United Kingdom. A Military Cross To Capt. Pengelly, For Leadership At Ypres 1917, Kia 1918

Military Cross, George V (Ypres / Capt E.A. Pengelly / R.E. / 1917); British War Medal (CAPT. E.A. PENGELLY); and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, Edward VII (502 S.S. MJR: E.A. PENGELLY. WAR: YEO.). Naming is engraved in running script on the reverse of the MC and officially impressed on the BWM and TFEM. Un-mounted, the MC on its original ribbon with pinback, in its hardshelled case of issue, the BWM with an oxidation spot on the obverse, dark patina and spotting on the TFEM, the BWM and TFEM with replacement ribbons, near extremely fine. Accompanied by his Memorial Plaque (EDGAR AMBROSE PENGELLY, the award recessed in place to a 210 mm (w) x 227 mm (h) x 26 mm (d) wooden plaque); his Mentioned in Despatches Certificate (obverse illustrating the Royal coat-of-arms at the centre top, inscribed "The War of 1914-1918. Royal Engineers T/Lt. (A/Capt.) E.A. Pengelly was mentioned in a Despatch from Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., K.C.I.E. dated 9th April 1917 for gallant and distinguished services in the Field. I have it in command from the King to record His Majesty's high appreciation of the services rendered.", with the printed signature of Secretary of State for War, Winston S. Churchill and inscribed "War Office Whitehall. S.W. 1st March 1919." at the lower left, reverse typed "L G 30077" (London Gazette 30077), printed in black ink, with personalized inscriptions in handwritten black ink, on an off-white paper stock, measuring 221 mm (w) x 185 mm (h), single fold mark, lightly soiled); and a Kenilworth Cup Award Medal (two-piece construction, Gold disk mounted to the obverse of an ornately engraved silver base, maker marked "V&S", marked with an anchor (made in Birmingham), the British lion, date marked "i" (1908) and engraved "KENILWORTH CUP 1907-8 E.A. PENGELLY." on the reverse, measuring 37.7 mm (w) x 42.7 mm (h) inclusive of its integral ring, with ring suspension). Near extremely fine.

Footnote: Edgar Ambrose Pengelly was born in Warwickshire in 1882, the son of William Edward Pengelly and Harriett Lydia Pengelly of Weston-under Wetherley, Warwickshire. He was married to Ethel Mary Pengelly of 12 Greatheed Road, Leamington Spa. Pengelly was a pre-war territorial soldier who served as a Staff Sergeant Major with the Warwickshire Yeomanry and was awarded the Edward VII Territorial Force Efficiency Medal. Pengelly was named as a Temporary Second Lieutenant, effective April 5, 1915, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 29151 of Friday, April 30, 1915, on Monday, May 3, 1915, page 4248. By the late Fall, he was a Temporary Second Lieutenant and was to be a Temporary Lieutenant, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 29364 of Friday, November 12, 1915, page 11207. Four months later, Temporary Lieutenant Pengelly entered the French theatre on March 10, 1916. Temporary Lieutenant Pengelly was named Acting Captain while commanding an Army Troops Company, effective October 15, 1916, the announcement in the London Gazette of Tuesday, March 13, 1917 and in the Supplement to the Monthly Army List of April 1917, page 54. In the rank of Temporary Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Pengelly was Mentioned in Despatches of April 9, 1917 by Sir Douglas Haig, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 30077 of Friday, May 18, 1917, on Friday, May 18, 1917, page 4878. Temporary Lieutenant Pengelly was named Temporary Captain, effective September 18, 1917, the announcement appearing in the Sixth Supplement to the London Gazette 30288 of Friday, September 14, 1917, on Monday, September 17, 1917, page 9628. Temporary Captain Edgar Ambrose Pengelly, Royal Engineers was awarded the Military Cross "For devotion, untiring energy, and zeal in command of his company in connection with operations at Ypres.", the announcement appearing in the Supplement to the London Gazette 30450 of Friday, December 28, 1918, on Tuesday, January 1, 1918, page 43. Three months after the announcement of his Military Cross appeared in the London Gazette, Captain Engelly was serving with the 213th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers. At 4 p.m. on March 28, 1918, eighty-eight men and three officers (Captain Edgar Ambrose Pengelly, Lieutenant William Norman Thomas, Second Lieutenant Claude Vivian Bisley) proceeded to the trenches east of Hamel. The Germans were sighted but were held up by a rearguard 800 yards from the trenches. By the 29th, four men had been wounded, as heavy bombardment continued all day. On the 30th, bombardment opened at day break and continued in intensity until 12 noon, when the barrage lifted and was followed by an attack in "mass". The Germans were held up by undamaged wire, along with machine gun and rifle fire. Twelve men and the Officer Commanding were wounded, in addition to eight men killed during this attack. Although no further attacks took place the following day, Captain Edgar Ambrose Pengelly, Royal Engineers died from his wounds on Sunday, March 31, 1918, at the age of 36, the wounds sustained the previous day. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery in Rouen, France, Section B, Row 7, Plot 10. For his First World War service, he was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, as confirmed on his Index Card. In addition, an unfinished wooden cross carved with the inscription "CAPT E.A. PENGELLY. R.E. M.C. / 213 ARMY TROOPS COY. R.E." was placed at the foot of Pengally's mother’s grave in the St Michael's Church churchyard, at Weston under Wetherley, Warwickshire. The well-weathered cross remained there for decades, until Remembrance Sunday in 1995, when it was located inside the church to preserve it. The cross is mounted under a memorial to former scholars of The Weston Training School (a reformatory school) where Captain Pengelly and his father were staff members. On the south wall of the nave, there is a memorial plaque to the four men of the parish, including Captain Pengelly, who fell in The Great War. There are also two framed information sheets of these four men.