Seven: Armourer Quarter-Master Sergeant J. H. Bird, 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Ashanti 1900, 1 clasp, Kumassi (908 2nd Cl: Armr:-Serjt: J. H. Bird. A.O.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (908 2nd Cl: Ar: Sjt: J. H. Bird. A.O.C.); 1914 Star (A-908 Ar: S. Sjt. J. H. Bird. A.O.C.); British War and Victory Medals (A-908 W.O. Cl. 2. J. H. Bird. A.O.C.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (A-908 A.Q.M.S. J. H. Bird. 1 K.D. Guards.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (A-908 Ar: Q.M. Sjt. J. H. Bird. R.A.O.C.) light contact marks to the first two, otherwise very fine or better and a rare group (7) £2,000-£2,600

Provenance: David Langham Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, September 1999.

Sold with original commission document as Armourer Quarter-Master Sergeant (Warrant Officer Class II), Discharge and Character Certificates, two identity discs (1st D.G.), and a large group photograph.

John Henry Bird was born in 1879 and enlisted at Birmingham on 27 November 1899, a gun finisher by trade. He was discharged at Hilsea on 26 November 1922, his Discharge Certificate confirming all medals and clasps with the exception of the two date clasps on his Q.S.A. His medal index card also shows additional entitlement to the Sudan Medal 1910 with clasps for ‘Darfur 1916’ and ‘Fasher’ - a remarkable combination of medals and clasps. His character was described thus: ‘...is a very good Gun Smith - a thoroughly good man, very reliable, quick & intelligent. Has always given entire satisfaction - good powers of supervision. Trade before enlistment, Gun Finisher.’