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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 502A

(x) Six: Colour Sergeant C. S. Cresswell, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, late 21st (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment, who served from the Boer War to the Second World War

Queens South Africa 1899-1902, 7 clasps, Talana, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (9014 Corpl: C. Cressell. K. R. R. C.); Kings South Africa 1902, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (9014 Serjt: C. S. Cresswell. K. R. R. C.); 1914-15 Star (9014 C. Sjt C. S. Cresswell. K. R. Rif: C.); British War and Victory Medals (9014 C.Sjt. C. S. Cresswell. K. R. Rif. C.); Defence Medal, unnamed as issued, mounted court-style for display, contact marks, pitting, nearly very fine (6)

Caleb Stephen Cresswell was born in 1877, the fifth child of Abraham and Hannah Creswell of Kingswinford, Staffordshire. Enlisted with the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 15 May 1895 at Gosport, Hampshire. Posted to 3rd Kings Royal Rifle Corps on 26 August 1895 at Shorncliffe, Cresswell moved to the Headquarters Wing of the 1st Regiment, King's Royal Rifle Corps in Port Lewis, Mauritius on 24 April 1897. Promoted Lance Corporal on 20 July 1897. In anticipation of hostilities in South Africa the 1st Regiment was transported to Durban, arriving on 21 march 1899. Moving from the coast they joined General Penn Symons forces in Dundee and, after the outbreak of hostilities, took part in the battle of Talana on 20 October 1899. The King's Royal Rifle Corps played a major role in the fighting, being among the first to press their advance onto Talana hill. However after the fighting it became clear that the main Boer force was yet to be engaged and the British army was forced to pull back. During the withdrawal towards Ladysmith the two sides clashed at Farquhar's Farm. This engagement, on 30 October 1899, saw Cresswell take a severe wound to his right knee. Promoted Corporal on 15 December 1899 and continued to serve in South Africa until the end of hostilities. Promoted Sergeant on 8 July 1902, around the same time the regiment left South Africa for Malta.

While on Malta Cresswell married Eliza Sarah Farmer on 10 October 1904 in Valletta. He also passed his Instructor of Musketry course here on 13 November 1904. The regiment was posted to Egypt, arriving on 4 March 1905. Here the Cresswell's had two children, one in Cairo and another in Alexandria. The family returned to England in 1909 and here, in Gosport, another son was born. Unfortunately the next year Cresswell's eldest child, Percy, tragically died aged 3.

Posted to 21st (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment on 17 July 1913 with the rank of Instructor Sergeant. In performing this role he lived in Brixton and it was here that the family's next child was born on 23 April 1914. With the outbreak of the First World War the 21st (County of London) Battalion was mobilised and Cresswell was promoted to Colour Sergeant on 6 January 1915. The battalion was deployed to France on 16 March 1915 as part of 2nd London Division, soon to be renumbered to 47th Division. They were deployed to the line on 2 April 1915 taking part in action during the battles of Festubert and Loos. Promoted to Warrant Officer I class (Acting Regimental Sergeant Major) on 17 April 1916. However Cresswell was invalided from the front after only a few months on 5 July 1916 and posted to 5th Regiment, Kings Royal Rifles Corps in Sheerness. He was charged with falsifying a document on 11 November 1916 and reduced to Colour Sergeant on 20 November. Dissatisfied with this decision, Cresswell was discharged on 30 June 1917 at his own request; sold together with copied research including census information, attestation documents and service records.

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Sold for
£450

Starting price
£400