Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private E. A. Balchin, Royal Marine Light Infantry

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (E. A. Balchin, Pte., H.M.S. Beagle); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (PO. 8871 E. A. Balchin, Pte., R.M.L.I.), generally very fine (2) £250-300

Ernest Alfred Balchin was born at Milford, near Guildford, in August 1879 and enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in January 1897. Posted as a Private to the Portsmouth Division, he joined H.M.S. Beagle in May 1901, and it was in this capacity that he actually gained entitlement to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for ‘Cape Colony’ and ‘South Africa 1901’, for he was among a small part of Marines landed with a Maxim for the defence of Mossel Bay in September-October 1901 - thereby qualifying for one of just 17 Medals & 2 clasps to his ship.

His subsequent appointments included time aboard the royal yacht Victoria & Albert in the period November 1904 to January 1906, and he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in October 1912. Sadly, however, as verified by his service record, he was lost while serving in the cruiser Royal Arthur in March 1913; sold with copied medal roll verification and service record.