Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The 1914 Star awarded to Acting Staff Sergeant D. Smale, Army Service Corps, who died at sea from the effects of the Gallipoli campaign

1914 Star (S-15818 Pte. D. Smale. A.S.C.) very fine £70-£90

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Recipients of the 1914 Star.

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Dan Smale was born at Sidmouth, Devon on 6 December 1882. A butcher by occupation, he enlisted in the Army Service Corps at Aldershot in April 1900 and served with them on St. Helena during the Boer War from 3 May 1902 until 16 July 1902 (entitled to a no clasp Queen’s South Africa Medal). He next served overseas during the Great War on the Western Front from 10 August 1914 and afterwards served at Gallipoli from 23 February 1915 with the 50th Field Butchery, A.S.C., progressing to the rank of Acting Staff Sergeant in May 1915.

Smale was hospitalised at Cape Helles on 22 July 1915 and evacuated from Gallipoli to Alexandria where, on 15 September, suffering from acute dysentery, he was invalided on to the Hospital Ship ‘Egypt’. He died on board the Egypt on 19 September 1915 and was buried at sea, being commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey.