Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. awarded to Corporal C. F. Easthill, 1/18th Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)

Military Medal, G.V.R. (690142 Cpl., 1/18 Lond. R.) good very fine £200-240

M.M. London Gazette 2 November 1917.

Private Cecil F. Easthill, 1/18th Battalion London Regiment entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 9 March 1915.

The 1/18th London Regiment were part of 141 Brigade, 47th (2nd London) Division. In the History of the 47th (London) Division, it tells of the heroism of the London Irish Rifles (L.I.R.)

‘In the Battle of Loos, the 1st Battalion L.I.R. once again distinguished themselves. While storming across No-Man's Land to capture the enemy trenches, Sgt. Edwards, the Captain of the football team, kicked a football along in front of the troops. This earned the L.I.R. their second Battle Honour—"Loos, 1915" and the football is still preserved in the Regimental Museum. To this day, the memory of Sgt. Frank Edwards is commemorated on Loos Sunday.’

The War Diary states, while in Divisional Reserve at Aubrey Camp, that the Battalion was inspected by Major-General Sir George F. Gorringe and the D.S.O. was presented to Lieutenant-Colonel D. B. Parry and Military Medals were presented to Sergeants Murphy and Platt, Corporal Easthill and Rifleman McNamara. Easthill additionally entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals. With copied research.