Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Lieutenant F. R. Meeson, Royal Field Artillery, late Malay States Volunteer Rifles, wounded at Courtrai, 16 October 1918; died 4 November 1918

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.) good very fine (2) £120-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Brigadier Brian Parritt, C.B.E..

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Fitz-Allen Ridware Meeson was born in the Parish of Kemptown, Brighton on 9 December 1891. He was the son of Alfred Wreford Meeson, who was an engraver of gold and silver and Mary Meeson. He was educated at St Dunstans College, Catford and on leaving school became an accountant living at 33 Manor Park, Lee, London until he emigrated to Kuala Lumpur in the State of Selangar, Malay Federated States.

On 9 February 1909 he became a Private in the West Kent Yeomanry but retired from this unit at his own request on 21 November 1911, in order to join the Malay States Volunteer Rifles, which he did on 29 January 1913. On 12 July 1916 he resigned from the Malay States Volunteer Rifles and returned to England and attested in Lewisham on 8 November 1916. On 10 November 1916 he joined the Royal Artillery Cadet School in Exeter and was gazetted as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery (Special Reserve) on 3 March 1917. On 18 May 1917 he was posted to 13th Battery, 17th Brigade, 29th Division in France. Throughout 1917 and 1918 he had two home leaves and was in hospital twice, once for “Debility” and once for “Gastritis”. He returned from his last leave on 1 September 1918 and took part in the last battle fought by the 29th Division at Courtrai. In action on 16 October, Lieutenant Meeson received a “Severe Gun Shot Wound to the Left Thigh”. He was evacuated to No 8 British Red Cross Hospital and then on 22 October moved, via Boulogne, to Worsley Hall Hospital, Worsley, Manchester. On 4 November, aged 24, he died of pneumonia. Seventeen days later on the 21st November 1918 he was gazetted to be a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery with effect from 4 September 1918. His body was moved to London and was buried in Lewisham (Hither Green) Cemetery. Sold with original Casualty Form and copied service papers.