First World War Medals

1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medals, Sergeant 19th (Glamorgan Pioneer) Battalion Welsh Regiment.

1914/15 Star
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31555 Pte H J Abbott Welsh R
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British Ware and Victory Medals 
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31555 SJT H J Abbott Welsh R
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Henry James Abbott served in France from 5th December 1915, his British War and Victory Medal roll confirms he served with the 19th Battalion only being an original member of this Battalion, he was discharged to the Army Reserve 27th January 1919.
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The 19th (Glamorgan Pioneers) Battalion, Welsh Regiment (Welch Regiment), was raised at Colwyn Bay in February 1915 as a specialist Pioneer unit. Assigned to the 38th (Welsh) Division, they landed in France in December 1915 and served on the Western Front throughout the Great War. Their primary duties included building and repairing trenches, constructing dugouts, laying light railways, and clearing roads, often under heavy enemy fire. During their service, they participated in several major engagements: The Somme (1916) including the operations at Mametz Wood 9th to 11th July in which the Battalion suffered severe casualties, Third Battle of Ypres (1917), attacks on the Hindenburg Line and final advance (1918). 
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NEF £125 Available

British War and Victory Medals, Private, Tank Corps served with the 1st Battalion in France.

British War and Victory Medals
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316166 Pte E Richards Tank Corps
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Medal Index Card confirms the British War and Victory Medals only awarded to Private Evan Richards.
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Evan served with the 1st Battalion Tank Corps in France – this fact recorded on his British War and Victory Medal roll entry TNA WO329/1783 page 3569B.
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The 1st Battalion, Tank Corps (later the 1st Royal Tank Regiment) pioneered mechanised warfare in the Great War. Formed in May 1916 as ‘A’ Company, Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps, it was officially expanded into an operational Battalion in November 1916 and redesigned 1st Battalion Tank Corps on 28th July 1917 when the Tank Corps was formed. It fought on the Somme, at Cambrai, and in the Hundred Days Offensive. Originally deploying Mark I tanks, the Battalion evolved its role of close infantry support, it later utilised advanced Mark V tanks at the Battle of Amiens where they pushed deep behind enemy lines transporting machine gun crews.
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GVF £145 Available includes postage UK address

British War and Victory Medals, Private, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) from Yeovil, Somerset twice wounded in 1917 and 1918.

 

British War and Victory Medals

 

89439 Pte E H Chiles MGC

 

With details here from online records.

 

Ernest John Chiles was born in Yeovil, Somerset 18th August 1897. Serving in the Great War with the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) he is recorded as wounded in action in War Office Casualty List number 5386 dated 10th October 1917. Recorded as wounded in action for a second time in War Office Casualty List number 5630 dated 29th July 1918. Ernest is recorded on the 1921 census as being 23 years 10 months old employed as a Gardener for Captain A E B Clive of Brympton House near Yeovil residing with his father George a retired Gardener, mother Mary and two brothers at Robert’s Terrace, Preston Plucknett near Yeovil. The 1939 Register records George is still employed as a Gardener residing with his wife Alberta Louisa (they married in 1926) at the Robert’s Terrace address. Ernest died at his home 199 Preston Road, Yeovil on 12th December 1974.

 

EF £55 SOLD

British War Medal, Captain, 15th (1st Birkenhead) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment formerly South African Forces.

 

British War Medal

 

Capt J P Davies

 

John Peter Davies first served with the South African Forces in 1914 and 1915 (the 1914/15 Star issued by the Government of South Africa. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant 9th May 1916 into the 14th (Reserve) Battalion Cheshire Regiment and appointed to the 15th (1st Birkenhead) Battalion as Temporary Captain 1st September 1916. His home address on his Medal Index Card is recorded as ‘Unicorn Mansions’, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa when his Great War Medals were claimed in 1930.

 

NEF £70 Available includes postage UK address

British War and Victory Medals, Acting Sergeant Machine Gun Corps later Captain Tank Corps.

British War and Victory Medals

38387 A SJT A Spooner MGC

 

In named boxes of issue in original envelope addressed to Captain A Spooner in Woking.

 

 

Alfred Spooner was born in Woking, Surrey 4th August 1884, the 1911 census records he is a 26 year old Grocer’s Assistant residing with his father Stephen an Asylum Pensioner, mother Sophia and younger brother at Woods Cottage, Hermitage Road, Knaphill, Woking, he married Beatrice Rockford in August 1914. Alfred may have been a conscript, he served in France from 13th September 1916 with the Machine Gun Corps and later transferred to the Tank Corps (Number 200198). Returning to the UK he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Tank Corps from Cadet 26th June 1918 (London Gazette 23rd July 1918 page 8579). Promoted to Temporary Captain whilst employed in a Record Office 5th May 1919 (London Gazette 22nd August 1919 page 10741) he transferred to the Unemployed List 21st October 1919 (London Gazette 4th November 1919 page 13425). Alfred saw no further service overseas after being commissioned hence the rank on the British War and Victory Medals. The 1921 census records Alfred is 36 years 10 months old employed as a Contract Clerk for Messers Hardy & Company of Kingsway, Woking residing with his wife at 108 Church Street, Woking. The 1939 Register records Alfred is a Civil Engineer residing with his wife at 4 Middle Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, he died in Chichester, Sussex in 1972 age 87 years.

Alfred’s elder brother 279006 Private Edward Stephen Spooner, 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was killed in action 23rd April 1917 age 35 years and now rests in an identified grave in the Level Crossing Cemetery, Fampoux, France (Arras sector).

 

Virtually as issued

 

EF £125 SOLD