Beschreibung:

There is Little to be thankful for in war, but I was thankful for one thing, as a result of the battle for St Lambert, I know that there is much to fear in war, but to me, the greatest fear was the possibility that I might not measure up to that which is asked of me. St Lambert proved to me that I could measure up, and left me with the certain conviction that the war with Germany was in its final stages and that we would be equal to the task ahead of us - The final defeat of Germany.” (Extract from a report on the action at St Lambert-sur-Dives written by Lieutenant Colonel Currie, VC) The important and highly significant Second World War ‘Battle of Normandy’ V.C. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant Colonel David Vivian Currie, 29th Canadian Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (South Alberta Regiment), for exceptional bravery whilst commanding a small mixed force of Canadian tanks, self-propelled anti-tank guns and infantry, during an intense three-day action (in which he only slept for one hour) fought between 18 and 20 August 1944 in ‘the corridor of death’ in and around the Village of St Lambert-sur-Dives, during the crucial Battle of the Falaise Gap, the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy in which the German army was finally routed leading to the Liberation of Paris a few days later - The citation for his Victoria Cross stating, that during one 36-hour period ‘the Germans hurled one counter-attack after another against the Canadian force but so skilfully had Major Currie organised his defensive positions that these attacks were repulsed with severe casualties to the enemy’ and crediting his actions with the destruction of seven enemy tanks, twelve 88mm guns and forty vehicles, with 300 Germans killed, 500 wounded and 2,100 captured - A famous photograph of Major Currie with pistol drawn overseeing the surrender of German prisoners was taken at the time of the event, which has been described as being ‘as close as we are ever likely to come to a photograph of a man winning the V.C.’ - Major Currie’s Victoria Cross is unique to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and is the only one awarded to a Canadian soldier for the Normandy Campaign Victoria Cross, reverse of the suspension bar inscribed ‘Major David Vivian Currie, 29 Cdn. Armd. Recce. R. (S. Alta. R.)’, reverse centre of the cross dated ‘18th/20th August 1944’; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with Overseas Service bar; War Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1953; Canadian Centennial Medal 1967; Jubilee 1977, mounted as worn, the V.C. and Jubilee 1977 good very fine or better, the other campaign and Jubilee medals cleaned and with Canadian style plating, otherwise generally good very fine (9) $500,000-600,000 CAD Footnote Provenance: Sold by Lieutenant Colonel Currie’s widow in 1989 to the present owner in Canada. Of the 181 awards of the Victoria Cross and one bar that were given for gallantry during the Second World War, just 16 were awarded to Canadian recipients. Of these 16 only twelve were given to members of Canadian units, eleven of which are known to be on public display in Canada - Currie being the only exception. Of the other four awards to British units, three are on public display in England. The medals on offer are the full group as worn by the recipient. Although some sources show Currie with the post-nominal’s V.C., C.D., no trace of a C.D. ever being awarded can be found. His service file does, however, confirm that his widow submitted a claim for the posthumous award of a C.D. and E.D., the latter being posted to her a year after his death. V.C. London Gazette 27 November 1944. The published citation states: ‘In Normandy on 18th August, 1944, Major Currie was in command of a small mixed force of Canadian tanks, self-propelled anti-tank guns and infantry which was ordered to cut one of the main escape routes from the Falaise pocket. This force was held up by strong enemy resistance in the vill