Three: Air Mechanic 2nd Class D. Ponting, Royal Flying Corps, who died on the forced march from Kut-el-Amara to Anatolia between April 1916 and March 1917

1914-15 Star (7350 2-A.M. D. Ponting, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (7350 Pte. D. Ponting, R.F.C.), good very fine (3) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force.

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Daniel Ponting, a native of New Eltham in Kent, enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps in July 1915, aged 29 years. Posted to No. 30 Squadron in Mesopotamia in November 1915, he was among 44 R.F.C. personnel taken prisoner by the Turks after General Townshend’s surrender, and ‘died on the march from Kut-el-Amala between 29 April 1916 and 12 March 1917’ (his service record and death certificate refer). Such were the appalling conditions endured on this forced 700-mile march to Anatolia, and indeed thereafter in captivity, that over 4,000 men from the original Kut garrison died, including all but four of the R.F.C. men; sold with copied research, including an account of No. 30 Squadron’s work in Mesopotamia.