Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Private G. W. Milton, 1st Royal Dragoons, severely wounded at Loos, 26 September 1915

1914 Star (1610 Pte G. W. Milton. 1/Dns.); British War and Victory Medals (1610 Pte G. W. Milton. 1-Dns.); Imperial Service Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (George William Milton) mounted as worn, minor contact marks, very fine (4) £160-200

George William Milton was born in Islington, London, in 1889, and attested for the 1st Royal Dragoons at Stratford, Essex, in February 1908. After basic training with 2nd Dragoons at Tidworth, he joined his regiment in India in February 1909, and was awarded his first good conduct badge in February 1910. He was admitted to hospital on 17 November 1910, with temporary contusion of the abdomen, after his horse had reared and fallen back on top of him. He recovered and accompanied his regiment to South Africa in November 1911, passed a course of instruction as a Machine Gunner (1st Class) in March 1913, and passed the 2nd Class Certificate of Education in April 1914. The regiment was ordered home at the beginning of the First World War, and after refitting at Windmill Camp, Ludgarshall, Wiltshire, joined the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front on 7 October 1914 as part of the newly formed 6th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, disembarking at Zeebrugge on 8 October 1914.

Milton was employed in the Machine Gun Squadron and on 26 September 1915 was severely wounded by shrapnel in the right femur and was admitted to 24th General Hospital. He was invalided home three days later and admitted to Cornwall Hall Hospital in Sevenoaks, Kent, on 30 September 1915. Following Milton's recovery from wounds, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps Cavalry, and prior to embarkation for France, was awarded 10 days’ confinement to barracks for breaking out of camp and remaining absent for 3 days. He finally embarked for France on 2 February 1917 and was posted to the 10th Squadron Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry).

Milton returned to England in early 1918 and married Louise Mary Wilson at St Jude's Church, Southwark on 21 February 1918. He was posted to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) Base Depot at Camiers on 17 March 1918, where he remained until admitted to 73rd General Hospital, Trouville, on 5th June 1918. He returned to his unit on 17 July 1918 and was posted to No. 11, Anti-Aircraft Company, 44th Garrison Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on 21 September, 1918. Two months later, on 5 November 1918, he transferred to 146th Company, Labour Corps, until transferring to 113th Company on 28 December 1918. Milton returned home on 19 March 1919 and was transferred to Section 'B' Army Reserve on 16 April 1919. He went on to work as a postman in London and on retirement from the G.P.O. in 1949, he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal. He died in Islington in 1957.