Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Sergeant F. W. Sims, 5th Battalion, The Buffs, killed in action in May 1940
India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (6282531 Pte., The Buffs); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (6282531 Pte., The Buffs); 1939-45 Star; War Medal, extremely fine (4) £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brett Collection of Medals to The Buffs.

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Frank William Sims, of Folkestone, Kent, was killed in action on 21 May 1940. The 5th Buffs were virtually wiped out in the ferocious fighting of the 20th/21st May, 1940. Rushed up from the south to cover the approach to Doullens, they had to contend with the main Panzer onrush, which burst upon them around noon on the 20th. They had no guns in support, the platoon .55-inch rifle being the only anti-tank weapon available. With this, Private Dexter knocked out two of the first tanks and drove the third away. But it was two battalions against an armoured division, and from the German war diary we learn that the Buffs ‘fought tenaciously...In spite of the use of numerous tanks it was only possible to break down their resistance after about two and a half hours.’ Sergeant Frank Sims is recorded by name on the Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France.