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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 423

(x) Pair: Officers Steward 1st Class E.W. Coe, Royal Australian Navy

British War and Victory Medals (5749 E.W. Coe. Off. Stwd-1. R.A.N.), official correction to number on BWM, very fine (2)

Two: Private E.D. Wiles, 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was killed in action in 1918

British War and Victory Medals (5327 Pte H. Davies. 19- Bn. A.I.F), extremely fine (2)

Ernest William Coe was born at Colchester, Essex. A butler he enlisted in the Royal Navy at Devonport on 16 March 1905, after initial training he was posted to HMS Cornwallis as a Domestic 3rd class on 1 April 1905. Promoted to Domestic 2nd class in November 1905 he served on a variety of vessels before being shore discharged on 15 August 1907. Emigrating to Australia he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy and was sent to Cerberus as an Officer's Steward 2nd class. Nis next appointment was to the river class destroyer HMAS Swan and operations in the Pacific from 12 August until 10 December 1916. He was promoted to Officer's Steward 1st class on 13 October 1918 and shore discharged on 31 March 1919.

He died at Waverley, New South Wales in 1948; sold together with copied research.

Ernest Desmond Wiles, son of Annie Wiles of 34 Cambridge Road, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex was 18 years old when he emigrated to Australia having attended school at Seven Kings in Essex. He enlisted in the A.I.F. being posted to B Company, 19th Battalion, embarking from Sydney for France on 7 October 1916.

He was mortally wounded on 8 August 1918. Statements recorded by the Australian Red Cross were given by Private Bennett stating that he was found at 5am with shrapnel wounds all over him who stated that he was conscious and took his equipment so he could lie down. About 2pm Private Sayle found that Wiles had been bandaged up and nearly dead stating that he would be buried near where he fell.

Private Walker expanded on Wiles's death stating 'On 3/8/18 the Battalion was in action in front of Villers Bretonneux on the first morning of the big advance. They hopped over at 4.20 am. Informant (Walker) was hit early and had his wounds dressed and on his way back about ¼ past 4pm, he saw Wiles lying dead on the ground, about 200 yards off the road between the hop over trench and Warfusee. Informant felt sure that Wiles was afterwards picked and buried. According to informant Wiles was a very well liked chap.'

Wiles is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, and Wellington Hall of Memory Honour Roll; sold together with copied research.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£110

Starting price
£80