Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore

Three: Sergeant Major W. Stentiford, Devonshire Regiment

Afghanistan 1878-80, no clasp (508 Pte. W. Stentiford. 2/11th Regt.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (1235 Cr. Sgt. W. Stentiford. Devon. R.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (S. Mjr: W. Stentiford. Devon. R.) contact marks to the Victorian awards, these nearly very fine and better; the MSM extremely fine (3) £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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Collection

Approximately 50 Annuity Meritorious Service Medals awarded to the Devonshire Regiment.

William Stentiford was born Drewsteignton, Devon on 25 July 1859 and attested for the 34th Brigade at Exeter on 19 February 1876. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Foot stationed at Aldershot on 1 April 1876, the 2/11th Foot embarked at Portsmouth in H.M.S. Serapis 9 February 1877 and disembarking at Bombay they entrained for Poona on 15 March 1877. The 2/11th received instructions to move at once to form 2nd Division Kandahar Field Force at Quetta on 5 July 1880 and commenced a rail journey from Karachi across Sind Desert to Nari Base on 23 July followed by a 120-mile march in 6 stages through the Bolan Pass with the first party arriving at Quetta on 2 August 1880. Next ordered forward to Fort Gulistan in the Pishin Valley with the rear elements, they arrived on 16 August 1880. 13 men died from heat stroke on the march from Karachi to Gulistan, the 2/11th arrived at Kandahar on 19 September 1880 and commenced the move to Arghandab Valley, returning to the Kandahar cantonments on 11 November 1880. The 2/11th left Kandahar for India via Quetta and the Bolan Pass on 15 April and crossed the Afghanistan/India border on 8 May 1881. Of the 22 officers and 720 men that crossed from India in July 1880, only 14 officers and 372 men returned, detraining at Jullundur on the 12 May 1881 at night in order to hide their ragged and disreputable appearance.

Stentiford was appointed Lance Corporal in May 1884, and was promoted Corporal in October 1884; Sergeant on 22 April 1885; and Colour Sergeant on 30 March 1888. After over 12 years’ service in India he returned home and disembarked on 9 January 1890, being posted to the Depot Devonshire Regiment, Exeter where he is shown in the 1891 Census as aged 33 Colour Sergeant Infantry, Town Barracks, St David, Exeter. Posted to the 2nd Battalion at Plymouth in 1893, he then moved to Pontypridd, South Wales to suppress the industrial unrest ongoing at the time; the battalion returned to Plymouth with the strikes suppressed in South Wales. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal per Army Order 251 of July 1894 and transferred to 3rd (Militia) Battalion as Sergeant Major on the Permanent Staff on 16 April 1895 being formally promoted Sergeant Major on 1 April 1900. He was discharged Sergeant Major on 31 July 1907 having served 31 years and 163 days only to be appointed Recruiting Staff, Plymouth, on 1 August 1907, a position he finally retired from on 3 August 1914. He was awarded his Meritorious Service Medal with and Annuity of £10 in September 1920. A member of Queen Victoria Lodge of Freemasons, Plymouth, he died in Plymouth on 25 February 1921, aged 61.

Sold with copied research.