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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 501

An attempted escaper's group of four awarded to Corporal F. Bloxham, 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, late Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment who was doubtless present when Private Wakenshaw won the Victoria Cross at Mersa Matruh in June 1942

Bloxham was wounded and captured just two days after Wakenshaw's act of gallantry, he later attempted to escape in Italy only to recaptured after a respectable ten months on the run

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (5988710 Pte. F. Bloxham. Bedfs.&Herts.R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; clasp, 8th Army; War Medal 1939-45, light contact marks, slight edge bruise, very fine (4)

Frederick Herbert Bloxham was born at Westmill, Hitchin, Hertfordshire on 6 March 1913 and enlisted on 13 November 1831 with the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment. Still stationed with this unit he was posted to the 2nd Battalion in Palestine during the Arab Revolt, returning to Britain prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. He was married in Hitchin to Kathleen Diana Marlow in 1939 and at some stage after this transferred to the Durham Light Infantry, being posted to the 9th Battalion as a Corporal.

This unit was posted to the 50th (Northumbrian) Division in North Africa, where they were stationed in February 1942. They took part in the Battle of Gazala succeeding in breaking out of the encircling Germans and withdrawing to Mersa Matruh on 27 June. There Private Adam Wakenshaw won the Victoria Cross for manning his 2-pounder gun single-handed despite having lost an arm, putting an enemy gun out of action and preventing the German weapon from being turned on the rest of the Battalion. Bloxham was certainly with the Battalion at the time and may very well have witnessed this remarkable and tragically deadly act of gallantry as a direct hit to the ammunition saw Wakenshaw, killed in action.

Withdrawing again on 28 June the Battalion was divided into columns several of which were taken prisoner of war. It appears Bloxham was with one of them as he was taken prisoner of war on 29 June, likely at Fuka which he rendered as El Foker in his Liberation Questionnaire. Notably he was also wounded in the right leg suggesting he might have attempted to make a fight of it.

Taken to Campo 54 at Fara Sabina on 12 December 1942 he managed to escape when the Italian armistice began in September 1943 along with a Corporal of the Union Defence Force and a Guardsman. Bloxham notes that a Mario Bati of Monte Vicino sheltered the party from 10 September 1943 - 16 March 1944 sheltering and feeding them 'at great risk' as well as supplying them with clothes. Moving on the Guardsman left the group leaving the other two to receive further help from the 'Villagers of S. Adriano' who again provided them with food.

Unfortunately Bloxham was recaptured and moved to Stalag 18A at Spital, later spending time at a Work Camp 107 near Graz. He reports:

'On the 8.5.45 the guards from my camp went away and on the next day 9.5.45 the Russians supplied M/T for us to Klagenfurt from there (21.5.45) flew to Forgi from there by train to Ancora, to Rome, Naples remaining here on 24 May 45.'

Returning to Britain his medals were issued to him on 18 November 1948 at 54 Cunningham Road, West Earlham, Norwich. Bloxham died there in February 1990; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£210

Starting price
£170