Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private W. Hammond, Suffolk Regiment

1914-15 Star (949 L. Cpl., Suff. R.); British War and Victory Medals (949 Pte., Suff. R.) very fine (3) £60-80

William Hammond was born in Beccles, Suffolk. A Moulder by occupation, he attested for the 5th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (T.A.) in 1909, aged 17 years. The 5th Battalion along with the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment and 4th and 5th Battalions Norfolk Regiment formed the Norfolk and Suffolk Infantry Brigade - part of the 54th (East Anglian) Division. The 5th Battalion (as part of the Division) embarked at Liverpool in July 1915 and landed in Gallipoli on 10 August. The battalion would go into action on 12 August (5th Norfolk’s on the right, 1/8th Hampshire’s in the centre and 5th Suffolk’s on the left) - a day which would go down famously with the ‘disappearance’ of the Sandringham Company of the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. The 5th Suffolk’s also took heavy casualties that day and Private Hammond was wounded with a gunshot to the left leg. He was invalided to Malta and thence to England. With copied service papers, m.i.c. and other research.