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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 560

(x) A fine M.S.M. and Long Service group of seven awarded to Regimental Sergeant-Major W. H. Slater, Rifle Brigade, late London Regiment

British War and Victory Medals (48014 Pte. W. H. Slater, Rif. Brig.); France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., crowned bust (6906352 C. Sjt. W. H. Slater, Rif. Brig.); Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R. (6906352 W.O. Cl. 1. W. H. Slater, Rifle Bde.), the Great War awards nearly very fine, the remainder rather better (7)

William Henry Slater was born at St. George's East, London, on 22 February 1898, the son of Eliza and Robert Slater. He served in France from 11 November 1916 with the 16th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment, and transferred to 'B' Company of the 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, on 6 April 1918.

Following the Armistice, William spent five months at the Rifle Depot at Winchester and was then served in the North Russia Expeditionary Force from 7 August to 6 October 1919. Returning home, he was sent to Ireland in 1920 and on to Turkey from 1922-23. By the 1930s William was serving as Acting-Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant at Bushfield Camp, and in 1937 he is recorded in the Rifle Brigade Chronicle at Gosport with the 1st Battalion.

During the Second World War Slater held a number of R.S.M. positions, including service with the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion and 2nd Motor Training Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. He was later attached to the 9th R.U.R. and the No. 2 Civil Affairs Staff, before being posted to North-West Europe in the final months of the War and 32 R.H.U. (21st Army Group). Returning home on 1 June 1945, William was released to Class 'Z' of the Royal Army Reserve. He was discharged as R.S.M. with 35 years and 30 days of service on 5 May 1954 and died at King's College Hospital, Lambeth, on 7 September 1962; sold with a Corps of Commissionaires Order of Merit Medal, 2nd class, bronze, unnamed as issued, and three period London Regiment and Rifle Brigade cap badges.


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Sold for
£550