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Picture courtesy of DNW

MM GV (5150 C.Q.M. Sjt: W. C. Newberry. 8/Devon: R.);
QSA (5) TH OFS RoL Tr LN (5150 Pte. W. C. Newberry, Devon: Regt.);
KSA (2) (5150 Corpl. W. C. Newberry. Devon: Regt.);
British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. W. C. Newberry.) the Victory Medal erased;
Army LS&GC GV (5150 C. Sjt: W. C. Newberry. Devon: R.)

MM London Gazette 28 January 1918.

William Charles Newberry was born at Exeter, Devon, on 2 June 1879, and enlisted into the 2nd Devonshire Regiment on 2 September 1898. He served in South Africa from 20 October 1899 to 21 May 1903, and was wounded at Ladysmith by a gunshot to the abdomen on 23 February 1900. Advancing steadily through the ranks he was promoted to Colour-Sergeant on 5 September 1917 and appointed Company Quartermaster Sergeant the same day.

He served at Home until 17 March 1917, when he arrived in France for service with the 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. He was awarded the LS&GC medal in April 1917 and entrained for service in the Italian Front on 18 November 1917. Granted a commission as 2nd Lieutenant on 19 May 1918, he was promoted to Lieutenant on 19 November 1919, and retired on 12 July 1921.

Picture courtesy of DNW

MM GV (7-9463 Sjt: R. Pacey. 7/Linc: R.);
QSA (2) Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (5307 Pte. R. Pacey. Lincoln: Regt.)
BWM & WV (9463 W.O. Cl. 2. R. Pacey. Linc. R.)

Richard Pacey was born in 1881 at Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire and attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment at Grantham on 22 March 1899. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion and served abroad briefly in Gibraltar in 1901 and then in South Africa from April to December 1902 (medal and two clasps). On 16 December 1902 he transferred to the 1st Battalion and sailed directly to India where he was stationed continuously until 1 May 1907. He was discharged on 21 March 1911 having completed 12 years service and found employment coaling locomotive fenders for the Great Northern Railway. After the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted in his former regiment at Nottingham and the following year was posted to France with the 7th (Service) Battalion, arriving on 14 July 1915. On 8 August 1916, while serving with D Company at Delville Wood, he was admitted to the 51st Field Ambulance with shrapnel wounds to his back and right hand following a phosphorous shell bombardment which killed or wounded half the Company. The Regimental History provides details:
‘At 4.30pm on the 7th, the battalion moved up to support the Sherwood Foresters, who were in Longueval and Delville Wood. Four hours later D Company, under Captain S. Clarke, moved up in close support of the Foresters in Longueval. At dawn D Company in Longueval village were subjected to a violent bombardment, which lasted an hour; by the end of it D Company had ninety casualties, about half the strength of the company. The Germans used phosphorous shells which caused fire amongst the debris and some men were set alight.’ (The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 by Major-General C. R. Simpson, C.B. refers.)

The 11 October 1916 London Gazette carrying his M.M. announcement principally contains awards for the Somme operations of mid-July onwards including Longueval and Delville Wood, the long drawn out struggle for possession of which was the 7th Battalion’s only engagement of the period.

Promoted C.S.M. in February 1917, Pacey died on 12 October 1917 from gun-shot wounds to the chest which penetrated his back, received the same day during the 7th Battalion’s successful attack at Taube Farm during the first Battle of Passchendaele. The regimental history documents the attack:
‘On the night of the 10th/11th of October, the 7th Battalion took over the front line astride the railway just south of the Poelcapelle road…at zero hour on the 12th the Lincolnshire were assembled on a line from south of the railway to the road junction below Tranquille House…At 5.25am, the barrage fell, and eight minutes later the attacking companies advanced. At 6.50am the first objective was reported taken, though casualties were fairly heavy. Captain Tredinnick was wounded and command of his company was taken over by 2nd Lieutenant Harrison. The records state that the men advanced behind the barrage with perfect confidence in the screen of fire in front of them. At 7am Major Peddie moved his headquarters up to Taube Farm, the attack having gone forward to the second objective, which was reported captured at 8am.’ (The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 by Major-General C. R. Simpson, C.B. refers.)
He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Picture courtesy of DNW

MM GV (2025 Dvr. J. Jackson. Can: A.S.C.);
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (21415 Pte. J. Jackson. 65th. Coy. Imp: Yeo:);
1914-15 Star (2025 Pte. J. Jackson. Can: A.M.C.);
British War and Victory Medals (2025 Pte J. Jackson. C.A.S.C.)

