Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Company Quarter Master Sergeant Albert Hemblys, Duke of Wellington's Regiment

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901 (5745 Pte., W. Rid. R.); 1914 STAR (5745 Sjt., W. Rid. R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (Sjt.); INDIA GENERAL SERVICE 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (5745 C.Q.M.S., 1/Duke of Wellington's Regt.)

Four: Colour Sergeant Albert John Hemblys, Duke of Wellington's Regiment, killed in action in North Africa 1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR; WAR MEDAL; REGULAR ARMY L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (4604625 C. Sjt., D.W.R.) together with a privately printed Memorial Scroll Generally very fine or better (9)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment from the Collection of Mr Donald Hall.

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The Hemblys family had a remarkable record of service with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. The head of the family, C/Sjt. C.E. Hemblys, served in the 33rd, and six of his sons and four grandsons served in the regiment, their total service being 138 years.

Company Sergeant Major Albert Hemblys served in South Africa with the 3rd battalion and later with Kitchener's Scouts. In 1914 he proceeded to France with the Indian Expeditionary Force, serving with it until invalided in 1916. The following year he went back to the 1st Battalion in India and served with them in Afghanistan. He returned to England later that year to represent the regiment at the march past of British and Indian troops in London.

Company Sergeant Major Albert John Hemblys was son of C.S.M. A. Hemblys above, and joined the regiment in 1922, at Gibraltar, where his father was then serving. He was killed in action on 21 April 1943, whilst serving as a Company Sergeant Major with the 1st battalion in the Tunisian campaign, during the attack on Banana Ridge by the Hermann Goering Parachute Division. He was buried in Medjez-el-Bab Cemetery, Tunisia.