TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of Warwick & Warwick

IGS 1854 (1) Hazara 1888 (**41 2d Bn R. Suss R)
QSA (5) CC OFS Tr 01 02 (6138 Rl Fusiliers)
Tibet Medal (1) Gyantse (8138 1st Bn Ryl Fusrs)

BWM to 21280 Pte W. Spray Norf R.

William Spray was born in St Leonards, enlisted in Sussex Regt 10/7/86 aged 19, served India 1887-1894, discharged 9/7/98, re-enlisted 11/7/00 in Royal Fusiliers, served S Africa 7/11/01 to 25/3/02, present in Sikkim-Tibet 1904 expedition, discharged 10/10/07, re-enlisted aged 48 8/7/15 with 1st Garrison Bn Norfolk Regt for home service, discharged unfit 18/9/17 and issued a Silver War Badge No 245513 (this missing), all clasps confirmed.

Lot: 25
Estimated Price: £800

Picture courtesy of DNW

DSO GV;
OBE MIlitary, HM 1919;
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2/Lieut. S. Gubbins, Rl. Fus.);
1914-15 Star (Major S. Gubbins, R. Fus.);
British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. S. Gubbins)

DSO London Gazette 15 April 1916: ‘This officer commanded his Battalion in an attack, the success of which was due to the excellent organisation he had established in his Battalion, and to the fighting spirit he had fostered in it.’

OBE London Gazette 3 June 1919.

Stamer Gubbins was born in Co. Limerick, Ireland in 1882 but subsequently moved to Australia, where he was educated in Melbourne. Joining the 5th Contingent, Victorian Mounted Rifles in 1900, he served in South Africa during the Boer War and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers in 1902.

Having then been seconded to the West African Frontier Force in Nigeria 1904-09, and been advanced to Major, Gubbins was embarked for France in June 1915, where he commanded the 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers from August of that year until May 1916.

It was during this period that he won his DSO for the Battalion’s attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt (a.k.a. The Chord) on 2 March. On that occasion, the attack was launched at 5.45 p.m. with the detonation of seven mines, the largest of which was intended to wreck the bulk of The Chord. Certainly the earth thrown up by the mines partly covered the enemy’s wire, thereby allowing Gubbins’s men - and the neighbouring 8th Battalion - to gain access to the enemy’s defences, but not without significant loss. As stated in The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War, the 9th Battalion ‘found many Germans in their sector of The Chord who, though dazed, did not surrender and had to be killed. There followed a number of fierce grenade fights, the Germans rushing down from the north end of The Chord and along the trenches leading from the east into it ... but the craters were held against enemy bombing attacks during the night.’

Gubbins, who was also Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 15 June 1916), later served in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, services that resulted in his award of the OBE. He died in 1940.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (5) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (7241 Pte. R. Howse, 2nd Royal Fus:);
KSA (2) (7241 Corpl: R. Howse. Rl: Fusiliers.);
Tibet (1) Gyantse (7241 Corpl. R. Howse 1st Bn. Ryl. Fuslrs.);
British War and Victory Medals (GS-5889 W.O. Cl. 2 R. Howse. R. Fus.);
Army LS&GC GV, 1st issue (7241 Sjt: R. Howse. R. Fus.)

Provenance: Spink N.C., September 1981.

All medals and clasps confirmed; also entitled to 1914-15 Star and Silver War Badge.

Picture courtesy of DNW

IGS 1854 (2) Burma 1885-7, Burma 1889-92, second clasp attached with wire rod (2501 Pte. W. Carter 2d Bn. Oxf: L. Infy.);
QSA (5) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (8186 Pte. W. Carter. Rl: Fusiliers.)

After researching the group to Reuben Howse upon arrival, I found that he was also MID for 1916 and this was Gazetted in an issue of LG beginning of 1919.

Egypt (undated), no clasp(1418.Pte. R.H.Aldridge Cameron Highlanders), IGS'54 -Hazara 1891 (1418 xxx R.H.Aldridge Seaforth highlanders), QSA 5 clasps CC,OFS,TVL,SA01,SA02 - (9006 Pte. R.H. Aldridge 2nd Royal Fusiliers), BWM (58970 Sgt. R.H. Aldridge Royal Fusiliers), VM(58970 Sgt. R.H. Aldridge Royal fusiliers), Khedives Star. Aldridge Attested in 1884, discharged (time served 1896) re -enlisted 23/01/1900 ended up doing a 2nd tour of South Africa with Imperial Yeomanry serving with Metropolitan Mounted Rifles attesting 22/01/1902 returning home 6/01/1903
Possibly unique combination with Aldridge on secondment to Cameron's (only 28 no bar Egypt's awarded to that unit)