MM London Gazette 11 March 1919.

Joseph Jackson was born in Warrington, Lancashire, on 5 September 1880 and attested for the Imperial Yeomanry at Chester on 23 January 1901. He served with the 65th (Leicester Yeomanry) Company in South Africa during the Boer War, and was discharged at Aldershot on 5 August 1902. Emigrating to Canada, he attested for the Canadian Army Service Corps at Montreal on 22 November 1914, and served during the Great War with the 2nd Canadian Divisional Train, attached to the 6th Canadian Field Ambulance on the Western Front from 17 September 1915, remaining with this unit until the end of hostilities, almost certainly as an Ambulance Driver. For his services during the Great War he was awarded the Military Medal. He was discharged in England on 16 May 1919.

CURRELL William 4548 Sgt MM & Bar York & Lancaster Regiment and Essex Regiment

His Group came up for sale at Sheffield Auction Gallery on 4 March 2016 as lot 524. Victorian/WWI Group of Five Medals, consisting of Military medal and bar (George V), Queens South Africa medal with clasps - Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Paardeberg, Relief of Kimberley, South Africa medal with clasps - South Africa 1902 and South Africa 1901, 14/15 Star, War and Victory medal, mounted as worn, to 3-4548 Pvt. W. Currell 10/York & Lancs Regt.
*This man was awarded the Military medal and bar (9/7/1917) and transferred to the Essex Regt during the war. With paperwork.
Sold for £1300 Hammer -about £1560

A group I briefly owned in the mid 80s before I collected medals. I was trying to restore a William Turtle's QSA to the family and I found it was in the hands of a very keen York & Lancs collector. The only way I could find to prise Turtles medal from his grasp was to buy a group he wanted more and swop it. I paid £250 for Currell's group at the time and did the deal. I was hooked on medal collecting after that. Never wanted to reacquire Currell Group when it came up the last time but I am pleased to note someone got a bargain. I thought he was worth recording here but apologises for the poor photo that I downloaded from the website at the time.

Andrew

6 Sgt George Nixon B276 Bde RFA
George Nixon was born in Lancaster in 1877. He enlisted in the 5th Lancashire Volunteer Artillery on the 21st February 1895, being given the regimental number 2979. On his enlistment papers, he gives his address as 49 Prospect Street, Lancaster and his employer as "Lune Mills".

After five years service, George volunteered for service in the Boer War, serving with the 15th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. The Lancaster Observer and Morecombe Chronicle for 16th March 1900 records:-

"the White Cross Mill, Lancaster, were stopped before the usual time for the purposes of making a presentation to Gunner George Nixon, of the Lancaster batteries, 5th L.V.A.he having been selected to go to the front with the Colt gun section. Mr Edward Storey handed the volunteer £4, which had been collected and the firm would grant his wife 10s per week while he was away."

Prior to their departure from Lancaster, the members of the 5th L.V.A., who had volunteered for service in South Africa, were entertained st the King's Arms Hotel to a farewell dinner by the officers of the unit. Lt.Col R Inglis presided over the event. Presentations of boots, socks, football sweaters, writing paper, Balaclava caps, a dozen handkerchiefs, tobacco, pipes and matches were made to the men. Additionally, the Mayor of Lancaster effected an insurance policy of $100 on the life of each member of the LVA who had agreed to serve in South Africa. The policies were issued through Messers Stanley and Patterson, auctioneers, Penny Street, the local representatives of the Prudential Assurance Company.

The detachment left Preston on the 31st March 1900 and sailed for South Africa from the Albert Dock, Liverpool on the transport Cairisbrook Castle. The ship arrived at Madeira on the 5th April and a letter from one of the detachment, Cpl J Clark describes the voyage and the activities on board. George Nixon is recorded as having successfully taken part in numerous "deck games". The ship finally arrived in Capetown at 6.30 am on the 7th April. Once disembarked, the unit proceeded to Maitland Camp and George served with them until taking his discharge in August 1901.

I wonder how many groups exist with this combination?

More to follow.

Hello Mark

Thanks for sharing such a fine group.

To answer your question on "how many groups" - I know of 82, you can see the full list on The Register ,



It is a free search.

Regards
Meurig