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Pair: Distinguished Conduct Medal (VR) and Crimea Medal clasp "Sebastopol". DCM impressed ANDREW FAIRSERVICE SAPPERS & MINERS. Crimea Medal contemporary engraved capitals A. FAIRSERVICE R.E.

The following is an extract from the history of the Royal Engineers (in reference to Sebastopol)

"Among those who were the most praised was private Andrew Fairservice. He is stated to have been exceedingly active in repairing embrasures under heavy fire, so much so, indeed, that his valour and perseverance gained him the honour of a Distinguished service medal and gratuity of five pounds."

Also as an extract from the London Gazette dated 19th May 1858 showing that Sapper Fairservice went on to serve in the Indian Mutiny where he was killed

878 Sapper Andrew Fairservice ..... "Died from the effects of a gunpowder explosion. The officer and men were at the time engaged in removing the powder from several carts of ammunition which were abandoned by the enemy while retreating before the column, and throwing into a well."

Records show (see illustration) that his Mutiny Medal was returned by his unit due to the fact that he was killed.  As this medal was not claimed, this group can not be classed as a broken group.

Close examination of the medals suggest both retain their original ribbon and could be classed as "sleepers". There is no doubt that these sappers did tremendous work at Sebastopol under horrendous conditions constantly exposing themselves to enemy fire.

Some contact marks otherwise near VF SOLD

Pair: Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 4 clasps, Private J. Jack, 1st Gordon Highlanders

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 4 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 (222 Pte. J. Jack. 1/Gord: Highrs.); Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, 

pitting from star, otherwise nearly VF $1250

Pair: Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 4 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb_Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 correct period naming to 1906 Pte. J. Jacklin. 1/Gord: Highrs.; Khedive’s Star 1882 un-named.

Note: Sold with confirmation.

Pitting from star, otherwise very fine SOLD

Pair: Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Gemaizah 1888 correctly named to 2323 Pte B. Hirst 2/K.O.S.B.; Khedive’s Star, undated, unnamed.

Very fine $825

Pair: GSM One Clasp;  "Cyprus"  and CSM One Clasp; "South Arabia" correctly impressed to 23531132 SPR - CPL R. S. Torode R.E.

EF SOLD

Pair: India General Service 1854-95, one clasp “Hazara 1888” correct script engraving to 809 Pte D.Turner 2nd Bn. North'd Fus. and Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, four clasps, “Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal & South Africa 1901” correctly impressed 809 Pte D.Turner, North'd: Fus

VF - EF $985

Pair: India General Service Medal one clasp: "CHIN-LUSHAI 1889-90" , running script 3359 Pte. T. Baker 1st Bn. K.O.SCO. B. Queens South Africa Medal three clasps : "C.C., P'Burg, Jo'Burg" impressed 3359 Pte. T. Baker. K.O. SCOT. BORD.

Original Documents include:

1. Gold Blocked leather covered pay book

2. Two original parchment discharge certificates

3. Original letter requesting his QSA

4. Death certificate

5. Pension forms

6. Small photo of recipient.

Thomas Baker was born in Birmingham and attested for the K.O.S.B. at Walsall on 5 September 1878, aged 18 years. He was discharged at Gosport having completed his second period of engagement on 19 November 1900. As a Factory Worker and an Army Pensioner, Baker died of heart failure on 3 March 1905

EF SOLD 

Pair: Korea 1950-53, U.N. Korea 1950-54 impressed to “37374 E. F. P. GIBB.”

Note: Stoker Eric Francis served in the RAN on the HMAS Warramunga (14^th Aug 1950-17^th May 1951) and HMAS Bataan (18^th May 1951-6^th June 1951). 

The Warramunga was an extremely active ship in Korea, the following extract shows an insight in to her operations;

“Late on 5 February Warramunga and USS Lind detached and proceeded north to 38° 05' on the coast where LIND had previously landed an intelligence party. This party had been captured by the North Koreans who, using the team’s equipment, arranged a rendezvous with LIND. Unbeknown to the enemy, their deception was discovered and the two destroyers planned an unpleasant surprise. Right on time the enemy showed the prearranged signal.

