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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 246

The 1914-15 Star awarded to Private E. H. Hart, 1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), who was wounded on Hill 60 in 1915 and then mortally wounded during the attempts to relieve Kut

1914-15 Star (G-4843. Pte. E. H. Hart, R. W. Kent. R.), good very fine

The Victory Medal awarded to Private D. Francis, 2/4th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), who was killed during training 'by the explosion of a bomb' in Egypt, having previously served at Gallipoli

Victory Medal 1914-1919 (TF-3558 Pte. T. Francis. R. W. Kent. R.), good very fine

The Victory Medal awarded to Private D. T. Marchant, 7th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), who died of wounds sustained on the Somme Offensive in 1916: his brother Herbert was killed whilst serving with the Australian Imperial Force that same year

Victory Medal 1914-1919 (L-11440 Pte. D. T. Marchant. R. W. Kent R.), good very fine

Ebenezer Henry Hart was born at Halling Kent in 1895, the son of Henry and Annie Hart of Friezeland Lodge, Upper Halling. He entered the war on 22 April 1915 with the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), an article from the Kent Messenger expands, stating:

'Much sympathy has been extended to Mrs. Hart, of Friezeland, Upper Halling, who has received official intimation from the War Office of the death at the Front of her only son, Pte. Henry Ebenezer [SIC] Hart, 2nd Royal West Kent Regiment. Deceased, who was 21 years of age, joined Kitchener's Army in December, 1914, and proceeded in due course to France, where he was wounded in the Leg at Hill 60. After being in hospital (in England) for several weeks, he was drafted with the Indian Expeditionary Force to the Persian Gulf, where he succumbed to wounds received in action. His late father, Mr Henry Theodore Hart, was an old solider, having served in the 2nd Battalion of the Buffs, 20 years ago. Should this meet the eye of any deceased's comrades, his sorrowing mother would deem it a great favour if they would communicate with her, stating any particulars of her son's death.'

The timing of his mortal wound suggests that Hart was part of the effort to relieve the beseiged city of Kut-Al-Amara. He is commemorated upon the Basra Memorial; sold together with a copied newspaper extract.

Thomas James Francis was born at West Peckham, Kent in July 1891, the son of James and Emma Francis of 51 Charlton Street, Maidstone, Kent. He enlisted with the 2/4th (Territorial) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment. He is believed to have entered the war at Gallipoli in July 1915 (1914-15 Star) and was part of the evacuation after the campaign failed, finding himself in Egypt in early 1916. A newspaper article referring to his death there stating:

'Private Francis, whose home was at 51, Charlton Street, Maidstone, joined up in September, 1914, and went abroad in July, 1915. In Civil life he worked for Mr. Ballard. Farleigh. He was 24 years of age. Both Company Commander and the Chaplain (Rev. D. Rees Davies) have written sympathetically to the mother, the Captain's letter being as follows:-

"Dear Madam - It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son, Pte. T. Francis. He was accidentally killed by the explosion of a bomb whilst practising bomb throwing on the 28th of this month. He was very highly esteemed by all of us, and we all very much regret his death. He was buried with military honours in a small cemetery, outside the camp, on the same day as the unfortunate accident. We have erected a cross over his grave, and if you would care I will send you a photograph of his grave".

Francis was killed on 28 March 1916, oddly the theatre of his death is recorded as the Balkans rather than Egypt however he is buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery; sold together with copied research including census data and a newspaper extract.

Douglas Thomas Francis was born at Hollington, St. Leonards, Sussex in 1899, the son of Charles and Isabella Francis. He was serving with the 7th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Kent) Regiment, when his elder brother Herbert was killed in action serving with the 26th Battalion, Australian Infantry. It is possible news of this action caused Marchant to be less careful than normal as not long later he was mortally wounded.

He died on 22 November 1916, the timing wound suggest that Marchant's wound happened during the raid on Desire Trench near Albert, which occurred on 18 November. However it is plausible that it occurred earlier as the Battalion has seen heavy action at the Schwaben redoubt the previous month; sold together with copied research including census data and extracts from the Hastings and St. Leonards Pictorial Advertiser and Visitors List.

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Sold for
£70

Starting price
£60