Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Gunner E. W. White, Royal Artillery, who was killed in action in H.M.S. Diamond off Greece in April 1941

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with the original Army Council enclosure named to ‘Gnr. E. H. White’, extremely fine (3) £60-£80

Provenance: Eric Smith Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, November 2009.

Edward Herbert White born in Lewisham, lived in Harlow, and enlisted in 1938 into the Royal Artillery with number 1565622. He served with 16th Battery, 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, during the Second World War in Greece, and was killed in action on 26 April 1941, whilst being evacuated from Greece by the destroyer H.M.S. Diamond - in company with her consort the Wryneck, she was sunk by enemy dive bombers with heavy loss of life, just 50 survivors being picked up from both ships out of 950 sailors and soldiers. White was amongst those killed, and is commemorated on the Athens Memorial, Greece.