A highly emotive Great War casualty pair and related Diaries awarded to Private F. A. Everidge, 9th Battalion (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), London Regiment, who died of wounds on the Western Front on 13 September 1917

British War and Victory Medals (6091 Pte. F. A. Everidge. 9-Lond. R.); Memorial Plaque (Frederick Alderman Everidge) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure; Memorial Scroll, ‘Rifleman Frederick Alderman Everidge, London Regt.’, in OHMS transmission tube, addressed to ‘Mrs. N. L. Everidge, 3 Kylemore Road, West Hampstead, NW6’, nearly extremely fine (4) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties.

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Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 1999.

Frederick Alderman Everidge was born in Marylebone, London, and attested for the 9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), London Regiment at Hammersmith. He served with the Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 15 September 1916, and died of wounds on 13 September 1917. He is buried in Grevillers British Cemetery, France.

Sold with the recipient’s General Service buttons (10); the recipient’s two Bibles, these both inscribed; Book of Common Prayer; the recipient’s hand-written book of religious thoughts and quotations; and a book of daily Bible quotations; named Record Office enclosure for the British War and Victory Medals; and copied research.

Sold also with the recipient’s two highly emotive pocket diaries, beginning 15 September 1916 ‘Arrived at La Havre at 1am.’, 28 October 1916 ‘Started for trenches at 10:30 at Neuve Chapelle.’, 12 December 1916 ‘Was not able to get to sleep until 3:30am because of a bombardment’, 25 December 1916 ‘An awful day, the worst I have ever spent. Carrying all night.’, 27 December 1916 ‘Left Ebenezer Farm about 5:30. Thankful for Gods protection and mercy.’, 20 March 1917 ‘Left the old support line and went into old German first line.’, 10 April 1917 ‘So bitterly cold, snowed heavily again. Left at 10:30 to attack. Successful, many prisoners and many exciting experiences.’, 14 April 1917 ‘Awakened to move again at 4am. Attack begun at 5:30am. An awful bombardment. Before I knew where I was, I was out with stretchers but an awful job to get men in because of m.g. fire. A very hard day and terribly saddening’, both diaries are meticulously written daily until stopping abruptly on 10 September 1917.