Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Private A. E. V. Richards, 10th Hussars, later Australian Forces

1914 Star (1936 L. Cpl. A. E. Richards. 10/Hrs.); British War and Victory Medals (1936 Pte. A. E. V. Richards. 10-Hrs.); War Medal 1939-45 (V6292 A. E. Richards) mounted court style as worn, together with the recipient’s Empire Day Challenge Cup Prize Medal, bronze, the edge inscribed ‘Pte. A. Richards, X.R.H. 1911, in Elkington, London, case of issue, good very fine or better (5) £140-180

‘Mr. A. E. Richards, of 16 Berry Street, East Melbourne, an Old Contemptible, has vivid recollections of being presented with a medal by the Crown Prince of Germany. It was in the days before the Great War when the members of the first three teams in the Empire Shooting Competition- a competition open to all regiments serving under the British Flag- received medals , which were a presentation from Lt. Col. R. W. Schumagher, a distinguished officer in the German Army. In 1911 Mr. Richards was in the third winning team, that of the 10th Royal Hussars, who were then stationed at Rawalpindi in India. Some time later after the Regiment had moved from India to Potchesfstroom in Africa, the Crown Prince of Germany visited their Regiment and presented each member of the shooting team with the medal.
The Medal was struck in gold for the first winning team, and in silver and copper for the second and third teams. The engraving on the back of the medal has a historic interest, and shows the contrast of the old and modern soldier. There are two soldiers, one of the ancient Bavarian soldier with bow and arrow as implements of warfare, belonging to the 14th to 16th centuries, and the other soldier is that of the Prussian type in 1860. Mr. Richards entered the British Army some years before the Great War, and served in India and Africa. At the outbreak of hostilities his regiment was transported to England for mobilisation prior to going to the Front, and landed at Ostend in the early part of October 1914. He has a fund of good stories to tell of his experiences in action and out of action, as he went right through the war without a scratch.’ (letter included with lot refers).