Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore

Three: Private W. J. Piper, 16th (Yeomanry) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, who was severely wounded in action at Moislains in September 1918, later re-enlisting with the 2nd Battalion to receive the regimentally scarce medal for service in Waziristan 1919-21

British War and Victory Medals (38097 Pte. W. J. Piper. Devon. R.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1919-21 (5609835 Pte. W. J. Piper. Devon. R.) light contact marks, polished, very fine (3) £140-£180

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

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Only 31 Officers and Other Ranks of the Devonshire Regiment received the India General Service Medal with clasp Waziristan 1919-21.

William John Piper was born in Holdermoor, Camelford, Cornwall on 3 September 1892 and enlisted for General Service for the period of the War at Exeter on 25 September 1916, being posted to the Depot, Devonshire Regiment. He embarked at Devonport and was posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 13 February 1917. Disembarking at Alexandria he was re-numbered Private 345993 and joined the 16th (Yeomanry) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment at El Arish, North Sinai on 10 March 1917 for service in the Palestine campaign. The 16th Battalion moved to front line trenches at Sheik Abbas on 18 May 1917 and later took part in the attack on Beersheba 31 October 1917 and the successful attack on Sheria Station the following month. They attacked and captured Beit zur el Foka followed by Bir es Shafa on 27 December 1917. Withdrawn from Palestine the 16th Battalion detrained at Gabbary Docks, Alexandria on 30 April 1918 embarking on H.M. Transport Leasowe Castle bound for Marseilles, arriving on 7 May where they entrained for Noyelles to commence a period of intensive retraining before moving to the front line between Robecq and St Venant on 24 July 1918.

The battalion relieved the line in front of Bouchavesnes before advancing on Moislains where Piper was wounded in action on 2 September 1918 and admitted to the 55 Field Ambulance. He transferred to No. 9 (USA) General Hospital at Rouen suffering from ‘Gun Shot Wound Right Leg severe’ before being evacuated home on 6 September 1918. On recovery he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment at Devonport in December 1918 before re-enlisting to serve 4 years and 3 months in April 1919, and was posted to the re-formed 2nd Battalion at Exeter on 1 August 1919.

Embarking at Devonport on HT Huntsend the 2nd Battalion disembarked at Bombay and entrained for the Simla Hills on 7 September 1919 before moving to Quetta, Baluchistan District. In the 1921 Census he is recorded as ‘Troops in the Simla Hills, Clerks School, Kasauli aged 28, Private 2nd Devons’, before being posted to the Clerk Headquarters, 10th Indian Infantry Brigade, Manzai, South Waziristan. Following completion of his term of service he returned home and was discharged ‘Services no longer required on reduction of establishment’ on 30 March 1923 having served 6 years and 187 days. He was awarded the India General Service Medal 1908 clasp Waziristan 1919-21 and shown as ‘Attached Headquarters 10th Indian Infantry Brigade. Roll dated: Manzai 21 April 1923’.

Returning to North Devon, Piper set up business as a market gardener in Ilfracombe. He died in Barnstaple on 31 October 1982, aged 90.

Sold with the recipient’s original ribands; a quantity of photographs apparently from his time in India; 14 contemporary postcards from India (one of which addressed to his family has a personal message signed by him); and copied research.