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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 935

(x) A family collection of three groups

The 'Battle of the Somme 1916' M.M. group of four awarded to Bombardier E. Stapley, 48th Division Ammunition Column, Royal Artillery

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1376 Bmbr: E. Stapley. 48/S.M.D.A.C. R.F.A. - T.F.); 1914-15 Star (1376, A-Bmbr. E. Stapley. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (1376 Bmbr. E. Stapley. R.A.), mounted for wear, silvered, contact wear overall, very fine (4)

Pair: W. H. Stapley, Merchant Navy late Able Seaman, Royal Navy

British War and Mercantile Marine Medals (Willian. H. Stapley.), mounted as worn, very fine (2)

Five: Staff Sergeant D. T. Stapley, R.E.M.E.

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and British War Medals; Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R. (870494 S.Sjt. D. T. Stapley. R.E.M.E.), silvered, mount for wear, contact marks, very fine (5)

M.M. London Gazette 16 November 1916.

Edward Stapley was born at Bridgemerry, Titchfield on the 28 July 1889. Enlisting with the Territorial Force on 5 March 1914 he was mobilised for action and entered the war in France on 30 March 1915 with the 48th (South Midland) Division as an Acting Bombardier.

The Division was moved to Italy on 1 December 1917, remaining there until the end of the war. Returning to Britain Stapley was married at Bristol on 15 August 1918 and soon invalided from the military on 23 January 1919. Residing in Bristol he appears on the 1939 census as a heavy motor driver (commercial).

William Henry Stapley was born at Portsmouth on 17 December 1881 and enlisted in the Royal Navy on 7 September 1898 as Boy Class II. Reaching the rank of Able Seaman by 1902 he served until 15 March 1909 with a poor record, having spent no less than five stretches in the cells. By the outbreak of the Great War Stapley was serving with the Merchant Navy.

Theodore Stapley was born at Bristol in 1921. Anecdotal evidence from the family has him as an employee of the Keynsham Paper Mill, where he worked for over 45 years. Stapley joined the Royal Artillery as a Territorial in 1937, being posted to the Coastal District Anti-Aircraft on 11 October 1940. Further anecdotes have him serving on AA guns during the blitz and suffering burns and other injuries putting out a German incendiary bomb, and that he was in Normandy for D-Day.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£350

Starting price
£210