Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Corporal C. A. Gulliver, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, later Royal Signals, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War at Ypres on 2 November 1914

1914 Star (6890 Pte. C. Gulliver. 1/K.R. Rif: C.); British War and Victory Medals (6890 Pte. C. Gulliver. K.R. Rif. C.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue with fixed suspension (2312090 Cpl. C. A. Gulliver. R. Signals.) the Great War medals heavily polished with edge nicks, these fair; the LS&GC better (4) £100-£140

Charles Aubrey Gulliver was born in Buxton on 20 November 1889, and served in France with the 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps from 31 August 1914. Arriving as replacements for the men lost at Mons and during the Retreat from Mons, Gulliver and his comrades engaged the Germans on the Vierley-Chezy road on 10 September 1914, the Battalion War Diary noting the enemy surrendering after 1.5hrs of intense fighting having lost 80 killed and wounded; 450 Germans were taken prisoner. Sent to Tilleul a few days later, the 1st Battalion was later recorded as ‘putting up a good fight’ and killing a large number of Germans.

Relieved by French troops, the Battalion took over billets at Ypres on 20 October 1914. Constantly moved between support positions at Wieltje, Potijze and Zillebeke, they moved from Zonnebeke to Polygon Wood on 25 October 1914 and were soon facing repeated enemy assaults; it was during one of these massed infantry attacks on 2 November 1914 that Gulliver was captured, the War Diary noting 437 other ranks as missing after the British front line had been driven 300 yards back in confusion.

Incarcerated in Germany for the remainder of hostilities, Gulliver was later repatriated home to England. Transferring to the Royal Signals, he is recorded in 1939 as an army pensioner living with his wife Lily in Buckley Road, Willesden, Middlesex.