Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

Victory Medals 1914-19 (5), comprising (2. Lieut. P. F. Bayley); (2. Lieut. E. B. Boothby); (Capt. J. E. S. Green); (2. Lieut. W. McGeoch); (Lieut. J. Manners) generally good very fine or better (5) £60-80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of of Great War Medals to the Rifle Brigade.

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Peter Ferguson Bayley, a music publisher with the firm of Bayley & Ferguson, Great Marlborough Street, London, served as a corporal with the Highland Light Infantry and first went to France in August 1916. He was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade, 26 September 1917, and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion in France on 5 December. On 13 December he received a severe gun shot wound in the right thigh in the line at Passchendaele. Rejoined the battalion 11 February 1918 and was reported missing on 23 March at Flavy-le-Martel. A protracted correspondence followed, his parents were not inclined to believe in his death as reports arrived from some officers that he was likely to be a prisoner. They were not convinced until a personal meeting in February 1919 with a returned P.O.W., 2nd Lieut. Robert Wilson, who served with him in “D” Company and was wounded the same day, persuaded them to accept his death. He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial.

Ernest Brooke Boothby was educated at Cheltenham. He was the husband of Mary S.H. Boothby and lived at 11 Bryanston Square, London W1. Joined the Inns of Court O.T.C. in September 1914 and was commissioned in the 13th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, 30 December 1914. He accompanied the battalion to France in “C” Company in 1915 and was Killed in Action 10 July 1916 at Ovillers when, disastrously, the battalion attacked without support when orders cancelling the attack failed to reach them. “Boothby was an officer long remembered for his monocle, his breezy language and his sheer inability to ‘crime’ the worst offender. What a blow his death was on the Somme to all the survivors of his Platoon…” Commemorated, erroneously, on the Menin Gate Memorial. Sold with copy photograph.

John Eric Sydney Green was educated at Dover College and Peterhouse and Trinity Colleges, Cambridge. Commissioned in the Rifle Brigade on 27 October 1914. Joined the 4th Bn. in France, September 1915. He was promoted Lieutenant in the 16th (S) Bn., 27 April 1916 and was wounded on 21 September 1916. Joined 11th (S) Bn. 17 April 1917 (O.C. “C” Company) and again wounded on 7 August 1917. Author of Rhodes Goes North (1936). A Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

W. McGeoch was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade, 31 October 1917. He joined the 9th (Service) Battalion in France on 10 January 1918 and was reported Wounded and Missing 23 March at Flavy-le-Martel. He was a Prisoner in German hands until repatriated in December. Promoted Lieutenant in May 1919 and relinquished his commission, 6 October 1919.

J. Manners was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade 11 August 1915, Lieutenant 1 May 1916. Transferred to Royal West Surrey Regiment 1 February 1917, Captain, 5 May 1917 and served as an Asst. Embarkation Staff Officer. MIC notes France 14 July 1916 , entitled BWM/VM on Rifle Brigade medal roll.