Orders, Decorations and Medals

British War Medal 1914-20 (2 Lieutenant R. H. Blackburn) nearly extremely fine £50-70

Reginald Herbert Blackburn was born on 13 October 1889 in Watford, Hertfordshire. He was the fourth son of Mr and Mrs Blackburn who lived at Woodlands, Preston, Brighton. He was educated at Radley College and Exeter College, Oxford where he matriculated in 1907. After obtaining his degree in 1910 he worked at Lloyds in the City of London. In June 1912 he married Hazel, daughter of Mr and Mrs Coglan and Granddaughter of General Sir W. M. Coglan KCB. He was commissioned into the 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment on 10 February 1915 and joined them in France on 1 January 1916.

For five months the 8th Battalion were heavily engaged in the defence of Ypres. The most ferocious fighting was in the week of 19 April when, after a heavy bombardment, the Germans attacked and drove the Battalion out of their trenches along the Yser Canal. The Battalion then counter attacked and retook the lost trenches. During this period the 8th Bedfordshire Battalion had 5 officers and 49 other ranks killed, and 3 officers and 95 other ranks wounded. In June the Battalion moved forward in preparation for the Somme offensive, but during this period ‘Lieutenant Reginald H. Blackburn was invalided home as the result of an accident’. After a period in hospital he was posted to 27th (Training Reserve) Battalion and then the 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion. On 1 July 1917 he was listed as having returned to the 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment which was in 16th Brigade, 6th Division. The 8th Battalion took part in the battle of Cambrai in November/December 1917 and then the capture of Bourlon Wood. In February 1918 the 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment was disbanded, having lost 700 men killed and 5000 wounded since 1914. Lieutenant Reginald Blackburn contracted influenza and died at Gate Farm, Brocton Camp, near Stafford on 5 November 1918. He was buried in West Norwood Cemetery, Lambeth, London. He was the husband of Isabel Hazel Constance Millicent Blackburn, of 22, Hove Park Villas, Hove, Sussex.

His Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel Reginald Le Huguet, wrote to Mrs Blackburn saying, “He was a really good officer and a personal friend of mine. I shall miss him very much”. Sold with copied m.i.c., and other research.