Group of Five: 1939/45 Star, Africa Star "1st Army", Italy Star, Defence and War Medal to 5381977 SGT Frederick Arthur Clayton. Unnamed as issued.
Sgt Clayton enlisted on the 2nd March 1935 with the Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry with service in India prior to WW2. During WW2 Sgt Clayton served in the African campaign as a qualified member of the 3rd Parachute Battalion of the Army Air Corps. 1946 saw Sgt Clayton transfer to the Army Reserves with the Royal Engineers.
Complete with Army Book 64 Soldier's Service & Pay Book, Record of Service Card, Certificate of Transfer to the Army Reserve, Medals Card, Certificate of Service, Soldiers Release Book Class "A", three Photographs and Para Regiment Badge.
Note: Italy star is not shown on his certificate of service even though the medal card supplied shows confirmation of all medals including "1st army clasp".
VF SOLD
Single: Waterloo 1815 WILLIAM COTTLE, 2nd BATT. 44th REG: FOOT.
The Essex regimental museum website records an insight into the day’s events as follows;
“French Lancers attacked as the Regiment was forming up when it was at a disadvantage having no support on either flank and arranged in lines 2 men deep rather than the squares employed as defence against cavalry. This deployment allowed the lancers to attack from front and rear.
A French lancer made a grab for the colours with his lance but the flag was secured by Ensign Christie despite serious wounds. The Lancer then tried to escape with some of the colour still on his lance but he was killed in the attempt to get away.”
The Regiment earned great praise for their stand against the attack from Lord Wellesley-"The troops were long and severely engaged and conducted themselves with utmost gallantry".
14 other ranks were killed and 151 were wounded. Two officers were killed and 17 wounded.
Note: Only 38 waterloo medals are recorded to have surfaced for the unit making this one of the scarcest Regiments to obtain.
Fitted with replacement silver clip and bar suspension. VF SOLD
Crimea 1854-56, no clasp, unnamed,
Minor scratches otherwise, good very fine SOLD
Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, unnamed,
Very fine SOLD
Single: Waterloo 1815 JOHN GILBERT 10th REG. HUSSARS.
Ex Sotheby’s in March 1888
Note: John Gilbert served in Captain Grey’s number 4 troop and participated in the action on the far left of the battlefield, late in the day. Major Howard, who was the only 10th Hussar officer killed that day, could possibly have been the last Anglo-Allied officer killed , attacking a French square on the last attack.
71 medals are recorded to exist from the unit.
Fitted with replacement clip and ring suspension. VF SOLD
Single: Waterloo 1815 RICHARD WILLIAMS 7TH REGIMENT HUSSARS.
To best describe the 7th Hussars on the day, the following is a quote from one of their officers printed in ‘Waterloo Letters, edited by Major General H. T. Siborne;
"We charged twelve or fourteen times, and once cut off a squadron of cuirassiers, every man of whom we killed on the spot except the two officers and one Marshal de Logis, whom I sent to the rear"
Note: 65 medals are recorded to exist from the unit.
Fitted with original steel clip and replacement ring suspension. VF SOLD
Trio : Distinguished Conduct Medal (VR), India General Service Medal 1895 two clasps: "P.F. 1897-98, TIRAH 1897-98", Queens South Africa Medal 1899 five clasps: "CC, T. HTS, R of L. , BELFAST, OFS". 3640 PTE. A. THOMPSON. 1ST. RL. INNIS. FUSILIERS. All medals correctly named, DCM & QSA impressed, IGS (2nd Bn) in running script.
London Gazette April 19 1901
First mentioned in Gen. Buller's despatch 30 March 1900. "Pte. Thompson 3640 on the 23rd February 1900 went to rescue Pte. Nesbitt a heavy wounded man and laboriously brought him to cover under hot fire."
A further mention is found in the book "Buller's campaign with the Natal Field Force of 1900" of where the following gives us a better understanding of this heroic action at "Harts Hill"
"They passed along this Bullet-swept path over the Onderbrook Spruit bridge, the Inniskillings leading, and the other regiments following. Every man of the brigade had therefore to run the Gauntlet of the Boer marksman, and numbers dropped on the bridge, where the enemy's bullets were falling thick. Some fifty men were put out of action* in the race over the bridge to the rendezvous further on,..."
"* An act of gallantry was displayed at this spot as the Inniskillings crossed. Private Nesbitt fell badly wounded on the middle of the bridge. With considerable courage Private Thompson of the same regiment ran back and removed his comrade, though under heavy fire, to a place of safety."
There has been many a Victoria Cross awarded for similar acts of Gallantry and Private Thompsons actions that day again illustrates to me why the DCM has always been my favourite award for the past 40 years.
VF SOLD
Single: Crimea medal one clasp "Alma". Officially Impressed to J. YOUNG 55th REGT. On the roll as wounded in Alma and subsequently died at Scutari in 1854.
Comes with a letter home of 4 pages of stop start writing, almost like a diary where he describes the arrival of the wounded from the Charge of the Light Brigade to Scutari. Also included is an official disbursement of his assets, An official letter regarding the medal plus an Official envelope addressed to his Sister in Easey Street Collingwood Melbourne Australia.
