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Auction: 11010 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 76

Family Group: Three: Private J. Spencer, Machine Gun Corps, and King´s Own Scottish Borderers 1914-15 Star (13714 Pte. J. Spencer. K.O. Sco. Bord.); British War and Victory Medals (13714 Pte. J. Spencer. K.O.S.B.), nearly extremely fine, with the recipient´s Certificate of Transfer to the Reserve; a letter to the recipient from the father of Lieutenant P.B. Watt, following that Officer´s death, dated 14.7.1918; and various photgraphs of the recipient Pair: Private W. Exton, South Lancashire Regiment British War and Victory Medals (201322 Pte. W. Exton. S. Lan. R.), extremely fine, with the recipient´s Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (William Exton), and the following related documents &c.: - Named card box of issue for the British War and Victory Medals - Buckingham Palace enclosure for the Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque - Record Office enclosure for the British War and Victory Medals - Copies of letters written to the recipient´s father and sister following his death - Photographic images of the recipient, and of his grave Estimate £ 120-140 13714 Private John Spencer, born Ardwick, Manchester, April 1897; enlisted in the King´s Own Scottish Borderers, 30.8.1914, and served with them and the Machine Gun Corps during the Great War on the Western Front from 24.3.1915; acted as servant to Lieutenant P.B. Watt, Machine Gun Corps (who was killed in action, 14.4.1918); transferred to the Reserve, 27.2.1919; died 24.6.1982. 201322 Private William Exton, served during the great War with the 2nd/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment; killed in action on the Western Front, 12.8.1917, when ´during a heavy bombardment by the enemy accompanied by an attack on our trenches, when reinforcements were required, Private Exton, although he had only just been relieved from 24 hours on sentry duty, immediately volunteered to go to the threatened point, where he remained until he met his death´ (Battalion Routine Orders, dated 14.8.1917 refers), and is buried in Erquinghem-Lys Churchyard, France. In a letter written to Exton´s sister following his death, Sergeant H. Kirk, M.M., wrote:´ It is with deep regret that I have to write and confirm the news of Will´s death. I was in charge of the party he was with, and we were occupying the trenches after a heavy bombardment the night before; everything was quiet up until 1:00am, when the enemy again opened out, and there was a perfect rain of shells on the sector we were holding. This continued for about half-an-hour, and when things had quietened down I went round to see if the lads were alright. I found Will and two others in a bay all dead, a shell having dropped right on them. His death must have been instantaneous, part of the shell having pierced his heart, and there seemed to be a smile of sweet content on his face when I looked at him. He was taken down the line and was buried with full military honours the next day in a little British Cemetery, the Chaplain and a party belonging to his Company being present at the service.´ Private Exton´s sister later married Private John Spencer.

Sold for
£220