Warramunga’s commander commented ‘USS Lind asked me if light was bright enough for an aiming mark and I replied it could be brighter. The enemy obliged by turning up to full brilliancy. We then opened up as fast as we could fire. I expended 59 rounds 4.7 inch and LIND about the same amount. The light went out. Subsequent intelligence confirmed that one North Korean company, some North Korean police and a large Intelligence team who were assembled as a reception committee were mostly killed or wounded. As the range was less than 3,000 yards and the fire was extremely rapid the result was not surprising.”

Comes with original box of issue.

Near EF SOLD

A Great War 1916 ‘Somme’ M.M. pair awarded to Driver P. Ryan, 49th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

Pair: Military Medal, G.V.R. (3470 Dvr: P. Ryan. 49/Aust: Inf: Bn:); 1914-15 Star (3470 Pte P. Ryan. 9/Bn. A.I.F.)

M.M. London Gazette 9 March 1917. The original recommendation (jointly listed with Driver H. McFarlane) states:

‘On the 13th November 1916 the Pack Transport was dispersed by shell fire and some mules were killed and others escaped. The Quartermaster, with the assistance of these two men, immediately assisted to collect the mules and turn out transport from the Battalion and brought rations to Flers. This was during the period that Flers was being shelled by the enemy. The behaviour and devotion to duty of these two men during the time between 13th November 1916 and 26th November 1916 was excellent. They were cheerful under all conditions and I think their conduct was an excellent example to the remainder of the Battalion Transport. These two men have consistently done good work in the Battalion Transport and I beg to recommend them for some honour.’

Percival Ryan was born in Glen Innes, New South Wales in 1893. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, 3 August 1915, and embarked for Egypt with the 9th Australian Infantry Battalion in October 1915. Ryan transferred to the 49th Australian Infantry Battalion in February 1916, and served with them in the French theatre of war from June 1916.

Ryan was awarded the M.M. for his gallantry at Flers, Somme in November 1916. He returned to Australia in April 1919, and was discharged, 5 August 1919.

Mounted for display, good very fine $2250

PAIR: Private C. J. Burns, East Kent Regiment, who was killed in action during the Second Battle of Ypres on 3 May 1915

India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (4672 Pte. C. Burns 1st Bn. “The Buffs”); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (4672 Pte. C. J. Burns. E. Kent Regt.) 

Charles James Burns was killed in action during the Second Battle of Ypres on 3 May 1915, at Verloren Hoek, due East of Ypres, on the Zonnerbeke Road, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, The Buffs. He is commemorated by name on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. 

Gd VF $585

Pair: Private J. Hughes, 63rd Regiment Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (63rd Regt.) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, pierced with ring suspension.

James Hughes was born in Lancaster. A Shoemaker by occupation, he enlisted on 1 July 1852. Died at Scutari on 31 January 1855. With some copied roll extracts.

Good very fine $2750

Pair: Private J. McLean, Cameron Highlanders Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 2 clasps, Tel-el-Kebir, The Nile 1884-85 (138 Pte., 1/Cam’n. Highrs.); Khedive’s Star, 1882, unnamed as issued.

Edge bruising, contact marks, nearly very fine SOLD

Pair: Private R. H. King, 20th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 28 October 1917

British War and Victory Medals (5689. Pte. R. H. King. 20-Bn. A.I.F.); Memorial Plaque (Robert Henry King) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure.

Footnote

Provenance: Acquired by the vendor directly from the recipient’s family.

Robert Henry King was born in Clerkenwell, London, and having emigrated to Australia attested for the Australian Imperial Force at North Sydney, New South Wales. He served with the 20th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 22 May 1916, and in a letter home, dated 26 August 1917, he writes: ‘According to the way that the Germans keep retreating I think that he is fed up with it and will soon turn it in and the sooner he does the better for all of us.’

