A Collection of Medals for the Gallipoli Campaign

Three: Private F. A. Foxell, 1st City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders), who served at Gallipoli from August 1915

1914-15 Star (2792 Pte. F. A. Foxell. C. of Lond. Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals (2792 Pte. F. A. Foxell. C. of Lond. Yeo.) good very fine (3) £80-£100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Gallipoli Campaign.

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Frank Allen Foxell was born in Hemel Hempstead on 5 November 1891 and worked as a paper overhauler. Recorded as a nonconformist (congregational) upon his Army Service Record, he enlisted in the 1st City of London Yeomanry on 9 November 1914 and embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria on 14 August 1915. The regiment landed on the peninsula on the morning of 18 August and went into reserve positions at Karakol Dagh. It moved to “C” Beach, Lala Baba, on 20 August, and over the following days climbed Chocolate Hill under heavy Turkish fire and took part in the attack on Hill 112, more commonly known as The Battle of Scimitar Hill. Advancing in squadron columns, the Yeomanry brigades suffered heavy casualties, the 1/1st City of London Yeomanry succeeding in occupying the trenches at Green Hill but finding them ‘chock full of dead and dying’ from an earlier attack by 86th Brigade.

Admitted to hospital in Mudros on 18 November 1915, Foxell recovered and later served in the Brigade Signalling Troop at Suez. Sent to Salonica, he suffered a severe fracture to the tibia in May 1917 which effectively ended his active service. Transferred to the Labour Corps, his health was classified ‘B2’ in the early spring of 1918 and he was struck off the strength of 3rd Echelon upon being transferred to England in April 1918 for transfer to the Royal Engineers Army Signal Service. His Great War campaign concluded at “B” Signal Depot (Royal Engineers) at Bedford. He died in 1980.

Sold with copied Army Service Record and research, with further information provided by the family when first sold around 2007: ‘In 1929 he had a horrendous motorbike accident and was treated at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington... It is believed that he was one of the first persons treated with penicillin by Dr. Alexander Fleming... Played football for Luton.’