Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Warrant Officer Class 2 W. C. Bates, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (8321 Pte. W. C. Bates, Vol. Coy. R. Warwick Regt.); 1914-15 Star (113 Q.M. Sjt. W. C. Bates, R. War. R.); British War and Victory Medals (113 W.O. Cl. 2 W. C. Bates, R. War. R.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R. (8 C. Sjt. W. C. Bates, 8/R. Warwick Regt.); St. John Service Medal, with Bar (18557 Pte. W. C. Bates, Birmingham Dunlop Dvn., 1938); Corps of Commissionaires’ Long Service, silver and enamel, hallmarks for Birmingham 1938, the reverse officially engraved, ‘1939, W. Bates’, mounted court-style as worn, polished overall, thus good fine or better (7) £250-300

William Charles Bates was born in Handsworth, Birmingham and enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in February 1900, aged 22 years, direct from the 1st (Volunteer) Battalion. He subsequently witnessed active service in South Africa in the period May 1900 to April 1901 (Queen’s Medal & 4 clasps) and was awarded the T.F.E.M. in AO 304 of 1908, while serving as a Company Sergeant in the 8th Battalion. He went to France as a Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant in the same unit in March 1915 and was discharged in May 1917; sold with copied research and MIC entry, the latter confirming that his 1914-15 Star was returned for an amendment in 1920.