Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sapper F. H. Pelham, Royal Engineers
1914-15 Star (540295 Spr., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (540295 Spr., R.E.)

1914/15 Star/Victory Medal pairs (2) (13217 Gnr. J. Huntley, R.G.A./R.A.; 34242 S. Sth./Cpl. J. W. Howstan, R.F.A./R.A.) nearly very fine and better (7) £90-120

Frank Pelham was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in January 1896 and lived at 14, Norman Street. He was working as a Butcher in Victoria Buildings, Goods Station Road when he joined the 1/3rd Field Company RE in Southborough on 29 October 1913. On 19 October 1915 he sailed for Gallipoli as part of the 495th Field Company and was attached to the Yeomanry 2nd Mounted Division which fought at Suvla Bay and Scimitar Hill. He was evacuated back on 8 February 1916 but then returned to the Middle East on 31 May 1916 where he served until 4 June 1919. On the 17 August while serving in Aldershot he transferred to the Corps of Military Police and returned to Mesopotamia and then Egypt. He returned to the UK on 19 March 1926 and was discharged as a Lance Corporal on 16 August 1926. In 1924 while serving in the Basra District of Iraq, the Assistant Provost Marshall wrote that he was clean, reliable and intelligent and is employed looking after the Provost Detachment Cart and would be suitable for a similar appointment as a “Van Man”. Apart from an attack of jaundice, which was a common affliction in Egypt, his main physical problem was ‘Teeth broken by eating army biscuits’. Subsequently awarded the General Service Medal with clasps for Iraq and N.W. Persia. Frank Pelham died in Tonbridge, Kent in 1964 aged 88 years.

Shoeing Smith Joseph W. C. Howstan sailed for Gallipoli on 1 April 1915. Attaining the rank of Corporal he was demobilised on 10 March 1919. He then re-enlisted as a Driver in the R.A. on 26 August 1919. Gunner John Huntley entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 1 February 1915.