Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Major H. W. Wilby, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who received a Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation ‘for rendering an intelligence report of special value’ on 30 May 1915: subsequently attached to the R.M. Brigade on the Gallipoli peninsula, he received multiple wounds and was evacuated home to the R.N.H. Haslar - where the King visited his ward and showed great interest in his wounds and services

1914-15 Star (Lieut. H. W. Wilby, R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. W. Wilby, R.M.L.I.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued, mounted court-style, very fine or better (5) £300-£400

Harold William Wilby was born in May 1889 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in September 1907, being advanced to Lieutenant in September of the following year. Enjoying one or two seagoing appointments in the Home Fleet in the lead up to the Great War, he was serving in H.M.S. Venerable on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, in which capacity he was present in an early bombardment of the Belgian coast. Venerable then sailed for the Dardanelles, where Wilby was present in further bombardments and was commended by the C.-in-C. Mediterranean ‘for rendering an intelligence report of special value’ on 30 May 1915’.

About this time, owing to heavy casualties, volunteers were called for from R.M. officers serving in the Fleet to reinforce the Royal Marine Brigade ashore on the Gallipoli peninsula. Wilby was among the handful of volunteers eventually allowed to proceed, landing there on 6 June 1915. But his time ashore was short-lived, for he sustained multiple wounds on the 27th - ‘Left arm and elbow and left leg’ - and was evacuated on the 30th. Admitted to the R.N.H. Haslar on reaching the U.K., he and another R.M. officer were honoured by a personal visit from the King on 28 May 1916, who showed ‘great interest in their wounds and services.’

On recovering from his wounds, Wilby was appointed a G.S.O. III (Intelligence) on Ascension Island, where he remained employed for the remainder of the War and was advanced to Captain in January 1917. Returning home in early 1919, he was appointed to the Staff of the C.-in-C. Portsmouth, once again in an Intelligence role and, in 1921, he joined the Naval Intelligence Department at the Admiralty.

A year later, he returned to regular duty with the Corps and served in the Mediterranean Fleet but in 1927 he was appointed to the 12th R.M. Battalion in China, where he was advanced to Major in the following year. Having then enjoyed another spell with the Mediterranean Fleet, he served again on the China Station as S.O. (1) in the early 30s. His final post before retiring at his own request in August 1935 was as Barrack Master at Plymouth. He was recalled in January 1940 and served as S.O. (R.M.) in the Portsmouth Division until retiring for a final time - on account of ill-health - in January 1944. He died at Attleborough, Norfolk in May 1955, aged 66.

Sold with copied research including a photographic image of the recipient.