The Julian Johnson Collection

Five: Private T. G. Sturgis, Machine Gun Corps, alias Corporal T. G. Davies, 3rd Regiment, French Foreign Legion

British War and Victory Medals (192044 Pte. T. G. Sturgis. M.G.C.); Defence Medal; France, Croix du Combattant; France, Colonial Medal, 1 clasp, Maroc, mounted for display, nearly very fine and better (5) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Julian Johnson Collection.

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Sold with a letter from the recipient (dated 1968) giving some service details; together with original French service book (fragmentary) which confirms the two French awards; award document for the Colonial Medal (1933), two French identity cards and a quantity of postcards and photographs relating to his French service.

Thomas G. Sturgis enlisted into No. 1 Coy. 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Guards Machine Gun Regiment in July 1918, and served in the Machine Gun Corps during the Great War. According to the recipient he served in N.W. Russia, Egypt, Palestine and India. He afterwards transferred to the Corps of Dragoons and, in August 1920, joined the Royal Scots Greys in Cairio and afterwards at Peshawar, being discharged in March 1924.

He enlisted into the French Foreign Legion at Dunkirk on 27 February 1931, using the alias name ‘Davies’. After training in Algeria he proceeded to Morocco in August 1931, serving with the 3rd Regiment. He was promoted to Corporal in 1933 and was discharged on 27 February 1936, after completing his 5-year engagement. In February 1940 he volunteered as a Fireman with the Auxiliary Fire Service and was stationed at Homerton Fire Station, Hackney. He was discharged unfit in October 1944 and afterwards served with British Railways until about 1965.