Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Corporal Frederick Gale, Berkshire Yeomanry, who was killed in action in Palestine during the advance on Jerusalem in November 1917

1914-15 Star (1876. L-Cpl. F. Gale. Berks. Yeo); British War and Victory Medals (1876 Cpl. F. Gale. Berks. Yeo.) extremely fine (3) £200-£260

Frederick Gale was born at Chieveley, Berkshire, and enlisted at Newbury. He first entered the war in the Egyptian theatre on 21 April 1915, and was killed in action in Palestine on 20 November 1917, during the final advance on Jerusalem which had commenced the day before. He is commemorated by name on the Jerusalem Memorial.

At first, the Berkshire Yeomanry remained on Home Defence duties and training, but in April 1915 the Division, complete with horses, was sent to Egypt. Duties were largely to escort prisoners and guard government buildings. It was extremely hot and infested with mosquitoes and they longed for “a few English cold days”. Though they trained as mounted troops, the decision was made August 1915 that they would fight dismounted. The Regiment sailed from Alexandria on 14 August and, after trans-shipment at Mudros, landed at Suvla on 18 August. The Regiment’s first contact with the Turks at Gallipoli was a bloody affair. Over 50% of the Yeomanry were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. For the remaining three months of the Gallipoli campaign, the Regiment remained in defence, plagued by heat, disease, lack of shade and water and the continuous shell and rifle fire of the Turks. On 1 November 1915, the Second Mounted Division finally embarked for Mudros and Egypt.

In Egypt, a combined force, including the Berkshire Yeomanry, was formed in December 1915, to counter attacks from the Senussi on British troops and the Suez Canal. After further reorganisation, many yeomanry swapped horses for camels. The Yeomanry joined the advance on Jerusalem and the battles of Gaza through 1916 and 1917. In December 1917, General Sir Edmund Allenby reported of the Yeomanry Mounted Division, “They have done splendid work, in the pursuit and in the mountains fighting.”