Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 W. Smithson, 1/7th Battalion Liverpool Regiment, killed in action, 20 September 1917

Military Medal, G.V.R. (2211 Sjt., 1/7 L’pool. R.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (265497 Cpl., L’pool. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (2211 W.O. Cl. 2, L’pool. R.); Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society General Medal, bronze (To Walter Smithson for pluckily rescuing a Child from being run over by a Tram Car in Derby Rd. Bootle 26/9/04) with bronze buckle on ribbon, in case of issue; Memorial Plaque (Walter Smithson) good very fine (6) £700-800

M.M. London Gazette 11 November 1916.

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 January 1917.

Corporal Walter Smithson, Liverpool Regiment entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 7 March 1915. For his services with the 1/7th Battalion he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the M.M. As a C.S.M. (Warrant Officer Class 2) in the 1/7th Battalion he was killed in action on 20 September 1917. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He was the son of Mr and Mrs J. E. Smithson of 1A Birchdale Road, Waterloo, Liverpool.

With a number of contemporary papers, including: letters (2) giving official notification of his death; accompanying slips (2) for the British War and Victory Medals and oak leaf emblem; hand-written copy of Smithson’s Will; several wartime letters written by Smithson to his mother, these in a leather wallet; letters to Sgt. Smithson (3); various newspaper cuttings.