Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 464

The well-documented campaign group of five awarded Temporary Captain A. F. Sly, Royal Army Service Corps, late Cheshire Regiment, King Edward's Horse and West Africa Frontier Force, who suffered a gun shot wound to the left shoulder and was to die in 1956 as a result of his injury he suffered in the Great War

1914-15 Star (873 Pte. A. F. Sly. K. Edw. H.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. A. F. Sly.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine or better (5)

Alec Foreshew Sly was born at Weston-super-Mare on 7 May 1888 and was the son of Charles and Agnes Sly. Having completed his education, he worked in the banking industry firstly in Britain and in Canada over 3 years but with the outbreak of the Great War he returned to the Britain and attested into the King Edward's Horse on 28 August 1914.

Entering the war in France on 5 May 1916 he was commissioned into the 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment on 5 March 1916 and joined the 1st Battalion at Arras on 7 April 1916. Sly suffered a Gun Shot Wound to the left shoulder and was admitted to hospital on 13 April where he remained until he was discharged on 29 April.

Returning to the 18th (Home Service) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment on 8 February 1917 and was promoted Temporary Lieutenant on 5 September 1917 and joined the 253rd Infantry Battalion (Training Reserve) on 8 October 1917. Sly was further transferred to the General List for service with the 2nd Battalion, Nigeria Regiment as part of the West Africa Frontier Force on 1 October 1918.

He contracted Pneumonia and was discharged from hospital on 3 May 1920 and relinquished his commission on completion of service on 8 November 1920. Recovering he was to marry a Miss Ida Gertrude Haslock on 6 January 1921 at the Register Office, Paddington.

By 1939 he was living in Ruislip, West London and worked as a secretary for a public company but was also entitled to a disabled officer's pension. With the outbreak of the Second World War Sly was gazetted Lieutenant into the Cheshire Regiment on 27 June 1940 and was employed at the Royal Army Service Corps Record Office based at Hastings from 3 October 1941 as a Wing Lieutenant.

Promoted to Temporary Captain on 18 September 1946, he transferred to the Reserve in December 1947. Sly died on 6 January 1956 at 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, Weston-super-Mare, due to 'Misadventure' as a result of old gun-shot wounds to the chest received on active service in the 1914-18 War.

Sold together with a quantity of copied research and an original archive comprising:

i)
Active Service Testament 1914.

ii)
Soldier's Pay Book.

iii)
Slip for Second World War Medals confirming 2 medals.

iv)
Newspaper cutting mentioning him returning from Canada to join the King Edward's Horse.

v)
Field Service Post Card to Miss I. G. Haslock from a Mr J. C. S. Haslock.

vi)
Ministry of Pensions letter addressed to him dated 22 November 1947 confirming award of the King's Badge.

vii)
Fifteen assorted photographs of him during military service in both the Great War and Second World War.

viii)
Passport issued on 19 August 1918.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate

Starting price
£130