Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

1914-15 Star (2) (18650 Pte. E. H. Best, K.O. Sco. Bord.; R/1131 Sjt. T. Mc Cormack K.R. Rif. C.); British War Medal 1914-20 (3) (9469 Pte. F. H. Masham. H.A.C. -Inf.-; 2789 Pte. E. F. Ball. 3-Lond. R.;1248 Pte. F. E. Jarman. 22-Lond. R.) good very fine (5) £100-140

Edgar Harold Best was born in Plymouth, Devon, on 19 December 1896 and attested for the King’s Own Scottish Borderers on 12 April 1915. He served with the 6th Battalion during the Great War in Gallipoli from 3 August 1915, before going to France on 10 March 1916. He was wounded in the right arm on 20 July 1916, when the battalion was in the front line in Clarges Street and Pall Mall trenches, Somme, and returned to England on 4 August of that year. On 4 June 1917 he joined the Officer Training Unit at Newton Ferrers, Devon, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 11 October 1917. He served with the 2nd Battalion on the Western Front, and died of wounds on 18 September 1918. He is buried in Berthacourt Communal Cemetery, Pontru, France.

Thomas McCormack was born in Manchester on 9 November 1894, and attested for the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 3 September 1914. Promoted Corporal on 26 September 19194, and Sergeant on 16 January 1915, he served with the 9th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 21 May 1915, and trained as a Machine Gunner. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 26 March 1916, he subsequently transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. He was killed in action at the Battle of Flers on 15 September 1916. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Frederick Henry Masham served with the 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 February 1917, and was killed in action on 1 April 1917. He is buried in the Honourable Artillery Company Cemetery, Ecoust-St. Mein, France.

Ernest Frederick Ball served with the 2/3rd Battalion, London Regiment during the Great War in Gallipoli from 15 September 1915. Posted to France on 17 April 1916, he served with the 56th London Division and was killed in action on the Somme on 18 July 1916. He is buried in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France.

Frank Edward Jarman, a native of Bermondsey, London, attested for the London Regiment and served with the 22nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 15 March 1915. He was killed in action on 22 May 1915. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, France.