A rare and nationally significant 15 September 1916, advance beyond Flers, Battle of The Somme, Military Cross and Volunteer Officer's Decoration group of eight to Colonel Septimus James Edgar Closey, “B” Company, 3rd Battalion (Waikato Regiment), New Zealand Rifle Brigade, New Zealand Expeditionary Force who, when all the officers had been killed or wounded, finding himself the only officer standing, assumed command and led his company with great courage and initiative, capturing and consolidating the position. He was to become the youngest soldier to rise to the rank of Colonel in the New Zealand Army and was also a noted Social Creditor and Politician.
Eight: Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (25/15 CAPT. S. J. E. CLOSEY. N.Z.E.F.); WW2 War Medal; WW2 New Zealand War Service Medal; Colonial Auxiliary Forces Decoration, G.V.R. (COL. S. J. E. CLOSEY. CMDR. 1ST INF. BDE.); New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal (COL. S. J. E. CLOSEY. 1ST N.Z. BDE.); New Zealand Territorial Service Medal, G.V.R. (LIEUT. (CAPT. N.Z.E.F.) S. J. E. CLOSEY. M.C. UNATTACHED LIST (b) (1919), mounted court-style for display.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Together with a reproduced photograph of the recipient as a major in cuff-rank uniform displaying three overseas service stripes and the ribbon for the Military Cross. Mounted for display with two re-strike officer’s bronze cap badges.
Septimus James Edgar Closey was born in Lancashire, England, on 13th October 1892, and emigrated to New Zealand in 1904 with his family when his father purchased a farm in the King Country. He joined the Waikato Mounted Rifles on 27th November 1909 and served in the ranks until 5th January 1913 when he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the 82nd Company Auckland Senior Cadets.
He was seconded as 2nd Lieutenant in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade on 1st February 1915 and promoted Lieutenant on 10th October that year, serving in “A” Company, 3rd Battalion. He embarked for overseas service in France and Flanders on 2nd February 1916. He saw brief service on attachment to the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Corps, then transferred to “B” Company as Second in Command, on 29th August 1916.
Closey was was awarded the Military Cross for Gallantry in the Field on 26th October, 1916, and it was announced in the London Gazette of 11th December 1916: 2nd Lieut. S. J. E. Close, Rifle Brigade, the recommendation states:
For conspicuous gallantry in action. He assumed command and led his company with great courage and initiative, capturing and consolidating the position. He set a splendid example to his men.
The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade mentions Closey in regard to this action:
"During the advance of the 3rd Battalion from the Brown Line and in the work of consolidating the captured objectives, 2nd Lieutenants A. L. Martin, S. J. E. Closey and W. A Gray, who, owing to casualties amongst the officers, had had to assume the duties of company commanders, did conspicuously good work under most difficult conditions. Closey and Gray, indeed found themselves the only officers left in their respective companies."
He was promoted Temporary Captain on 7th November 1916 and on 3rd March 1917 was posted to the Auckland Battalion of the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade. Having been appointed Captain on 15th March 1917, Closey took command of the 3rd New Zealand Entrenching Battalion on 5th February 1918 ands was advanced to Temporary Major two days later. On 26th June 1918 he was appointed Commanding Officer of the New Zealand Division Lewis Gun School, a position he held until 29th September 1918 when he transferred to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade School as Commanding Officer, a position he held for the remainder of hostilities.
Closey was placed on the Reserve of Officers on 1st August 1919, with the rank of Captain and on on 1st March 1919 transferred to the 16th (Waikato) Regiment and then to the 4th Battalion, The Auckland Regiment where, having passed the exams for his Majority, was promoters Major & Commanding Officer on 5th November 1921. He was advanced Lieutenant Colonel on 4th May 1924 before taking command of 1st News Zealand Infantry Brigade with the rank of Colonel.
Having received the New Zealand Territorial Service Medal in 1919, he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration in June 1929 and the New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal in April of 1930.
Closey’s command of the 1st New Zealand Infantry Brigade Expired in 1933 by which time he was the leader of the Social Credit Movement in New Zealand having previously become interested in monetary reform and been president of the Country Party.
Under his leadership the Farmers' Union passed resolutions on the need for public control of the country's financial system and increased payments to farm workers and the unemployed. He organised the visit of C H Douglas to New Zealand in 1934. Later that year he gave evidence in support of the social credit system at a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
He stood for the Manawatu electorate for the New Zealand House of Representatives in 1935 where he placed third out of five candidates with Labour's Lorrie Hunter winning. Following the election Closey tried to build a mutually beneficial relationship between the social credit movement and the Labour Party, writing to the finance minister Walter Nash. However Closey's intended outcome of a partnership did not eventuate and his goal of a credit authority being established as an independent wing of government was likewise unrealised. Nevertheless, he cooperated with many Labour MPs to establish affordable housing policies and a system of guaranteed prices for farmers. Closey stood in Manawatu again in the 1943 election as an independent. He placed third out of three candidates with National's Matthew Oran winning.
During WW2 he was deemed too old to serve in the Regular Army and was appointed Deputy Area Commander of the Gorge Battalion Home Guards, a position he held for six months.
He supported the establishment of the Social Credit Party in 1953 and became the party's first president. He founded 160 branches of the party throughout the country. He was also a prolific pamphlet author for social credit ideas and frequently lectured on economics.
He died in 1981.