Beschreibung:

Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte ‘You are always wanting me to give up things, so what is it I ought to give up?” Shackleton to Macklin aboard the Quest, 5 January 1922: moments later, after Macklin had suggested alcohol, his leader collapsed with a fatal heart attack ‘There radiated from him something strong and powerful and purposeful so that even to meet him was an experience. It was something that I have never come across in anyone else. He valued loyalty above everything, no one ever questioned his authority.’ Macklin on Shackleton The rare North Russia 1919 O.B.E., Great War M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Macklin, Royal Army Medical Corps, who had earlier distinguished himself as a Surgeon in the Endurance during Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctica Expedition 1914-16, not least while caring for the sick on Elephant Island - reunited with Shackleton in North Russia in 1919, he was enrolled on the strength of the Quest Expedition and, in January 1922, after witnessing “The Boss’s” demise, made the necessary preparations for his burial in South Georgia The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, hallmarks for London 1919, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Military Cross, G.V.R., in its case of issue; Victory Medal 1914-19, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major A. H. Macklin); Polar Medal 1904, G.V.R., silver, 1 clasp, Antarctic 1914-16 (A. H. Macklin, Surgeon, “Endurance”); Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., Territorial, the reverse officially dated ‘1943’, in its Royal Mint case of issue, together with Italian Armata Altipiani Medal 1918 and a City of Trieste commemorative, a set of related dress miniature medals (6), including Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, and a U.S.A. silver Dollar of 1878, in brooch-mount with engraved initials ‘T. T. M. & J. H. B.’ and the date ‘March 1882’, generally extremely fine (14) £18000-22000 Footnote Ex-Christie’s, 25 September 2001, when sold by the recipient’s direct descendants. O.B.E. London Gazette 3 February 1920: ‘In recognition of valuable services in connection with military operations in Murmansk, North Russia, to be dated 11 November 1919.’ M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1919: ‘For services rendered in connection with military operations in Italy.’ Alexander Hepburne Macklin, physician, polar explorer and soldier, was born in Melrose in 1889, the son of a doctor, but later moved south to the Scilly Isles, where he accompanied his father during his visits to patients around the islands in small boats. Hence an early affiliation with the sea, which he broadened by serving as a deck hand on a boat in the Mediterranean during his year out between leaving Plymouth College and going up to Manchester University to study medicine - as a student at the latter establishment, he discovered Nansen’s Furthest North, thereby igniting his interest in polar exploration. Surgeon explorer - Shackleton’s ill-fated Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-16 Duly qualified, he was alerted to Shackleton’s call for volunteers for his Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and managed to gain an interview with the great man at his New Burlington Street office. Presenting himself early one morning to meet what he later described as a ‘living avalanche’ coming down the stairs, he was compelled to wait until the afternoon before the explorer returned. Macklin later wrote in his diary: ‘The interview was brief: “Why do you want to go?” “I don’t know, I just want to.” “You look fit enough; are you perfectly healthy?” “Perfectly fit.” “What is wrong with your eyes?” “Nothing” [Macklin was short-sighted] At this I could have kicked myself for not removing my spectacles before going in to see him. I scarcely knew what to say, but replied almost without thinking. “Many a wise face would look foolish without specs.” At this he laughed, then seemed to be thinking of something else for he remained silent for several minut