Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part II)

A Great War M.C. group of nine to Captain S. T. Pink, South Wales Borderers, late Royal Engineers

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; 1914-15 Star (48555 L. Cpl., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1953, mounted as worn, contact marks, nearly very fine (20) £1000-1200

M.C. London Gazette 25 August 1917. ‘T./2nd Lt., S. Wales Bord’. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst in charge of divisional trench tramways. The lines required frequent repairs owing to the constant shell fire. This he rapidly and effectively carried out, and ensured the successful running of the tramways without any serious interruption, thus keeping the needs of the advancing troops well supplied’.

An extract from The History of the South Wales Borderers 1914-1918, by Atkinson, relating to Messines, 7 June 1917, reads, ‘B and C (Companies) meanwhile were busily employed in helping the guns forward, bridging trenches, clearing away obstructions, filling in shell holes and craters and laying down fascines. Two tracks were made, one on the left through the Bois Quarante to Evans Farm, the other through the Grand Bois towards Estaminet Crossroads. Good progress was made with both, Second Lieutenant Pink doing splendid service in pushing on the work.’ Footnote states: ‘He received the M.C...’

Stanley Thomas Pink was born in 1896 and enlisted at Redhill on 3 September 1914. With the Royal Engineers he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 18 July 1915. He attended the St. Omer Cadet School, August-November 1916 and on 7 November 1916 was appointed Temporary Second Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers. Promoted Lieutenant on 1 August 1917, he served in the 5th Battalion S.W.B. from November 1916 to March 1918, during which time he won the M.C. Accidentally wounded on 30 March 1918, he was invalided home until September, when he returned to the 5th Battalion S.W.B. in France. In his statement of service, the commanding officer of the 5th Battalion wrote of him, ‘Ability and professional knowledge good. Capable, energetic and full of confidence. A really good Platoon Commander with good power of organisation. A useful Pioneer Officer but with little experience of ordinary infantry work. With more experience would develop into an excellent Company Commander’. In 1937 he was appointed a Lieutenant in Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, serving with the 53rd (Welsh) Divisional Engineers, Royal Engineers. In the 1946 Army List his rank is given as Honorary Captain.

Sold with six School Attendance Medals (1904-09); Metropolitan Borough of St. Pancras Medal; Barnardo Helpers League pin-backed badge; ‘Comrades of the Great War’ lapel badge, enamelled; British Legion lapel badge, 9ct. gold and enamel, rev. inscribed, ‘S.T.P., From his Surrey Council colleagues, 1957’, in Birmingham Medal Co. case; British Legion National Conference pin-backed badge, enamelled and South Wales Borderers tie-pin, 15ct. gold and enamel, lacking pin. Also with discharge certificate (1916), statement of service; Buckingham Palace Investiture Pass and Lieutenants’ commission document (1937).