An Historic GALLIPOLI (Suvla Bay Landing, 10th August 1915)
2/4th Royal West Kent Regiment (Territorial Force) A Seriously Wounded Casualty. 1914-15 Trio with a rare Edward VII T.F.E.M.
[THE MEDALS]
1914-15 Star Trio: TF/446. Pte T.R. HUMPHREY. R.W.KENT.
T.F.E.M. (Edward VII) 446 Pte T.R. HUMPHREY. 4. R.W.KENT.
[THOMAS R. HUMPHREY] c,1881-
Private T.R. Humphrey clearly started his military service with 4th Royal West Kent Regiment as a young recruit, probably aged about 17 in He was presented with his T.F.E.M. (*Edward VII) “for 12 years service” on 1st October 1910. This gives him an approximate birth date of circa 1881.
(*Interestingly, Edward VII died on 6th May 1910 and as George V wasn’t crowned until 22nd June 1911, medals bearing Edward’s head were clearly still being issued in late 1910-early 1911.)
After his initial 12 year engagement and then by 1910-1912 being an army reservist, he was called up in 1914-15 at the age of about 33.
His WW1 operational career started when he was shipped out to Theatre 2B (Balkans) “GALLIPOLI” on 1st August 1915.
It’s always fascinating to see how much research can be deduced and gleaned just from the Medal Index Card. Although his service papers haven’t survived it’s quite clear by looking at the relevant dates on his MIC and by making the obvious observations from his immediate circumstances, we can see what happened to him. Clearly upon coming ashore at Gallipoli, his fighting career probably only lasted a very few minutes, as like so many men involved in this famous action he was clearly badly wounded by the Turkish gun fire during the allied landings at Suvla Bay, on 10th August 1915.
Like many thousands more of our wounded he would first have been hospitalised locally at either Mudros or Lemnos, and later when space permitted transferred to a hospital ship and evacuated to the main field hospital in Egypt. Later and in his case with a final return to the U.K. for further hospitalisation, treatment and assessment.
After a final medical evaluation in the U.K. in late 1915 he was clearly assessed as being unfit for further military service & is seen being officially discharged on 2nd December 1915, which was only 16 weeks from the date of his departure from Southampton to Gallipoli.
Thomas was issued with a Silver War Badge No. 65275.
An Excellent & Original Group, swing mounted on Full Length WW1 Ribbons. Clearly never or hardly ever worn, with all four medals being in pretty much 100% mint state with totally original & uncleaned surfaces which over time have developed a lovely & naturally multi-coloured patina.
An attractive and historically interesting group to a pre-war territorial soldier & later T.F. reservist who was seriously wounded in action during the famous Gallipoli landings at Suvla Bay.
A Very Seldom Seen Grouping.
£695