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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 188

A 'River Volturno 1943' casualty group of five to Private E. Waldron, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, late Scots Guards

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Korea 1950-53 (2700505 Pte. E. Waldron. KSLI); U.N. Korea 1950-54, good very fine (5)

Eric Waldron was born on 4 September 1917 and lived at 12 Barnborough Lane, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, Yorkshire. His father, William Waldron, was a 'Colliery Hewer' and his two brothers William and Sydney were also miners. The younger Waldron worked in Highgate Colliery. This pit had a seam of coal 45.7m below ground and, as it was only a shallow seam, electrically powered machines were used to cut the coal. Waldron, as a 'Machine Hand Coal Cutter', worked on these machines and earned £5.10s a week. This was a 'Restricted Occupation' but on 12 February 1941, aged 24 and 5ft 10ins tall, he voluntarily signed up for four years with the Colours and eight years with the Reserve.

He was posted to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards and served at both Chelsea Barracks and Horse Guards in London. He sailed to join the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards in 1942 in North Africa and, apart from a time in hospital with malaria, he fought in the Second Battle of El Alamein, then throughout the North African campaign, culminating at the critical Battle of Medenine.

In May 1943 he landed at Salerno where the Battalion faced ferocious Panzer counter-attacks. On 12 October the Germans pulled back from Salerno to occupy the line of defence along the River Volturno. Here they faced determined rear-guard actions in terrain which favoured defence. It was in this fighting that on 23 October 1943 Eric Waldron was wounded by a 'Bullet wound in the calf of his right leg'. He was in hospital and spent a period in convalescence until he returned to the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards on 13 January 1944.

The battalion then fought at Monte Cassino and 'Suffered severe casualties'. Thereafter they fought through Italy until the campaign finished and Eric Waldron returned to the U.K. on 1 April 1945. On 16 Oct 1945 he took his 'Class B' release and went back to work as a miner in Highgate Colliery. He was not happy with this work and on 27 Jan 1948 rejoined the Army, extending his service to complete 12 years with the Colours and was posted to the 1st Battalion King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry.

In August 1950 he sailed with the 1st King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry on the Empress of Australia to Hong Kong and then on the U.S.N. Montrose to Korea on 8 May 1951. He fought with the battalion throughout the Korean War sailing home with the Battalion in September 1952. On the 15 May 1953 Waldron was discharged to the Class Z Reserve.

He had served four years nine months with the Scots Guards and three years three months with the King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry. His Testimonial was 'Very Good, a clean honest and sober man who has carried out all his duties in a satisfactory manner'. Seven years after leaving the Army, when aged 43, he married Mavis Clayton, aged 25, and they lived at 40 Jarrett Street, Hyde Park, Doncaster. Waldron died on 28 August 1988 and Mavis died 17 Sept 1990. Highgate Colliery was closed in 1985; sold together with handwritten notes and Forces War Records printout.

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Sold for
£290

Starting price
£160