Family group:

Three: Serjeant Drummer W. C. Dyer, Bedfordshire Regiment

1914 Star, with clasp (6689 Sjt. Dmr., 2/Bedf. R.); British War and Victory Medals (6689 Sjt., Bedf. R.)

Pair: Colour Serjeant Instructor W. Dyer, Bedfordshire Regiment

Army L.S.& G.C., V.R., 3rd issue (1348 Cr. Sgt., Bedf. R.); Army Meritorious Service, G.V.R., 1st issue (C. Sjt. Instr., Bedf. R.) extremely fine (5)
£340-380

William Charles Dyer, son of William (below) and Eliza Jane Dyer, was born in Colchester, Essex and living in Ware, enlisted at Hertford. Serving as a Serjeant Drummer in the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, he entered the France / Flanders theatre of war on 6 October 1914 and died of wounds on 25 October 1914, aged 29 years. He was buried in the Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery.

William Dyer was born in Barnstaple, Devonshire. A farm labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the 44th Brigade in 1878, aged 19 years. With the 56th (Essex) Regiment he served overseas at Gibraltar between July 1882 and July 1884, in Egypt during July - September 1884 and in East India between January 1888 and February 1892. Promoted Serjeant in 1884, he re-engaged with the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1887 and became a Serjeant Instructor with the 1st Hertfordshire Volunteer Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1896. He was discharged at his own request in August 1901. With the outbreak of the Great War, he re-enlisted from the National Reserve, aged 49 years, 11 months. Appointed Colour Sergeant in the Bedfordshire Regiment Training Depot, in October 1916 he was transferred to the Middlesex Regiment. He was discharged from the Labour Corps in February 1919. Sold with copied service papers and research.