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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 297

The poignant campaign group of three awarded to Lieutenant E. H. Keir, Royal Lancaster Regiment and No. 16 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, a Pilot who was shot down in an aerial combat with 29-kill Ace Julius Buckler of Jasta 17 on 28 October 1917 - he met a grizzly end, being strangled to death by a trailing wire on his damaged R.E.8. before crashing to earth

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. H. Keir); Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Edward Hugh Keir), mounted in a period presentation frame as displayed by his family, nearly extremely fine (3)

Edward Hugh Keir was born at Huddersfield, the son of Samuel Keir, Secretary of the Royal Albert Insitution, Lancaster. He was educated at the Lancaster Royal Grammar School and was commissioned from the School O.T.C. into the Royal Lancaster Regiment. Serving with the 3rd Battalion, he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a Pilot and joined No. 16 Squadron on 21 August 1917. Forming a partnership with Captain Wasey as his Observer, the pair took to the skies for the final time on 28 October 1917. The Eton Chronicle continues:

'Their machine was attacked by two Hun scouts and they beat them both off, Cyril [Wasey] having fired 250 rounds before he was shot in the head. The machine returned under control untill the last 100 feet and the Pilot when picked up was found to have been slowly strangled with a wire that had been shot loose.'

They were claimed by the famous 29-kill Ace Julius Buckler, who was one of just four Germans to earn both the Pour le Merite and the Military Merit Cross. He is buried alongside Wasey in the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension; sold together with a glazed and framed portrait of Keir.

For the Medals of Captain Wasey, please see Lot 446.

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Sold for
£1,900

Starting price
£450