Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Major H. H. Broadmead, Somerset Light Infantry

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Capt., Som. L.I.) mounted as worn; Defence Medal, unnamed; Royal Humane Society Swimming Medal, Malvern College 1907 (H. H. Broadmead), in Elkington, London case of issue, this last with some edge bruising, good very fine and better (lot) £350-400

M.I.D. London Gazette 3 August 1920. ‘.... for distinguished service during the operations against Afghanistan by General Sir C. C. Monro, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., in his despatch dated 1st November, 1919 ...’ ‘Broadmead, Lieutenant (temporary Captain) H. H., 2-5th Prince Albert’s Somersetshire Light Infantry.’

Harold Hamilton Broadmead was born in 1889, the son of The Rev. P. Broadmead, of Olands, Milverton, Somerset. Educated at Malvern College, 1902-07 and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, gaining a B.A. in 1910. Appointed a Barrister of the Inner Temple, 1912. Served as an officer in the Somerset Light Infantry and Indian Army in the Great War, entering the N.W. Frontier of India in 1917. Served in the Third Afghan War with the Somerset Light Infantry and was mentioned in despatches. Post-war home address was at Enmore Castle, Bridgwater - the castle, built during 1751-56, the former seat of the Perceval family - Earls of Egmont, was acquired by the Broadmead family in the 1830’s. Much of the old castle underwent demolition and rebuilding in the 1930’s during the tenure of Major H. H. Broadmead.

With South Africa 1900 ‘Christmas Tin’ (empty) with an associated note ‘From Major Broadmead, Essex Regt. 18th Brigade, S. Africa’ ‘To W. B. Broadmead Esq, Enmore Castle, Bridgwater, Somerset’; Inner Temple War Commemorative Medal, 51mm., bronze, unnamed, in wooden case with official paper disk inscribed, ‘H. H. Broadmead’; also with riband bar. Defence Medal in card forwarding box addressed to ‘Major H. Broadmead, Enmore Castle, Bridgwater, Somerset’. With copied gazette extract and m.i.c.