Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Major G. H. Earle, 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, later Hampshire Regiment and Welsh Regiment

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein (Lieut., 6/Drgns.); 1914-15 Star (Major, Hamps. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Major) some edge bruising to first, otherwise very fine or better (4) £240-280

Major George Hughes Earle was born at Hampstead on 30 November 1877. He was commissioned, from the Militia, as a Second Lieutenant into the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons on 19 January 1899; Lieutenant, 20 February 1900; Captain 22 January 1903. He was appointed Adjutant, King Edward's Horse 23 December 1904 and retired 22 January 1910. During the South African War he served with ‘A’ Squadron, at the Relief of Kimberley; operations in the Orange Free State, February – May 1900 including the actions at Paardeberg (17–26 February); actions at Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Karee Siding, Vet River (5 and 6 May) and Zand River; operations in Cape Colony south of the Orange River including operations at Colesburg (1 January – 12 February).

Earle was recalled in 1914, accompanying the 3rd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment to France on 19 February 1915; second-in-command of the 11th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment from 27 November 1915. On 12 February 1916 he was attached to the 19th (Pioneer) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment joining for duty as the second-in-command, and was with the battalion when it was involved in the heavy fighting at Mametz Wood, on the Somme during the 9th, 10th and 11th July of that year. He was invalided to hospital, on 23 November 1916, and ended the War as assistant to Colonel-in-Charge of Records, Hounslow, a post which he held from 12 March 1917 to the end of 1919. Sold with a quantity of copied research detail.