Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Colour Sergeant W. A. Chamberlain, 13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise’s Kensington Battalion), London Regiment, late 4th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps, who was commissioned Temporary Captain in the Scottish Rifles in 1916

1914 Star, with clasp (29 C. Sjt. W. A. Chamberlain. 1/13 Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (29 A/W.O. Cl. II. W. A. Chamberlain. 13-Lond. R.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (29 C. Sjt. W. A. Chamberlain. 13 Lond: Regt.) nearly extremely fine (4) £360-£440

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The David Laban Collection of Great War Awards.

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William Angel Chamberlain was born at Hammersmith in 1880. He attested for service in 13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise’s Kensington Battalion), London Regiment at Kensington on 2 April 1908, at the age of 27, declaring prior service with the 4th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps, and served with the Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 3 November 1914. He was wounded in action by gun shot to the left leg in May 1915 and was evacuated to England, his home address being at Elgin Crescent, North Kensington. He was discharged in 1916 ‘on termination of his period of engagement’.

Chamberlain was subsequently commissioned Captain in the 20th Battalion, Scottish Rifles, on 15 December 1916, for home service, and was appointed to the 16th Scottish Rifles (Transport Workers Battalion) to be a Courts Martial Officer on 29 August 1919. He relinquished his commission on 6 January 1920, and died at Battersea in October 1952.

Sold with a 4th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps bronze fob medal in gilt embossed fitted case, dated 1905; two additional named and hallmarked silver prize fob medals, one dated 1895-6 and another dated 1901-1902; two named sterling silver hallmarked crested shield badges, one for ‘Territorial Course No. 29’, the other for ‘Regular Soldiers Course 1913’; also with a cased un-attributed gilt metal and enamel pin back ‘Stewards Badge’ with pendant ribbon; St. John Ambulance, attendance at training fob, named to reverse ‘A. 58451 W. A. Chamberlain’; and an almost empty Princess Mary 1914 Christmas Tin, with Christmas Card and ‘Best Wishes’ card.