Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-War B.E.M., Great War Medaille Militaire group of five awarded to Warrant Officer J. A. Wallace, M.M. and Bar, Air Training Corps, late Royal Field Artillery

British Empire Medal (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (John A. Wallace. M.M.,) on Military division riband, in Royal Mint case of issue; 1914-15 Star (40845 B.S. Mjr. J. Wallace. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (40845 W.O. Cl.2. J. Wallace. R.A.); France, Third Republic, Medaille Militaire, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, with trophy of arms suspension; together with an Air Training Corps Instructor’s armband, very fine and better (5) £300-£400

M.M London Gazette 14 December 1916.

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 23 July 1919.

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1948: ‘John Allardyce Wallace, M.M., Warrant Officer, No. 367 (City of Sheffield) Squadron, Air Training Corps.’

French Medaille Militaire London Gazette 1 May 1917:
‘For distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign’

John Allardyce Wallace was a resident of Sheffield, Yorkshire. Born in or close to 1889, he served during the Great War with the Royal Field Artillery in the France and Flanders theatre of war from 18 July 1915. He was advanced to Sergeant and awarded the M.M. in 1916 for bravery in the field while serving with C Battery, 86th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. This award was published in the London Gazette of 14 December 1916. The awards in this Gazette do not carry schedule numbers and are largely individual awards for small actions which took place in September 1916, a period when the 86th Brigade, R.F.A. were in action during the battles of Pozieres Ridge and the Ancre Heights. The following year, while still holding the rank of Sergeant he received the French Medaille Militaire.

Wallace transferred to B Battery, 88 Brigade R.F.A., was further advanced to Warrant Officer Class 2 and appointed Battery Sergeant Major before being awarded a Bar to his M.M. in 1918. The schedule number of his Bar indicates that this was an award for October/November 1918.

His Second World War service is not known but in 1948 he was awarded the British Empire Medal for his service as a Warrant Officer with No. 367 (City of Sheffield) Squadron, Air Training Corps. He died on 11 September 1968 at Sheffield.