King was killed in action on 28 October 1917. A comrade from the same unit stated: ‘I saw Private King killed at Halfway house at Ypres. He was out delivering rations when he was caught by a shell, which killed him instantly.’ He is buried in Perth Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium.

Sold with a quantity of ephemera, including silk postcards and letters written by the recipient to his wife; a small coloured portrait of the recipient housed in a silver pendant; two Australian Military Forces ‘For Australia’ memorial silk; cap badge; and an A.I.F. ‘To the Women of Australia. For Duty Done’ lapel badge, reverse numbered ‘189350’; together with official telegram and letter notification of death; a portrait photograph of the recipient and a photograph of his original grave; and a large quantity of copied research.

Nearly extremely fine SOLD

Pair: Private W. Halls, 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade. Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (1st Bn. Rifle Bde.) officially impressed naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, contemporary engraved naming "W. HALLS 1ST BN RIFLE BDE"

William Halls was born in Bildestone, Suffolk. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Rifle Brigade at Ipswich on 15 December 1845, aged 17 years. On 4 November 1851 whilst serving at Dover, he was sentenced to 55 days imprisonment for a civil offence, being released on 27 December 1851. During January 1852- January 1854 he served in South Africa, participating in the Second Kaffier War for which he was awarded a medal. In July 1854 he embarked with his battalion for the Crimea and took part in the actions at Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann and Sebastopol. On 27 December 1854 he was admitted to Scutari Hospital. He died there on 8 February 1855.

Good very fine $2750

Lone Pine memorial where Private Deller is remembered with honour

Pair: Queen South Africa Medal 1899 two clasps "T, SA02" and British War Medal (missing 1914/15 Star & Victory Medal). QSA impressed 5595 PTE F. DELLAR SCOTTISH RIFLES (bars confirmed on roll) and BWM impressed  738 PTE F. DELLAR 9 BN AIF (Reffered to as either Dellar or Deller)

Previous service recorded on attestation papers as 6 years Cameronians & 6 years Medical Corps.

WW1 Australian Service as follows;

Emb. 2^nd March 1915

Detached to duty with transport section 25^th April 1915

Arrived at Alexandria ex Gallipoli Peninsula 19^th May 1915

Re-joined unit 4^th June 1915

Private Dellar appears to have lasted the whole of the Gallipoli campaign with the 9^th Battalion only to take his own life on board the HMAT Grampian (after the evacuation, leaving Lemnos area for Alexandria).

The board of enquiry (extract supplied under photo of medals) shows that whilst off duty, Private Dellar shot himself in the head (with his own rifle) whilst everyone was asleep in his cabin. The board also went on to class his death as being caused by “Misadventure” no doubt to save any further heartache by his family. A very tragic ending to a veteran of two wars.

Good VF SOLD  

Lone Pine memorial where Private Deller is remembered with honour

Pair: Queen South Africa Medal 1899 two clasps "T, SA02" and British War Medal (missing 1914/15 Star & Victory Medal). QSA impressed 5595 PTE F. DELLAR SCOTTISH RIFLES (bars confirmed on roll) and BWM impressed  738 PTE F. DELLAR 9 BN AIF (Reffered to as either Dellar or Deller)

Previous service recorded on attestation papers as 6 years Cameronians & 6 years Medical Corps.

WW1 Australian Service as follows;

Emb. 2^nd March 1915

Detached to duty with transport section 25^th April 1915

Arrived at Alexandria ex Gallipoli Peninsula 19^th May 1915

Re-joined unit 4^th June 1915

Private Dellar appears to have lasted the whole of the Gallipoli campaign with the 9^th Battalion only to take his own life on board the HMAT Grampian (after the evacuation, leaving Lemnos area for Alexandria).

