Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore

Seven: Lieutenant-Colonel L. W. Bristowe, Devonshire Regiment and Machine Gun Corps, who was Mentioned in Despatches for operations in Waziristan 1920-21, and took Command of the 1st King’s Own Malta Regiment during the Siege of Malta

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. L. W. Bristowe); India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. L. W. Bristowe, Devon. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for wear, minor edge bruising and contact marks, the Great War pair polished, therefore good fine; the rest generally very fine and better (7) £400-£500

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

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M.I.D. London Gazette 1 June 1923:
‘For distinguished service during the operations in Waziristan, 1920-21.’

Leslie Walter Bristowe was born at Stonham Parva, Suffolk on 11 November 1895 and was educated at Ipswich School. He attested for the Territorial Force for 4 years’ Service at Saxmundham on 4 January 1915 and was enlisted as 2023 Private 6th Cyclist Battalion Suffolk Regiment, being appointed unpaid Lance Corporal in the 1/6th Battalion Suffolk Regiment in April 1916. Discharged on enlisting into the Machine Gun Corps he was attested for Short Service (For the Duration of the War) at Grantham on 17 June 1916 as 42933 Private, Machine Gun Corps and was posted to the 2nd Battalion as acting Lance Corporal. Transferring to the Cadet Battalion, Bisley, on 25 September 1916 he was discharged being appointed to a temporary commission in the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on 25 January 1917. He joined 205 Company Machine Gun Corps at Camiers on 18 April 1917 and received a slight wound to his leg at Ypres but remained on duty 4 October 1917.

Granted leave to the U.K., Bristowe was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Devonshire Regiment on 13 July 1918. Returning to France he was wounded (gassed) on the Somme on 29 September 1918 and was admitted to the 50th Field Ambulance; transferring to the 20th General Hospital he embarking for England on 8 October 1918 and was admitted to the War Hospital, Cambridge. Rejoining the Machine Gun Corps Training Centre, Grantham on 26 December 1918, he attended the Infantry Officers School, Stafford, and was promoted Lieutenant on 26 June 1919. Posted to the Machine Gun Depot, 11th Battalion, at Shorncliffe on 4 September 1919, he embarked for India with 11th Battalion to be stationed at Cawnpore on 14 November 1919 and formed the Demonstration Troops, Mountain Warfare School, Abbottabad in March 1920.

Bristowe joined No. 6 Machine Gun Company, Wana Column, Waziristan, Sarwihnai on 15 December 1920 before proceeding to Lablha, Waziristan. He is recorded in the 1921 Census as aged 25, Lieutenant No 6 Company Machine Gun Company, India. Proceeding to Cawnpore on disbandment of No. 6 Company, he then joined the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment at Quetta, Baluchistan District on 8 April 1922. He embarked with the 2nd Battalion on SS Matiana arriving at Plymouth on 23 April 1923. For his distinguished service in Waziristan he was Mentioned in Despatches.

The 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment embarked for Aden in March 1926 returning to Devonport in March 1927. Attached for service with the King’s African Rifles in Nyasaland on 17 May 1928, Bristowe was promoted Temporary Captain and appointed Captain Company Commander, King’s African Rifles at Zomba, Nyasaland on 27 August 1929. Appointed Second in Command, 1st King’s African Rifles, Nyasaland he proceeded to Tabora, Tanganyika Territory in October 1933. Embarking at Dar-es-Salaam for the U.K. on leave pending reversion to Devonshire Regiment he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment and was restored to the establishment on 2 May 1934. He joined the Depot, Devonshire Regiment, Exeter for a tour of duty in August 1934 before again being seconded for service under the Colonial Office and embarking for service with the King’s African Rifles, East Africa, on 1 May 1937, and was promoted Major on 1 August 1938. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, he embarked for Malta on 10 February 1939 and was appointed Second in Command of the battalion during the siege of Malta. Whilst in Malta he was appointed to the Command of the 1st King’s Own Malta Regiment on 26 October 1942 and promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 26 January 1943. Posted to the U.K. from 1st King’s Own Malta Regiment in October 1943 he then held various home appointments before attending a course on Repatriation of Prisoners of War at SHAEF HQ in August 1944, and was selected to Command 9 Group as a Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel on 20 April 1945.

Posted to the Depot Devonshire Regiment, Exeter pending retirement in April 1947, having exceeded the age limit, Bristowe was placed on Retired Pay on 18 August 1947 with the Honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel after a total service of 31 years and 227 days. In retirement he returned to Africa as a Coffee Plantation Manager in Nyasaland. He died in Bury St. Edmunds on 20 March 1960, aged 64.

Sold with copied research including a named photograph of the Officers of the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment from December 1925, including the recipient.