Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Major (Reverend) J. Wylie, Royal Artillery

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial, officially dated ‘1947’, these all engraved ‘Major (Reverand) J. Wylie, R.A. Ch. Dept.’, nearly extremely fine (4) £200-240

John Wylie was born in South Shields in 1903. As a mature student he entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge and gained a B.A. in History in 1934. Attending Lincoln Theological College in 1934, he became a Deacon in 1935, serving as a Curate at Houghton-le-Spring, Co. Durham, 1935-38. Gaining an M.A. in 1938, he was ordained a Priest the same year and became Rector of Hetton-le-Hole, Co. Durham, 1938-46.

As a Major in the Royal Artillery, T.A. Reserve of Officers, Wylie was mobilised in 1939, choosing to be an officer in the Royal Artillery rather than serve as a Chaplain. With his unit he was, at length, sent to Singapore and was part of the garrison obliged to surrender to the Japanese in February 1942. Initially housed in Changi Prison, he with many of his countrymen were sent up-country to work on the infamous Burma-Siam Railway. Acting as Padre to those around him, Wylie survived the horrors of captivity and eventually returned to England.

Because of ill-health, he left his living in Durham and took up a Curacy at Brading with Yaverland on the Isle of Wight, 1946-47. He then became Vicar of St. Chad’s Far Headingley, Leeds, 1947-60 and then Vicar of Easby, Richmond, North Yorkshire, 1960-66. Retiring to Ruthin, Denbighshire, he died on 6 November 1974. Sold with a bound volume of his life’s work, together with research on the recipient, entitled, ‘John Wylie, Priest’. Also with four copied photographs of the recipient.