The board of enquiry (extract supplied under photo of medals) shows that whilst off duty, Private Dellar shot himself in the head (with his own rifle) whilst everyone was asleep in his cabin. The board also went on to class his death as being caused by “Misadventure” no doubt to save any further heartache by his family. A very tragic ending to a veteran of two wars.

Good VF SOLD  

Pair: Queen South Africa Medal 1899 two clasps "T, SA02" and British War Medal (missing 1914/15 Star & Victory Medal). QSA impressed 5595 PTE F. DELLAR SCOTTISH RIFLES (bars confirmed on roll) and BWM impressed  738 PTE F. DELLAR 9 BN AIF (Reffered to as either Dellar or Deller)

Previous service recorded on attestation papers as 6 years Cameronians & 6 years Medical Corps.

WW1 Australian Service as follows;

Emb. 2^nd March 1915

Detached to duty with transport section 25^th April 1915

Arrived at Alexandria ex Gallipoli Peninsula 19^th May 1915

Re-joined unit 4^th June 1915

Private Dellar appears to have lasted the whole of the Gallipoli campaign with the 9^th Battalion only to take his own life on board the HMAT Grampian (after the evacuation, leaving Lemnos area for Alexandria).

The board of enquiry (extract supplied under photo of medals) shows that whilst off duty, Private Dellar shot himself in the head (with his own rifle) whilst everyone was asleep in his cabin. The board also went on to class his death as being caused by “Misadventure” no doubt to save any further heartache by his family. A very tragic ending to a veteran of two wars.

Good VF SOLD 

Pair: Queens Korea Medal and United Nations Korea Medal. All medals correctly impressed to 26166 P. E. Griffith.

Peter Edward Griffith was born in Sydney, N.S.W. on 8 August 1925. He served in the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, 25 July 1953-6 April 1954.

Near EF $525

Pair: QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899 four clasps "CC, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal ", impressed to 88206 C. Shg. Sth. T. McFarlane, 78th Bty., R.F.A.,  KSA two clasps. Impressed to 88206 Sjt:-Far: T. McFarlane. R.F.A.

VF SOLD

Pair: QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899 one clasp "Cape Colony" & KINGS SOUTH AFRICA two clasps correctly impressed, 1275 Pte. E. Tanner. Middlesex Rgt.

Gd VF $550

Pair: QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899 three clasps "NATAL, OFS T" & KINGS SOUTH AFRICA two clasps correctly impressed, 5348 Pte. W. Barnett. Middlesex Rgt.

Some pitting otherwise VF $585

Pair: QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899 three clasps "R of L., Trans & Laing’s" & KINGS SOUTH AFRICA medal with two clasps. Both medals impressed to “950 TPR: J. H. SCHUMEN B.M.I.” (36976 SCOUT: J. H. SCHUMEN. SCOTTISH HORSE ON KSA). An attempt to erase surname has been made (see explanation below).

Served with Colonial Scouts 22.12.99- 5.11.00

Bethune’s Mounted Infantry (number 950) 7.11.00-15.12.00

Menne’s Scouts (number 28) 16.12.00 – 3.12.01

Scottish Horse (number 36976) 10.1.02-31.5.02

Note: Medal roll confirms Jens Henrich Schumens service but his name is continuously misspelt and he appears as many variations “Gens, Jas, Jos, James and Schuman, Schumman, Schummen” and it is for this reason we can see why he has clearly erased his surname off the medals and the first initial is altered to a J on his KSA. Luckily his service number and all other details have been left alone and the medal rolls link and confirm his group. Outstanding service.

Apart from naming mentioned, VF SOLD

Pair: QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1899 two clasps "Belfast & Defence of Ladysmith", KSA two clasps.5290 PTE H. MARSLAND MANCHESTER REGT

 VF $675

Pair: Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Natal, Transvaal (874 Pte C. [sic] Elliott. Durban L.I.); Natal 1906, 1 clasp, 1906 (Tpr: C. E. Elliott, Natal Police.)

Both mounted with top riband buckle, very fine $695