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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 430

Family group:

'Private W. G. Piper, Essex Regiment, husband of Mrs. Piper of New Road Hadleigh, is reported wounded and missing in Palestine since November 3rd. His wife would be grateful if any comrade could give her information concerning him.'

A local - Essex - newspaper, refers; he was later confirmed as killed in action.

Pair: Private W. G. Piper, 1/5th Battalion, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action at the Third Battle of Gaza in November 1917

British War and Victory Medals (5038 Pte. W. G. Piper, Essex R.), very fine or better (2)

Five: W. E. Piper, Royal Army Service Corps

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, in their original addressed card forwarding box, with Army Council issuance slip, extremely fine (6)

William George Piper was born at Downham, Essex and living at Hadleigh at the time of his enlistment at Chelmsford in June 1916.

He was killed in action in the attack on Rafa Redoubt on 2 November 1917, during the Third Battle of Gaza. Despite confusion during the attack - which commenced at 3 a.m. - the objective was captured within two hours, but at the cost of two officers and 67 men killed, and a further six officers and 169 men wounded.

Aged 40, Piper has no known grave and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial; sold with an original War Office letter to his widow, regarding her entitlement to a Gratuity, dated 18 July 1919.


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Sold for
£95