. A Lovely Early 1914 Star & Bar (Wounded) Trio. To: 3-861. Pte.HERBERT FEW. 1st Bn WILTSHIRE REGT.A Drummer Boy from DEVIZES who first joined in 1893 aged just 14 !!! Rejoined again for World War 1,Wounded by Gun Shot Wound to Thigh. December 1914 aged 36.
An interesting Wiltshire lad from Devizes who spent two periods of his life in the Wiltshire Regiment. First seen joining up on 27th February 1893 at the tender age of 14 , he became a Drummer on 11th April 1896 age 17. Received 10 days in prison on 5th October 1898 for misconduct. Originally discharged 14th March 1905. ....then signed back on for 'A' reserve Wilts Regt for another three years until 18th August 1909.He clearly liked the army life and is seen signing on yet again on 3rd September 1914. At question 11 on his Great War attestation papers he actually told a 'fib' by saying he'd not served in the army before ...this was a serious offence and the form is highlighted by two crosses at this question so presumably they found him out !! He went to France on 26th October 1914 and served there until wounded in December 1914 ( GUN SHOT WOUND TO RIGHT THIGH ) when he is seen returning home where he remains for about 11months until 21st November 1915 when he leaves home again with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force with which he remains overseas until 24th January 1919 with a final end date of 23rd March 1919 when presumably he was finally discharged. His next of kin is described as. " W.H. TEW c/o Mrs Blake, Rose Cottage, Charets Lane, Shrewton, Middlesex" .
He was married to Charlotte Holmes at the registry office in Merthyr-Tydfil Wales on 27th October 1910. COMES COMPLETE WITH TWO FULL SETS OF SERVICE PAPERS (1893-1919 ) VERY UNUSUAL. Also copy MIC . MEDALS PRACTICALLY MINT CONDITION & ON ORIGINAL RIBBON WITH GENUINE 1914 CLASP.
An attractive lot with an unusually full history and documentation.(SOLD)