Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

An inter-War O.B.E. group of five awarded to Major A. Sommersell, Royal Army Service Corps
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type, breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1927; British War and Victory Medals (S-13431 W.O.Cl.1. A. Summersell. A.S.C.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (S/13431 1/Cl: S.S. Mjr. A. Summersell. R.A.S.C.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (S-13431 1/Cl: S.S. Mjr: A. Summersell. A.S.C.) lacquered, good very fine

Four: Attributed to Major L. A. Sommersell, Seaforth Highlanders and Royal Army Service Corps
1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn; together with the related miniature awards, these similarly mounted, very fine (9) £360-£440

O.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1928: ‘Quartermaster and Captain, Extra Regimentally employed List, Chief Clerk, Headquarters, Eastern Command.’

Alfred Summersell was born at Fareham, Hampshire, on 17 January 1879. He joined the Army Service Corps in 1898 and was, by 1905, a Staff Sergeant and by the outbreak of the war in 1914 he had attained the rank of Staff Sergeant-Major. He served in France from 6 June 1916 and received his L.S. & G.C. medal that same year. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for 21 years’ service in 1919, having been commissioned as Quartermaster and Lieutenant on 1 December 1918, and was Quartermaster and Captain by the time he received the O.B.E. in 1928. He was finally promoted to Major on 1 April 1931, and probably left the Army in 1933. He died at Hove, East Sussex, on 28 February 1958, aged 79.

Lewis Albert Summersell was born in Wandsworth, London, on 21 June 1917. He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the Seaforth Highlanders on 22 October 1940, and joined the 1st Battalion, serving in Malaya, sometime in early 1941. The battalion was attached to the 23rd (Indian) Division in May 1942 and fought in the Burma campaign until the end of the war. Summersell was wounded on 3 April 1944, his rank being recorded as Captain at this time. In January 1945 he was listed as a staff officer performing the role of Intelligence Officer. After the war he joined the Army Service Corps, was promoted to Substantive Captain in June 1946 and Substantive Major in June 1951. In 1952 he is listed as Acting Lieutenant-Colonel but is not mentioned in subsequent army lists.

Sold with copied research files for both men.