Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lance Bombardier P. E. Porter, Royal Artillery, who died whilst on active service in Syria on 29 September 1941

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box addressed to ‘Mrs. E. R. Porter “Dorald” 8 Church Lane Avenue, Horley, Coulsdon, Surrey’, extremely fine (3) £60-£80

Philip Ernest Porter was born in Chipstead, Surrey and lived in Coulsdon. During the Second World War he served overseas with 64th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery. In late 1940, the regiment sailed for Egypt, before moving into Libya as part of XIII Corps during the capture of Tobruk. In March 1941, 212th (London) Battery were exchanged with 234th Battery to serve with 68th Medium Regiment in Eritrea, while the 64th was sent to Greece with I Australian Corps as part of 'W Force' in Operation Lustre to support the Greek Army in the Greco-Italian War. They were later involved in the evacuation from Crete, during which one troop of the regiment was equipped with captured Italian 100 mm howitzers and 72 mm guns to defend Heraklion airfield. Following the evacuation to Egypt, 212 (London) Battery returned to the regiment and it re-assembled in Syria under the command of I Australian Corps. It was during this time that Porter died of diphtheria and acute cardiac failure on 29 September 1941. He is buried in Damascus Commonwealth Cemetery, Syria.