Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Sapper R. T. Anderson, Northern Cyclist Battalion, later Royal Engineers

British War and Victory Medals (126962 Spr. R. T. Anderson. R.E.) with flattened named card box of issue; Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (126962 Spr. R. T. Anderson. R.E.); Defence Medal; Imperial Service Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (Ralph Taylor Anderson) in Royal Mint case of issue, nearly extremely fine (5) £240-£280

Ralph Taylor Anderson was born in Sunderland around 1897 and attested for the Northern Cyclist Battalion on 26 May 1914. Attending camp at Bridlington in July 1914, he was appointed Bugler on 14 April 1915 and transferred to the Divisional Signals on 5 June 1915. Posted overseas with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 10 October 1916, his Army Service Record notes transfer to Salonika in 1917 and employment in line construction. It further records bouts of ill health in consequence of malaria and scabies. Released from service in 1919, Anderson was later awarded the Imperial Service Medal in the London Gazette of 23 November 1956, for his work as First Class Technician in the Newcastle-on-Tyne telephone area.

Sold with two Safe Driving Competition Awards, both unnamed, one bearing clasps ‘1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948’ to riband; the recipient’s driving licence (2), dated 21 August 1961 to 20 August 1964, and 20 August 1973 to 19 August 1976, the latter confirming his address at 2 Pollen Road, Altrincham, Cheshire.