Orders, Decorations and Medals

Seven: Sergeant A. J. Barwick, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Special Constabulary Long Service, E.II.R., 2nd issue (Albert J. Barwick); Soochow Creek Medal for Valor 1937, bronze, reverse inscribed, ‘A. J. Barwick’; Dunkirk Medal 1940, unnamed; together with another Defence Medal, some contact marks, generally good very fine (lot) £300-400

Albert John Barwick was born in Taunton, Somerset, on 8 April 1910. A Butcher by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Newport on 5 November 1930, being posted to the 2nd Battalion in June 1931. With them he served in Gibraltar, June 1931-October 1934; Hong Kong, November 1934-August 1937, and Shanghai, August 1937-February 1938. He was posted to Shanghai at the time of the ‘emergency’, August-November 1937, when fighting between the Chinese and Japanese forces in the vicinity of the city, threatened to encroach upon the International Settlement. After service in the Far East he was posted to the Reserve having completed his seven period of service. With the approach of the Second World War Barwick was recalled to service and was posted to France with the B.E.F. on 24 September 1939. He served in France until evacuated in June 1940. Based in the U.K. he was advanced to Lance-Corporal, September 1940; Corporal, August 1941, and Sergeant in October 1941. He was then posted to India and Burma, serving in the Arakan campaign, January-June 1943; Assam campaign, April-October 1944, and Burma campaign, October 1944-January 1945. He was discharged from the army on 8 February 1946.

The Soochow Creek Medal was originally struck as a satirical decoration to commemorate the 1932 U.S. Marine defence of the international settlement at Shanghai. It was manufactured locally, probably by the firm of Tuck Chang, at 67 Broadway, Shanghai, and was available at a cost of $2.00 from various company offices and through the regimental newspaper Walla Walla. Likewise, during the 1937 emergency, the medal was revived and “awarded” to Marines and sailors who rallied to the cause. Whilst most of these medals are found named to American recipients, the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Marines were also present during the defence of Shanghai in 1937.

Sold with the recipient’s Soldier’s Service and Pay Book (2); Hong Kong Motor Drivers Licence; Army Certificate of Education, 2nd Class, 15 May 1931; Record of Service Card; letter from the Psychological Warfare Division, S.E.A.C.; a menu from the Swan Hotel, Ross-on-Wye, ‘Welcome Home to Mr Barwick’, dated 30 October 1945, bearing several signatures; medal forwarding slip; The Royal Welch Fusiliers Comrades’ Association Membership Card; copied portrait sketch of the recipient; sundry coins, badges etc.