Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Eight: Police Constable W. F. Saville, Metropolitan Police, late Lancashire Fusiliers and Royal Fusiliers

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (5383 Pte., 2/Lan. Fus.), single initial ‘W.’; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (5382 Drmr., Lanc. Fus.), single initial ‘J.’; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5383 Dmr., Lan. Fus.), corrected rank and single initial ‘J.’; 1914-15 Star (SPTS-1304 Sjt., R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (SPTS-1304 Sjt., R. Fus.); Coronation 1911, Metropolitan Police issue (P.C.), single initial ‘W.’; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (5383 Pte., 2nd L.F.), single initial ‘W.’, together with a set of related dress miniatures, mounted as worn, contact marks, generally very fine (8) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Selection of Medals from the Collection of the Late Noel Morris.

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William Francis Saville, who was born at Oldham in March 1878, originally enlisted in the Royal Irish Fusiliers in January 1896 but quickly transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. Subsequently engaged in the Sudan operations, he was present at Omdurman, and during the Boer War he participated in the relief of Ladysmith operations when the Lancashire Fusiliers were present at Tugela Heights and in the action on Spion Kop, suffering heavy casualties.

On the termination of his service with the Colours in 1903, Saville joined the Metropolitan Police, and was posted to ‘A’ Division, which unit was charged with Royal and Diplomatic duties in Whitehall and at Buckingham Palace. He received the Coronation Medal in 1911.

On the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Saville enlisted in the Sportsmen’s Battalion of Royal Fusiliers and was quickly advanced to Sergeant. A leg wound received in 1918, however, caused his early discharge, and he was awarded the Silver War Badge in June of the same year - a photograph included in the accompanying archive includes a group of convalescent soldiers at St. Bart’s Hospital, Saville among them.

Returning to the Metropolitan Police, Saville was finally pensioned in 1928 and retired to the village of Horstead in Norfolk, where he played an active part in village life. He was also placed in command of the village’s Home Guard unit, attached 5th Royal Norfolk Regiment, in the Second World War, service that most probably added a Defence Medal to his other Honours and Awards. Saville, who died shortly before his 90th birthday in 1968, was one of the last survivors of Omdurman.

Sold with a superb photographic archive (approx. 35 images), which covers all aspects of the recipient’s life, from military to civil, including police service; together with a large quantity of original documentation, including parchment certificates of discharge from the Lancashire Fusiliers and Army Reserve; ‘Pass for Recruits’ dated December 1914; ‘Back to Dear Old Blighty’, 23rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers coloured dinner menu, the reverse signed by 20 or so comrades; Silver War Badge certificate of issue; employment card for ‘Soldiers Discharged Medically Unfit’; several Metropolitan Police documents, including certificate of discharge, dated April 1928; a silver plaque taken off a police retirement presentation piece; two I.D. cards from the 1940s/ 50s; and an E.II.R. coloured certificate to ‘W. Saville, Esq.’ in appreciation of ‘opening his door to strangers who were in need of shelter’ in 1939.