Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant J. B. Badcoe, Welsh Regiment, late Welsh Horse

1914-15 Star (448 Pte., Welsh H.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.), attempted erasure of ‘2’ on Victory Medal, good very fine (3) £160-200

John Badcoe was born in Alexandra Park, Manchester and educated at Exeter Training College. A manufacturer’s agent by occupation, he attested for the Welsh Horse on 1 September 1914, aged 27 years, 9 months and entered the Balkan theatre of war at Mudros in transit to Gallipoli on 8 October 1915. Appointed Lance-Corporal on 24 March 1916, he was reduced to the ranks in September for drunkenness and neglect of duty. He was transferred to the 25th (Montgomeryshire and Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers in December 1916. Reappointed Lance-Corporal in October 1917, he was discharged to a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Regiment on 17 March 1918. In July/August 1918 he was a patient at Grove Military Hospital, Tooting, London, suffering from syphilis. He also appears to have been suffering from a lack of funds - amongst his papers is a letter from solicitors dated 12 September 1918, requesting his whereabouts with regard to a dishonoured cheque. Lack of funds notwithstanding, he attained the rank of Lieutenant on 17 September 1919. He relinquished his commission on completion of service, retaining the rank of Lieutenant, on 12 October 1919. Further problems of a pecuniary nature occurred postwar. On 4 October 1934, at the Law Courts, Cardiff, he was convicted of seven charges of larceny of furniture, for which he was bound over in his own recognizance’s in the sum of £10 to be of good behavior for two years. Badcoe’s explanation of the events to the Army Council were sufficient to enable him to retain his rank as Lieutenant. Sold with 16 copied sheets of service papers and correspondence and copied m.i.c.