A Great War M.M. and Bar group of four awarded to Sergeant E. E. Quaife, the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (G-11086 Sjt. E. E. Quaife, 11/The Queen’s R); British War and Victory Medals (G-11086 Sjt. E. E. Quaife, The Queen’s R.); Defence Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, very fine and better (4)
£600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Kieran Collection.

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M.M. London Gazette 28 September 1917.

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 23 July 1919.

Quaife is credited by Captain E. W. J. Neave, M.C., as having sacrificed ‘many leisure hours’ in assisting him compile his history of the 11th Battalion, The Queen’s in the Great War, which source confirms that his first M.M. was among those decorations won for the heavy fighting at Messines in the period 31 July to 2 August 1917, and his Bar for the crossing of the River Lys and the advance to Courtrai in September-October of the following year - during the river crossing the enemy centred his fire on the Surrey’s boats. He subsequently distinguished himself in the crossing of the River Scheldt, this time in a canvas boat supplied by the Royal Engineers, from which he ran out a signal wire to maintain communications with H.Q. - an earlier full-scale crossing had failed in the face of heavy machine-gun fire. The 11/Queen’s were next ordered to the Italian front, where they faced the Austrians, but with the advent of the German offensive in March 1918, were recalled to France, where they lent gallant service in the defence of Bapaume and later still at Arras - Quaife being credited with raising the alarm when the enemy made attempts to encircle his regimental H.Q.

Post-war, Quaiffe was instrumental in the forming of the 11th’s Old Veterans Association.