Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. A. Davenport, 16th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force
1914-15 Star (253 Pte. J. A. Davenport. 16/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (253 Pte. J. A. Davenport. 16/Bn. A.I.F.); together with the recipient’s aluminium identity tag; two cap badges; a Returned from Active Service lapel badge, the reverse officially numbered ‘123183’; and the recipient’s Returned Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Nurses’ Association of Western Australia lapel badge, gilt and enamel, the reverse numbered ‘39726’, with corresponding membership card, good very fine

Pair: Private S. W. Pentlow, 11th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 15 April 1917
British War and Victory Medals (6314 Pte. S. W. Pentlow. 11 Bn. A.I.F.) nearly extremely fine (5) £120-£160

J. Allan Davenport, originally from Liverpool, served with the 16th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force during the Great War. The following article appeared in the Liverpool Daily Echo in 1915:
‘Bugler J. Allen Davenport, formerly of the Liverpool Scottish, and now with the Second Contingent Australian Force writes:
“I left Egypt months ago for the ‘do’ and have been wallowing in slaughter ever since. Oh, the sights I have seen and taken part in! It is marvellous how I escaped death. I have been fighting in the worst trench on the battlefield, and been in three bayonet charges. I volunteered to throw bombs, and threw a lot until I saw a fellow hold one in his hand a minute too long, and had his arm and hand blown off, so I thought discretion that better part of valour and gave it up.
One night an order came to charge the Turks’ trench, which was only 15 yards from ours, and the space between was filled with hundreds of our gallant Australians and Turks- mostly Turks. Anyway we charged and took the trench- they don’t like the bayonet- and held it till dawn. In the meantime the Turks had, under cover of darkness, got a couple of machine guns on each end of the trench, and when it grew light they opened fire. Those who survived came through a communication trench, dug overnight.
Another charge I was in was to take a hill where the Turks were entrenched. This hill is very steep. The 16th Battalion were ordered to take it. We had to creep up a narrow gully until we reached the hill. The slaughter that followed! I was one of the lucky ones. I was in the thick of the charge and yet I came out without a scratch, yet men were shot down all round me.”’

Davenport survived the War, and emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.

Stanley William Pentlow served with the 11th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force during the Great War, and was killed in action on the Western Front on 15 April 1917. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Somme, France.