Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private W. H. Newth, Hampshire Regiment, late Dorsetshire Regiment

British War and Victory Medals (20808 Pte., Dorset R.), good very fine and better (2) £60-80

Herbert William Newth was born in 1899 and enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment in September 1917. He went to France in the following year and at some stage transferred to the Hampshire Regiment, possibly during his time with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine: an account of his time on the Western Front survives from an interview he gave in 1977 - relevant cassette recording included.

Also sold with a quantity of original documentation, including photographs of the recipient in uniform, and of several of his comrades, together with a postcard sent by him while training in the U.K. and several others which were brought home on his return from duty with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine, in addition to a 100,000 Mark banknote, the centre of a German infantryman’s belt affixed to a “shell-case” match box holder, and his certificate of transfer to the Army Reserve, dated 23 November 1919; interestingly, he also brought home a dozen or so German picture postcards dating from 1915-17, several of which were sent to a “Musketeer Carl Hohn” of the 143rd Infantry Regiment - these, too, are included.