A "Battle of The Aisne"
MILITARY MEDAL & 1914-15 Trio.

To:
Pte E.J. KIMPTON. 1st ESSEX Regt.
Deserted Twice.
With full service & medical papers.
Lucky not to have been shot.


MILITARY MEDAL ( London Gazette 21st October 1918)
Probably awarded for bravery in action during 3rd Battle of Aisne at Chemin Des Dames Ridge in May 1918 (or) at Soissons on 18th July during the allied counter attack on the German lines.

[BIOGRAPHY]
Edwin John Kimpton was born in Leyton Essex in 1890, Having previously worked as a barman, he attested for the Essex Regt at Stratford on 29th October 1914. He initially served with 9th Essex Regt and went to France with the 9th on 30th May 1915. His records are somewhat contradictory, but it's clear that he was suffering from what we now call tachycardia and had been hospitalised with the condition in the UK.

He is then seen deserting from the hospital in January 1917 with a return to duty on 22nd February , followed by another desertion on 1st March until finally returning to duty on 3rd April 1917.

He was tried by general court marshal under a charge of "Absence" and sentenced to 112 days imprisonment which was suspended to a later date. It's stated in his medical records that he wasn't fit to return to active service overseas, but despite this he is seen returning to France on 28th June 1917. It was during this second period of service in France that he was transferred to 1st Bn Essex Regt with whom he won his MM. ( Medal to 1/ Essex) Clearly and in line with the normally seen practice during the war, these suspended sentences were written off and never implemented in the case of soldiers who subsequently gained a gallantry medal. He was very lucky to have gone AWOL in the UK as had this occurred in France on active service he would most certainly have been shot at dawn for desertion.






An excellent & interesting medal to a colourful character who served with a greatly collected unit.
Medals are GVF / EF on original ribbon and are particularly visually attractive with original time developed old deep metal tones.

With a full set of papers. An excellent group.

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