Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Private E. V. Bryan, South Staffordshire Regiment

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4914190 Pte. E. V. Bryan. S. Staff. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, with rosette on riband; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the GSM loose, the last five mounted as worn (and added to the GSM as representative of the recipient’s full entitlement), good very fine (6) £160-£200

Eric Verdon Bryan was born in Nottingham on 15 April 1917 and attested there for the South Staffordshire Regiment on 15 April 1935, serving initially as a Drummer with the 1st Battalion. Research with the lots states the he served in pre-War Palestine, and then during the Second World War in North Africa, before being employed escorting Italian Prisoners of War to India. Whilst in India he took part in counter-insergency duties against the Quit India campaign, before seeing action during the Chindit campaign in Operation Thursday, including the action at Pagoda Hill; he survived the action unscathed, and subsequently trained as a Paratrooper, serving in 16th Battalion, Parachute Regiment. He was discharged on 14 December 1945.

Sold with two 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment group photographs, one of the Band in 1936, the other of the Battalion Cross Country Team in 1935, these both mounted on card, with the recipient identified in the latter; the recipient’s Certified Copy of Attestation; the recipient’s Army Certificate of Education, Second Class, dated 26 November 1936; the recipient’s Soldier’s Release Book; two fine photograph albums, compiled by the recipient during his service overseas; an Aldershot Command Prize Medal, bronze, named to the recipient, in Phillips, Aldershot, fitted case; the recipient’s cap badge and shoulder title; and other ephemera.