Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The 1914 Star awarded to Major A. E. B. Fair, Royal Field Artillery, who was Mentioned in Despatches for service during the Boer War and the Great War, and initially employed in a Civilian capacity with the Remount Department on the Western Front in 1914. He commanded ‘C’ Battery, 122nd Brigade, R.F.A., and was killed in action after operations at Langemarck on 16 August 1917

1914 Star (A. E. B. Fair) good very fine £200-£240

Arthur Edward Balfour Fair was educated at Harrow, and the following is provided from their records (with a photographic image of recipient in uniform): ‘third son of the late John Fair and of Mrs Fair, of Wilderton, Bournemouth. R.M.S. Woolwich. Married, in 1899, Madeline, daughter of the late George John Fenwick, of Crag Head, Bournemouth...

Major Fair received his Commission in the Royal Artillery in 1894, becoming Captain in 1900. He fought in the South African War and received the Queen’s Medal with five clasps and the King’s Medal, and was mentioned in despatches. He retired in 1903.

In August, 1914, he received a Commission in the Remounts and went out to France at once. In November, 1914, he got his Battery, with which he again went out to France in July, 1915. He was mentioned in despatches in the spring of 1917. On August 16th, 1917, his Battery had taken part in an important operation at Langemarck, and, after the objective had been obtained, he was killed instantaneously by a direct hit.

His Colonel wrote:

“His sense of duty must indeed have been high. I had said the same thing when he joined, as he gave up a comfortable staff billet in order to take a Battery. All who knew him had the greatest admiration for his most conspicuous gallantry and his many other fine qualities.”

Another brother-officer wrote:

“I always think he was an absolute example of what a man should be in this War, as, though overworked and very often far from fit, he was always cheery, in spite of having been at it from the beginning. He was an extremely gallant Officer and a pattern to all of us younger ones.”’

Fair initially was employed in a Civilian capacity with the Remount Department, as recorded on his MIC and hence the naming on the above medal. He was subsequently appointed to the command of ‘C’ Battery, 122nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and was killed in action on the Western Front on 16 August 1917. Major Fair is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Belgium.