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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 583

A Great War pair to H. D. Galvin, a member of the British Ambulance Committee

British War and Victory Medals (H. D. Galvin.). With a further British War Medal (M2-148206 Pte. J. L. Galvin. A.S.C.), good very fine (3)

Hubert D. Galvin is down as serving with the French Red Cross as a Driver on his Medal Index Card serving in France from September 1915, it notes entitlement to a British War and Victory Medal pair only.

John William Leno Galvin enlisted on 12 November 1915 and was discharged on 30 August 1917 as a result of sickness and is entitled to a British War and Victory Medal pair and a Silver War Badge (241149); sold with his original British Ambulance Committee 'dog tag' this engraved (964 H. D. Galvin).

The British Ambulance Committee (B.A.C.) was a voluntary organisation which was formed early in the war and attached itself to the French Army. The B.A.C. publicised the fact that it sent "British Ambulances for French Wounded" and said that 'we staff and maintain 120 at the French front....please help us to carry on this good work by subscribing to the British Ambulance Committee'.

By April 1915, the organisation had sent out to French sectors on the Western Front, three convoys of 25 vehicles each and all provided with a volunteer driver. But by the spring of 1916, it took out a large illustrated advertisement in The Times for an 'Urgent Appeal to Replace 25 War-Worn Ambulances' at the French Front.

The committee, through the generosity of the British public, had sent out 110 motor ambulances during the previous twelve months but 25 of them were now worn out. 'They had done grand work', said the committee, 'and won the high appreciation of the French Government and Military Authorities [and] twenty three Military Crosses have been bestowed on our men for conspicuous courage and efficiency'. The British ambulances had saved many lives and 'who can tell what suffering they have saved the gallant French soldiers'. said The Times advertisement.

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Sold for
£170

Starting price
£150