st of January 1918 they transferred to 177th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division, and absorbed the 2/4th Battalion as the army was reorganised. After further training they went back into the line at Bullecourt on the 11th of February 1918. In March 177th Brigade and the divisional artillery were in action in The Battle of St Quentin. The whole Division then suffered heavily in the The Battle of Bapaume and The Division, without the artillery, moved to Poperinge in Flanders, receiving new drafts of men. On the 5th of April they took over the front line at Passchendaele. On the 13th of April they moved to reinforce the Lys area and were in action during The Battle of Bailleul, suffering heavy losses as the enmy broke through, they moved back to Mont Noir and fought in the The First Battle of Kemmel Ridge. In early May the Division was reduced to a training cadre establishment. On the 2nd of June the 4th Lincolns transferred to 49th Brigade, 16th Division, then on the 17th to 102nd Brigade, 34th Division and on the 27th to 117th Brigade, 39th Division. On the 27th of July 1918 they transferred to 118th Brigade still with 34th Division and returned to action, at The Battles of the Soissonais, the Ourcq and the capture of Baigneux Ridge. On the 28th of September 1they transferred to 116th Brigade, still with 34th Division.
They took part in the Final Advance in Flanders and at the Armistice was at rest in the area east of Courtrai. On the 8th of November 1918 the 4th Lincolns were disbanded in France.

After the Great War, Leonard Hart returned to the very long established family business "Hart's" as a Master Seed Merchant. He and his family were resident at The Grey House, Stamford where he died on 12th April 1950. He left the then very substantial sum of £30,000 to his widow. The large Stamford property is still extant and is now divided up into individual commercial offices.






An exceptional and wonderful double gallantry group of eleven medals with further recognition of gallantry by both the Belgian & French Governments... A lovely group to a highly regarded senior officer who survived the Great War.

£6995 .
Part Exchanges Welcome.
01342-870926