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

Family group:

Medals awarded to Second Lieutenant P. O. Knowles (Jr.), 1/18th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles), late Honourable Artillery Company, gassed at Cambrai, 21 March 1918

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); together with Royal Grammar School, Henley-on-Thames Prize medals (3), obverse with the cypher’ POK’, one silver, h/m. Birmingham 1905; two silver and gold, h/m. Birmingham 1904 & 1905; Reading Temperance League, reverse inscribed, ‘Runners up 1914’, h/m. Birmingham 1913; Masonic Million Fund Medal 1914-18, reverse inscribed, ‘Bro. P. O. Knowles’; Masonic Charity Jewel, glazed, silver-gilt with gold band inscribed, ‘Bro. P. O. Knowles served Stewardship R.M.B.I. 1921’, band with 9ct. h/m. for London 1922, with brooch bar; Royal Masonic Boys Institution 1923 Steward’s Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, h/m. Birmingham 1922; Association of Conservative Clubs Badge, reverse inscribed, ‘P. O. Knowles 1933’, with 2 ‘Five Years’ bars and ‘Distinguished Service’ brooch bar; Coronation 1937, E.VIII.R. (2), unofficial

Medals awarded to P. O. Knowles (Snr.)

Ancient Order of Druids Badge, 66mm., silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Awarded by Lodge 469 A.O.D. to Bro. P. O. Knowles for his Zeal & Energy, Sepr 29th to Decr 25th 1894’Ancient Order of Druids Badge, 90mm. dia., silver with glazed gilt centre, reverse inscribed, ‘Awarded by Lodge A.O.D. No. 469 to Bro. P. O. Knowles for having satisfactorily performed the duties of Noble Arch for the past 6 months from Sept. 29th 1894 to March 25th 1895’, h/m London 1893; Royal Horticultural Society Medal, 55mm., silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented by John Laing & Sons Forest Hill to [blank], in fitted case; Medal for Cultural Skill, presented by W. Wood & Son, 46mm., silver, unnamed, in fitted case, some slight edge bruising, good very fine and better (lot) £220-260

Philip Oswin Knowles (Junior) was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Employed as an Articled Clerk to Solicitors he attested for the Territorial Force at Finsbury on 11 July 1910, aged 20 years, 2 months and was appointed a Private in the Honourable Artillery Company. He was mobilized on 5 August 1914. Knowles was transferred to the 2/13th London Regiment in April 1916 and served in France, June-August 1916. Posted to the 3rd Officers’ Cadet Corps in August 1916. On 18 December 1916 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1/18th Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) and returned to France once more in February 1917. He suffered from gas poisoning at Cambrai, 21 March 1918 and was invalided home. As a result of his injury he was discharged in 1919. With copied service papers and m.i.c.