A choice Crimea to a casualty with extremely rare Ephemera and a bonus Australian connection.
Small EK at 6 o'clock otherwise EF SOLD
Single : Military General Service Medal 1793-1814 with four clasps "Toulouse, Pyrenees, Badajoz, Ciudad Rodrigo" impressed naming to A. HILLMAN, DRUMR 40TH FOOT.
This medal was purchased from the "Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe" (Surrey) in 1974 and comes with the following research on Alexander Hillman (in a typed letter form)
"ALEXANDER HILLMAN (1792-1870)
Born in the parish of Shepton Maller 1792
Enlisted in the 40th. Regiment of Foot on the 5th. March 1808 for limited service aged 16 and served 9 years and 128 days. Discharged in consequence of his term of service having expired on 21st. June 1817. His conduct as a soldier was :- Good, he served in the Peninsular, America and the Continent and was wounded in the left leg at Waterloo on the 18th. June 1815.
Description of Discharge :- Alexander Hillman, Drummer, is about 25 years old, is 5 ft. 6 ins. in height, brown hair, grey eyes, fair complexion and by trade or occupation a labourer. His discharge was carried out at Glascow and he was granted 7/6 marching money to carry him to Leith where he was to embark to England, his final destination being Wells in Somersetshire. On arrival at Leith he was granted a free passage to London. Arriving in London he was advanced 22/- marching money to Wells in Somerset being at the rate of 1/10 a day. He was granted a pension of 6d. a day but apparently this was later increased to 8d a day on an application by him dated 9th June 1840. He was admitted as an In-Pensioner to Chelsea Hospital at the end of March 1853 and died there on 28th. June 1870 at the age of 78.
N.B. A note written in 1933 by his daughter stated that his Waterloo Medal was lost overboard when he was at sea I.W.T.
He served in the American War 1812-14. Another note said that he served 21 years in the army chiefly in India."
The medal has an unofficial buckle with "Peninsula" and "Waterloo" and has a slight "wooff" in the carriage between the first and second clasps, but is not damaged in any way. Heavily toned and on what appears to be original ribbon.
SOLD
Group of four; Crimea one clasp "Sebastopol" (Lieut) period engraved; Indian Mutiny two clasps "Relief of Lucknow, Lucknow" (Lieut), Ashantee one clasp "Coomassie" (Bt. Lt. Col.); Turkish Crimea Sardinian issue to Lt.Col. J. De Vic Tupper, 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Contact marks, edgebruising otherwise near very fine and better, together with the 4 related miniature medals, all contained in velvet-lined fitted case. All mounted as worn.
Lt Col Tupper entered the army as an Ensign 1854, serving in the Crimea at the siege and fall of Sebastopol (severely wounded at the attack on The Redan 8 September 1855), present during the Indian Mutiny and the relief and capture of Lucknow, the defeat of the Gwalior contingent at Cawnpore and operations including the affair at Ramgunga and the driving of the rebels from Oude into Nepal (Mentioned in Despatches); Captain 1859, Brevet Major 1872, embarked for the Gold Coast and served in the second phase of the Ashanti War 1873 (awarded Brevet Lt. Colonency). With a quantity of research including copy letters from Tupper’s father to the Duke of Wellington requesting the purchase of a commission for his son (mostly by Judith Farrington) including obituary from The Times 1881.
Ex Alec A. Purves Collection.
Value point: Good early to mid Victorian officer’s group contained in the original fitted medal case with miniatures and both groups mounted as worn.
near VF SOLD
Family group:
Pair: Private H. J. Cornish, 19th Hussars
Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 5 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85, Abu Klea (2259 Pte. Pte. J. Cornish, 19th Hussars), note single initial; Khedive’s Star, 1882, contact marks, otherwise generally very fine
Pair: Private E. Cornish, 19th Hussars, late Royal Horse Artillery
Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 5 clasps, Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85, Kirbekan (2789 Gunr. E. Cornish, G/B. R.H.A.); Khedive’s Star, 1882, contact marks, otherwise generally very fine.
Harry John Cornish was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, in about August 1860, and enlisted in the 7th Hussars at Dublin in March 1881. Transferring to the 19th Hussars in July 1882, he quickly witnessed active service, being present at Tel-el-Kebir, El-Teb-Tamaai and Suakin, it appears that he may not have been present in the Nile Expedition or at Abu Klea? He contracted dysentery and was invalided home on the Seraphis in early 1886 (1 year after Abu Klea) and was admitted to Netley Hospital on arrival, he was discharged in consequence of his having been found medically unfit for further service’ in June 1886.
Ernest Cornish, Harry’s brother, was born in about February 1859, and enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery in July 1877. Having then served in India, he transferred to ‘G’ Battery, R.H.A., and was present at Tel-el-Kebir. Then in November 1883, he transferred to the 19th Hussars, in order to be with his brother, and it was in this capacity that he was present at Suakin and El-Teb-Tamaai, in addition to the Nile Expedition and Kirbekan. He was placed on the Army Reserve in January 1887.
