Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Corporal C. R. Sansom, Army Cyclist Corps, later Royal Air Force, who served for two years as a Signaller on the Western Front and later attempted to gain his ‘Wings’ as a pilot
British War and Victory Medals (157 A.Cpl. C. R. Sanson [sic]. A. Cyc. Corps.) in named card box of issue, extremely fine

British War Medal 1914-20 (495567 Pte. R. A. Beith. 13-Lond. R.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (SE-22445 Pte. J. W. Steer A. V. ---) unit partially erased; Silver War Badge No. 87469, nearly very fine and better (5) £60-£80

Charles Richard Sansom was born in London on 29 June 1896 and lived with his mother at 18 Fullerton Road, Wandsworth. An advertising clerk by profession, he attested for the 13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise’s Kensington Battalion), London Regiment on 2 September 1914 and served as part of the regimental Cyclist Company. Qualifying as a 1st Class Signaller in April 1915, Sansom transferred from his parent regiment to the newly formed Army Cyclist Corps and arrived in France on 24 June 1916, just a week before the opening exchanges of the Battle of the Somme. Raised Corporal, he ended the War serving with the 18th Battalion, Army Cyclist Corps, attached to the Royal Air Force as Cadet Pilot. Sent to No. 8 R.A.F. Cadet Wing at Sandling West Camp, he passed his Cadet Brigade Course in January 1919.

Sold with a fine array of original documentation, including Soldier’s Pay Book for use on Active Service; Certificate of Demobilisation; Certificates of Employment (2); Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity; and paper packet of transmittal for medals, this addressed to: ‘Mr C. R. Sanson (sic), 71 Swaby Road, Earlsfield.’

Robert Adam Beith attested for the 13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise’s Kensington Battalion), London Regiment on 7 December 1915. A civil service clerk, he survived the Great War but died in 1921.

James Welsh Steer served during the Great War in the Army Veterinary Corps.