A Victoria Cross given to a wartime hero who confronted 100 Germans equipped with machine guns has been sold for almost £320,000.
Captain Reginald Haine conducted six attacks in a confrontation at the frontline during theFirst World War, later commenting on his adversaries: ‘By jove, they could fight.’
His group ultimately seized the German fortress during the Battle of Arras, taking 50 captives following over 30 hours of non-stop combat.
He was awarded Britain’s most prestigious bravery honor in 1917 for his actions, with the Victoria Cross citation noting the officer’s ‘outstanding personal example’.
He was awarded the Military Cross two years later during a hilltop assault in Dakka after enlisting in the Indian army. And during theSecond World War, in his early 50s, he also joined the ‘Dad’s Army’ Home Guard.
In a letter to his family detailing the ‘ding-dong battle’ that earned him the Victoria Cross, Captain Haine remarked about the Germans: “By jove, they could fight – a very sporting bunch.” The chartered accountant passed away in Midhurst, West Sussex, at the age of 85 in 1982.
He remained married to his wife Dora for almost 60 years, and they had a daughter along with three granddaughters.
His awards were kept in Lord Ashcroft’s VC Gallery at the Imperial War Museum until the gallery’s recent contentious shutdown.
Following the return of the collection, his family chose to sell it via London-based auction house Spink & Son.
The medals were sold for £260,000, but after including additional charges, the final amount paid reached £318,000.
A representative from Spink & Son stated, “We are delighted with the remarkable outcome for the VC presented to Captain Haine.”
He was a genuine hero of World War I, and this significant sacrifice serves as proof of his courage.
Lieutenant Haine, hailing from Lambeth in south London, joined the Honourable Artillery Company in August 1914.
He sustained injuries during combat in June 1915 and played a role in seizing ‘The Mound’ at Beaucourt in November 1916.
Once, he miraculously lived through a situation where two friends next to him were killed at the same time.
He wrote to his parents in a letter later: “I had quite good fortune. A sniper damaged my steel helmet, and shrapnel also dented it, but I remained unharmed.”
The collection also included two of Captain Haine’s wartime journals and nearly 200 historical photographs depicting daily life at the front.
He continued to retain seven of his military maps, which outlined various trench systems.
- How did the courageous ‘Pirate of Basra’ turn into a posthumous Victoria Cross hero, even though he faced a death sentence and carried out bold river operations?
- Why did the UK’s youngest recipient of the Military Cross sell his medal for more than £33,000, and what difficult memories became unbearable?
- What shocking information came to light regarding Britain’s final Victoria Cross recipient from World War II’s dangerous operation against a German submarine?
- Why is Australia’s distinguished war hero giving up his VC medal as living expenses rise sharply in the country?
- What enabled the remarkable endurance and unyielding determination of the ‘unbeatable soldier’ to secure Britain’s most prestigious military award?
jasdooit 
Leave a comment