Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Major C. D. Riddel, Royal Engineers, later South Lancashire Regiment

1914-15 Star (30397 Cpl. C. D. Riddel. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. C. D. Riddel. R.E.; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Decoration, E.II.R., Territorial, reverse officially dated 1957, with integral top brooch bar, mounted as worn, the Great War awards a little polished, otherwise very fine or better (7) (7) £180-£220

This lot is to be sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward De Santis.

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Charles David Riddel was born in St. Petersburg, Russia on 22 September 1894, where his father was setting up a factory. Back home, he was educated at the Glasgow Academy, prior to enlisting in September 1914. He is believed to have served briefly in the Cameron Highlanders, but he quickly transferred to the Royal Engineers and was embarked for France as a Corporal in March 1915.
Subsequently ordered home to attend an officer training unit, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the 1/1st Home Counties Field Company in October 1915. The unit was subsequently retitled the 490th (Home Counties) Field Company and Riddel was present in operations on the Somme in 1916 and in the battles of Pilckhem in August 1917 and St. Quentin in March 1918.

Having then been demobilised, Riddel was appointed a Lieutenant in a National Defence Company (Territorials) in June 1939, from which he was drafted to a South Lancashire Regiment home service battalion. Hence his command of the Glen Mill P.O.W. camp in Durham, in the rank of Major, and a subsequent tour of duty as a Staff Officer at the War Office. He died in Blackburn, Lancashire in May 1964.

Sold with two cap badges and a photographic image of the recipient.