Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family group:

Pair: Private Joseph Birrell, 18th Battalion Australian Infantry, killed in action, France, 18 October 1918
British War and Victory Medals (5294 Pte., 18 Bn. A.I.F.)

Three: Ordinary Seaman George Birrell, Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (J.39510 Boy 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.39510 Ord. R.N.) very fine and better (5)
£180-220

Joseph Birrell was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne c.1887. A Storeman by occupation, living in Australia, he attested for the A.I.F. on 13 March 1916, aged 29 years, 4 months. On 22 August 1916 he sailed from Sydney on the Wiltshire bound for Plymouth. Birrell entered France in December 1916. Serving with the 18th Battalion Australian Infantry, he was wounded in action, 25 February 1917 - suffering a gunshot wound to the scalp, and was invalided to England. He rejoined his battalion in France in June 1917. With the same battalion, he was killed in action on 3 October 1918. A report on his death states that he and two other men from ‘A’ Company were instantly killed when a shell landed by them near Joncourt (?) on the Hindenburg Line. He was buried where he fell but was eventually buried in the Bellicourt British Cemetery. His mother was Mrs Annie Mather, of 47 City Road, Newcastle. With copied service papers.

George Birrell was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 19 September 1898. He enlisted in to the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 26 November 1915 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in July 1915. Serving on H.M.S. Patna, September 1915-October 1916, he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman in September 1916. He later served on the destroyer leader H.M.S. Seymour, November 1916-May 1917. Was invalided due to bronchial asthma on 1 August 1918. With copied service paper.