Auction Catalogue

19 September 2003

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 1094

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19 September 2003

Hammer Price:
£220

Four: Warrant Officer Class 2 A. Quayle, Durham Light Infantry

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (4642 Serjt., Durham L.I.); 1914-15 Star (11066 C.S. Mjr., Durh. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (3-11066 W.O.Cl.2, Durh. L.I.) generally very fine (4) £80-100

Andrew Quayle enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry in August 1892 and joined the 2nd Battalion at Mhow in January 1894.

He is mentioned in
The Bugle of 17 March 1898: ‘A Brave Act. Sir, On Friday last Ptes. Finlay, G. Coy., Halstead, C. Coy., Pte. Stokes, R.I.R. and myself (Quayle) went for a days fishing down to the right of the canal in an old quarry. Just as the sun was going down, Pte. Finlay went in for a swim and instead of keeping clear of the weeds as he was told to do, he tried to get through them and got caught in them. He threw up his hand to call us and we ran to his rescue and Pte. Stokes and myself were about to go in for him but at that moment Pte. Stokes laid in the water with Pte. Halstead holding him and just managed to grip Pte. Finlay by the head and pull him out and with rubbing him, managed to get him round all right again. It was a very thoughtful idea on Pte. Stokes’ part, of lying in the water, or otherwise it might have meant the loss of more than one life, as the weeds were very thick and dangerous: this is a true account. Your obedient servant, A. Quayle, L/C, 2nd D.L.I.’ Private W. Stokes, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was later awarded an inscribed watch by the Officer Commanding the 2nd D.L.I. for his brave actions.

Quayle was one of four Sergeants selected from the 2nd Battalion to join the 1st battalion in South Africa in February 1902. When the Great War began, Quayle was a Reservist with the 3rd Battalion. As a C.S.M. he entered the French theatre of war on 20 July 1915; a date which suggests he was then serving with the 11th Battalion D.L.I.