Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

An Order of St. John Lifesaving Medal group of five awarded to Private H. N. Parker, Royal Army Medical Corps

Order of St. John Lifesaving Medal, 2nd type, bronze (Presented to Pte. Henry Nathaniel Parker, 1918); 1914-15 Star (61235 Pte., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (61235 Pte., R.A.M.C.); St. John Service Medal, 4 clasps, silver (2922 Cpl. H. N. Parker (Wellingboro) H.Q. Div. No. 3 Dist. S.J.A.B. 1923) mounted for wear, fine and better (5) £360-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Donald G. Mellen Collection.

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Private Henry Nathaniel Parker, R.A.M.C., entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 22 July 1915. Transferred to Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 18 March 1919.

Private Parker was one of a number of men awarded the Order of St. John Lifesaving Medal in recognition of their gallantry, devotion to duty and saving life on the occasion of air raids on the St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital at Etaples. In a report by the Chapter-General it is recorded that a bombing raid was made on 19 May 1918 - doing some damage. ‘They paid a second visit to the Hospital on the night of 31st May and made a determined attack on the buildings, with bombs and machine guns, with the result that Sister Baines, “O” Ward, was hit on the head and killed instantaneously. Eleven patients and four orderlies were also killed and many were wounded. ....’ With copied m.i.c. and other research.