Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War ‘First Battle of Arras’ M.M. group of four awarded to Private F. W. Steward, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, killed in action, 3 May 1917

Military Medal, G.V.R. (R-11104 Pte., 8/K.R.R.C.); 1914-15 Star (R-11104 Pte., K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals (R-11104 Pte., K.R. Rif. C.) nearly extremely fine and better (4) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 18 June 1917.

Frederick William Steward was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, the son of Mr Frederick and Mrs H. Steward, and educated at London Road School. He enlisted into the K.R.R.C. in March 1915 and entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 13 August 1915. Private Steward won the Military Medal in April 1917 during the First Battle of Arras. He was reported ‘missing in action’ at Arras on 3 May 1917, aged 21 years, and was subsequently presumed to have been killed on that day. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. His name is also commemorated on the Prittlewell War Memorial, Southend-on-Sea.

In a letter written by Lieutenant-Colonel C. Seymour to his mother, it states, ‘I enclose the ribbon of the Military Medal won by your son in April, and never has a decoration been better earned. It was awarded for carrying messages up to the front line through very heavy shell fire on several occasions, with an absolute disregard of danger to himself as long as the message reached its destination. To my deep regret he was posted missing on May 3rd while performing the same duty. ....’ (Extract from the Southend and District Roll of Honour 1914-1921 and The Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser).

Sold with copied research, including war diary extracts, gazette and newspaper extracts and m.i.c.