The impressive Second World War 'Operation Plunder' immediate M. C. group of six to Lieutenant

The impressive Second World War 'Operation Plunder' immediate M. C. group of six to Lieutenant William Anthony Land, Royal Engineers: Military Cross, George VI, reverse dated 1945, cased; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45; all unnamed as issued, good very fine and better, [6]; together with an associated archive of ephemera, including: documents including ISUMs and a 30 Corps 'Order of the Day' congratulating 210 Field Company R.E. for its part in Operation Plunder, photographs including bridging operations in the North European Theatre, the recipient's Certificate of Service for the period prior to his Emergency Commission, correspondence, fabric sporting badges, various enemy documentation, and other items. [qty](Round medal 36mm diameter)William Anthony Land was born in 1914 and followed his father (see lot 38) into the Royal Engineers when he enlisted as a Boy at Chatham on the 2nd of August 1929. He displayed remarkable ability in his military conduct and as a sportsman. A testimonial written at the time that he progressed from Boy Sergeant to Sapper (and offered with this lot) includes an impressive list of sporting prizes, describes him as "an excellent drill instructor, and thoroughly reliable in every way." and states that "His powers of command and control.....are abnormal in one of his age and he has a good sense of responsibility".Land's interwar service included a tour in Hong Kong between the 4th of February 1937 and the 26th of September 1939. His participation in sporting competitions continued, with a number of fabric team badges included in this lot. Following a short spell in the UK, he joined the B.E.F. in France on the 15th of October 1939, before returning to the UK in February 1940. His paperwork on this occasion gives the nature of his duty as 'Secret', and family tradition includes the belief that he participated in some form of clandestine duties. He served in North Africa and was discharged to a commission on the 4th of November 1942 before giving further service in the Italian campaign. Land served as a Lieutenant in 210 Field Company Royal Engineers, part of 2nd Army, in the reconquest of Northern Europe, his being one of the companies that formed Corps Troops Royal Engineers for 30 Corps. In late October 1944 a group of paratroopers from 1st Airborne Division, who had been stranded north of the Lower Rhine following the failure of Operation Market Garden, made itself known to 30 Corps when Lt. Col. D. Dobie swam the river to seek assistance. 210 Company R.E. was tasked with carrying out Operation Pegasus I, a daring rescue in cooperation with Easy Company, U.S. 101st Airborne. This operation features in an episode of the HBO series 'Band of Brothers'. The sappers brought a total of 138 men back across the river in small boats - a technically demanding and very perilous undertaking. In March 1945 210 Company participated in Operation Plunder - the crossing of the River Rhine near Rees - part of the final phase of the defeat of Nazi Germany. It was during this opposed crossing, on the 24th and 25th March, that Lieutenant Land won his Military cross. The Platoon under his command was employed in constructing a pontoon Bailey bridge and was under machine gun, artillery and mortar fire from the moment that work commenced, at 1300 on the 24th. In spite of numerous casualties and periods when work had to be abandoned owing to the weight of incoming fire, they persisted, and by 0845 on the 26th traffic was moving across the bridge. The gallant and efficient Lieutenant Land played a critical role, as his recommendation (originally for a D.S.O.) makes clear: "While shelling was still in progress Lt. Land, without regard to his personal safety, organised evacuation of the dead and wounded. On several occasions, enemy fire was so accurate that Lt. Land was ordered temporarily to cease work. It was due to his example and high courage that dispersals to cover we