Special Collections

Sold on 17 August 2021

1 part

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The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals

Barry Hobbs

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Lot

№ 4

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17 August 2021

Hammer Price:
£500

Three: Trooper W. Oliver, 2nd Life Guards

1914 Star, with clasp (2291 Tpr. W. Oliver. 2/Life Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (2291 Tpr. W. Oliver. 2-L. Gds.) mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £200-£300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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Collection

William Oliver was born in 1881 at Shorne, Kent and resided at Dartford, Kent. He attested for the 2nd Life Guards at Regents Park Barracks in October 1900 and served with the colours until October 1912. Following the outbreak of the Great War he was recalled from the Section D Reserve and, not being part of the Squadron provided for the Composite Regiment of Household Cavalry which entered France on 16 August 1914, he served with the Regiment itself, entering France on 8 October and forming part of the 7th Household Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division.

The 2nd Life Guards went on to be heavily involved at the First Battle of Ypres (October – November 1914) including at Langemarck, 21-24 October and in the Household Cavalry’s stand at Zandvoorde Ridge, 30 October; Second Ypres (April-May 1915); Loos (September-October 1915) and Arras (April 1917). On 10 March 1918, it was detached from the 3rd Cavalry Division, with which it had served from August 1914 and was formally dismounted and converted into the No 2 (2nd Life Guards) Battalion of the Guards Machine Gun Regiment on 10 March 1918. Trooper Oliver was transferred to the Home Establishment on 17 May 1918 and was Demobilized ‘Class Z’ on 9 January 1919.

Sold together with a silver presentation cigarette case (hallmarks for Birmingham 1908), engraved to the front with a 2nd Life Guards motif and on the reverse engraved, ‘Presented to Trooper W. Oliver, by his comrades, “C” Squadron, 2nd Life Guards. July 1909.’; a rolled gold pendant with portrait photographs of the recipient and an infant in naval costume in lunettes to obverse and reverse respectively, 30mm diameter; and an illuminated foolscap card certificate, creased, with central photograph of the recipient in the ceremonial uniform of the Life Guards and with the words, ‘This is to certify that No. 2291, Rank: Trooper. Name: W. Oliver, has served with the Second Life Guards during the Great European War, 1914-1919.’