Please note that both medals have perfect carriage work for the five clasps and have not been altered.
Sold with research.
VF SOLD
Group of five: NWF of India 1908 Distinguished Conduct Medal (EDVII), IGS 1854 three clasps "Burma 1885-87, Sikkim 1888, Samana 1891 "(Gunner No 9 By 1st Bde N Dn RA); IGS 1895 three clasps " Relief of Chitral 1895, PF 1897-98, Tirah !897-98 "(Corpl. No3 Mtn By RA); IGS 1908 one clasp "NWF 1908" (Sjt. No 3 Mtn B RA); Army LSGC Medal (EDVII) to Sgt. J. Charlton RGA. Some contact marks otherwise generally very fine, with copied original Recommendations and service papers.
DCM LG 12.8.1908: Sergeant John Charlton, Royal Garrison Artillery. For operations against Zakka Khel and Mohmands; Army Order No 252 of October 1908.
M.I.D. LG 22.5.1908 Sergeant Charlton’s name appears in Appendix A of Major General Willock’s despatches for operations of the Bazar Valley Frontier Force 13th February – 2nd March 1908.
Only 9 DCMs awarded for the NWF 1908 campaign.
Value point: Unique to the RA and an extremely rare combination of IGS campaign medals/clasps to a British Army Other Rank having served an incredible 30 years continuously in NW India.
VF SOLD
Single : Waterloo Medal impressed to JOHN GRANT , ROYAL ARTILL. DRIVERS.
John Grant served in Major N. Turner's A. Troop and is confirmed on the roll.
This medal is ex the Payne collection 1911
Split ring and steel clip suspension.
Near VF SOLD
Group of Six : MILITARY CROSS G.V.R, 1914 Star & Bar, British War & Victory Medals with MID, Defence & War Medals
MC engraved "Cyril E.W.Birkett, Givenchy, March 10th 1915, 60th Rifles", Trio correctly impressed : Star 2nd Lt. Somerset L.I.. BWM & VM Capt.. DM & WM un named as issued.
MC London Gazette 23 June 1915 - attached 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps.
Birkett also served in the post WW1 Iraq army terminating in 1926 and during a period where no campaign medal was issued.
Although originally Som.L.I. Birkett was attached to K R R C for the duration of the war and in Iraq finally retiring in 1946.
A superb early 1915 Gallantry group to a very popular Regiment. Purchased direct from the family.
Good VF SOLD
Family Group : Group one; Military Medal, 1914/15 star, British War Medal and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to S-8520 CPL W. Gerard GORD. HIGHRS. Lond. Gaz. 16th November 1916. Comes with his dog tag bracelet and medal card box.
Group two; British War Medal and Victory Medal correctly impressed to 350946 PTE. A. Gerard R. SCOTS.
KIA 1 August 1918 France 9th Battalion Royal Scots
Comes with medal card box.
Group three; 1914/15 star, British War Medal and Victory Medal correctly impressed to 408 Pte. A. MC CAW A & S. HIGHRS
Fantastic Scottish family grouping with the last group belonging to the brother-in-law.
VF SOLD
Single : Medal of the Order of the British Empire (civil) in the box of issue.
Instituted in June 1917 with less than 2000 medals awarded before they were discontinued in 1922.
Near EF SOLD
Pair : EGYPT MEDAL dated 1882 four clasps " Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin1884, El-Teb-Tamaai, The Nile 1884-85 " 222 Pte.J.Jack 1/Gord. Highds. KHEDIVE STAR dated 1882.. only light pitting otherwise VF
VF SOLD
Pair : EGYPT MEDAL undated two clasps " Suakin1885, Tofrek" 259 Pte.M. BALLARD. 1/RL. BERKS R. KHEDIVE STAR dated 1884-6 stamped "BERKS" and "259"
Near VF SOLD
Ashantee Star 1896, unnamed as issued
Near EF SOLD
Single : EAST & CENTRAL AFRICA MEDAL one clasp "Uganda 1897-98" engraved 1557 Pte Jaffa Khan 27/ Bo:L.Inf.
EF SOLD
Single : CRIMEA MEDAL1854 no clasp period engraved BENJN CHURCH , CAPTNS STEWARD, HMS ALBION. Comes with attractive locket belonging to Church's first wife Elizabeth, containing a small portrait of him and his daughter. He served as Steward to Captain (later rear admiral) Stephen Lushington Commander of the Naval Brigade at Sebastopol. Also with six copied letters written by Lushington to Church, which make interesting reading and provide some background to life on campaign in this period. Includes a number of copies of family photos and research.
Near EF SOLD
Single : CRIMEA MEDAL1854 one clasp "Sebastopol" regimentally impressed.: 2412 John Fletcher 79 Cameron Highlanders
VF SOLD
Single : CRIMEA MEDAL1854 one clasp "Sebastopol" engraved 3272 Andrew Robertson, 71st Highland Lt.Infy.
VF SOLD
Single : HANOVERIAN WATERLOO 1815 Medal impressed Corporal Jopst' Heinr Kracke, Landwehr Bat. Nienburg.
Near VF SOLD
