Four: Private R. Cartmell, Manchester Regiment, who was taken Prisoner of War at Dunkirk

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Burma 1930-32 (3524577 Pte. R. Cartmell. Manch.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (3524557 Pte. R. Cartmell. Manch.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, IGS a later issue with fixed suspension, one digit of service number double stamped on the first, the first two with minor edge nicks and contact marks, nearly very fine and better (4) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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Reginald Cartmell was born on 28 January 1910, at Lytham. He enlisted as a Private in the Manchester Regiment on 31 July 1930. He served with the 2nd Battalion of the Manchester Regiment in India and Burma, transferring to 1st Battalion in 1934. He served in Palestine during the Arab Revolt, his battalion arriving in Haifa on 15 January 1938. He returned to the 2nd Battalion in January 1938. On 2 September 1939 he embarked with his battalion in the S.S. Biarritz, landing at Cherbourg to join the B.E.F.; by 21 May 1940 the Germans had captured Boulogne and encircled Calais, and Private Cartmell failed to make it back to the beaches at Dunkirk. Taken prisoner, he was reported ‘missing’ prior to 16 June 1940, and was later confirmed as a Prisoner of War by 8 July 1940. He was imprisoned at Stalag XX-A, Torun, Poland. He was reported as being back in Allied hands by 5 May 1945, and continued in service until discharged to the Army Reserve on 19 February 1946. He died at Bolton on 29 March 1983.

Sold with a copy of an article in the Orders and Medals Research Society Journal, by Bob Barltrop (September 2017) which features this medal group.