Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private J. C. Birkinshaw, East Lancashire Regiment, taken Prisoner of War during the Fall of France in 1940, and died pulmonary tuberculosis on 3 February 1944
1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, with Army Council enclosure named to ‘Private John Claude Birkinshaw’, in card box of issue addressed to ‘Mr. R. H. C. Birkinshaw, 76 Wilford Grove, Nottingham’, extremely fine

Three: Attributed to Gunner A. M. Lorimer, Royal Artillery, taken Prisoner of War during the Battle of Crete in 1941, he died of beri-beri in captivity on 16 December 1942
1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (5) £120-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Prisoners of War.

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John Claude Birkinshaw attested for the East Lancashire Regiment and served with them in India for five years before transferring to the Reserve. Recalled to the Colours on the outbreak of the Second World War, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion and served with the British Expeditionary Force in France. Taken Prisoner of War on 26 July 1940 following the fall of France, he was held as a prisoner of war in Germany, before being repatriated on 26 November 1943 due to ill health. He died in the Sanatorium, Newstead, Nottinghamshire, from pulmonary tuberculosis on 3 February 1944, and is buried in Nottingham Southern Cemetery.

Sold together with a newspaper cutting containing a photograph of the recipient and a Memorial Certificate.


Alan Marriott Lorimer was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, on 7 November 1919, and was educated at the Duke’s School, Alnwick. He attested for the Northumberland Hussars, Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Army), and served in the Second World War in the Middle East, Greece, and Crete as a Gunner. Evacuated to Crete on H.M.S. Barham, he was taken Prisoner of War in the Battle of Crete on 2 June 1941, and was subsequently admitted to hospital at Chanea near Athens. He contracted beri-beri and died as a prisoner of war in German hands on 16 December 1942. He is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.

Sold together with the recipient’s Certified Copy of Attestation in the Territorial Army.