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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 292

The well documented campaign group of four awarded to Pilot Officer H. J. Gerred, Royal Air Force, late Serjeant, Royal Fusiliers

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 5 claps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4454 Corpl. H. Gerred. Rl:Fus:), unofficial rod between third and fourth clasps; 1914 Star, clasp (4454 Pte. H. Gerred. 4/R.Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (4434 Sjt. H. Gerred. R.Fus.), in an attractive wooden display case by Spink & Son, nearly extremely fine (4)

Henry James Gerred was born at Clerkenwell, London on 26 December 1874 and attested there on 20 October 1892. First posted to India on 13 September 1894 he was to serve there for several years, reaching the rank of Corporal on 4 November 1898. Returning home in March 1900 Gerred was advanced Sergeant there for the first time on 6 January 1901 but reduced back to Corporal in March 1901.

Posted to South Africa with the 4th Battalion on 16 March 1901, serving in the country for a little less than a year before returning home in February 1902. It was not to be his only posting there however as he was posted back to South Africa in August 1906 with the 3rd Battalion. He went with the Battalion when they transferred on to Mauritius on 21 November 1909, remaining their until 1911 when they returned to Britain.

Advanced Sergeant and appointed Cook in 1912 Gerred appears to have been serving in this rank when the Great War began. He entered the war in France on 13 August 1914 however it should be noted his service papers state he was a Sergeant at the time while his MIC gives the rank of Private. It may be that the latter was somewhat confused as his later commission into the RAF saw the medal being issued by the Air Ministry.

Serving with the 4th Battalion it appears that Gerred's age was beginning to catch up with him as he was hospitalised with foot problems in 1914. These issues doubtless continued over the next two years and he was transferred to the 1st Home Service Battalion, East Kent Regiment on 27 September 1916 at Dover.

Discharged the following year on 11 January 1917 Gerred decided to apply for a commission in the Royal Air Force which he received on 20 June 1918. Joining the School of Instruction at Henly he was posted to the 1st Southern Aircraft Repair Depot in September 1918, remaining there until the end of the war. Joining the Stores Section briefly in 1919 he returned to the 1st A.R.D. and remained there until being demobilised on 19 April 1920; sold together with copied research and a comprehensive archive of original material including:

i)
Portrait photograph.

ii)
Commission Document named to the recipient and dated 20 June 1918.

iii)
Soldier's Red Book.

iv)
Two certificates of education.

v)
Regimental account book.

vi)
Three certificates of qualification, two relating to the role of Sergeant Cook.

vii)
Marriage Certificate.

viii)
Application for Cadetship.

ix)
Pension and discharge forms, the latter relating to both the recipient's terms of service.

x)
Board of Education Announcement of award named to the recipient in 1920 whilst a Pilot Officer in the R.A.F.

For the Army L.S. & G.C. awarded to his father see Lot 669.

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Estimate

Starting price
£170