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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 114

'Your boy was cruelly done to death at the post of duty, and died a true soldier. Your son was one of a party on escort duty and riding in a motor lorry. A cowardly ambush in the dark was laid by the attackers who fired a burst of shots from both sides of the road at point blank range and then ran away. Your poor boy and Corporal Hall were killed instantly and two other men wounded.'

Captain J. B. Sharp, The Buffs recalls the ambush which killed two of his men

The tragic campaign group of three awarded to Private W. S. Gammon, 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment), a native of Ramsgate and 'Old Contemptible' who was thrice wounded on the Western Front before being posted to Ireland where he was killed by the I.R.A. in a daring night-ambush near Fermoy in 1920

1914 Star (L-9077 Dmr: W. S. Gammon. 1/E.Kent R.); British and Victory Medals (L-9077 Pte. W. S. Gammon. E. Kent R.), sold together with an Explosives Loading Company Distinguished Service Medal engraved 'Presented to P. Gammon. by Explosives Loading Company for Distinguished Service', disc only, good very fine (3)

Walter Spencer Gammon was born in Ramsgate in 1891, the son of Peter and Caroline Gammon of 28 Hibernia Street, Ramsgate. Educated at St. George's Commercial School, he was sometime a chorister at St. George's and St. Mary's churches. Gammon does not appear at the family home on the 1911 census from which we might assume that he enlisted around that date, he was certainly in service by 1914.

Entering the war in France as a Drummer with The Buffs on 7 September 1914. He was to serve there until the end of the conflict with later newspaper articles describing him as having been thrice wounded in action. The end of the war brought Gammon, now ranked as a Private but still a bandsman, to Fermoy, Ireland. The Buffs by Gregary Blaxland takes up the story stating:

'As if to return the clock to its exact hour in 1914, the Buffs were moved to Fermoy, and here they soon found themselves under siege by the Sinn Feiners, who captured the brigadier [Brigadier General C.H.T. Lucas], and were only prevented from what they termed "executing" him by his escape. More was needed than dreary searches and defensive measures, and for a year the Buffs struck back at the terrorists with considerable ingenuity and with a ruthlessness that did not match their opponents', but would be thought shocking by people who had not become involved in this venomous war.'

Gammon was part of a patrol sent out as part of this active effort on 26 November 1920 on an enquiry. Travelling by motor lorry, their outbound journey was uneventful however they were in for a rude awakening on the return trip. Reaching the village of Labbacalee they came under fire, The Thanet Advertiser and Echo provides further details stating:

'On the way the motor lorry they were in, had to pull up to avoid dashing into a tree trunk laid across the road.
No sooner had it stopped than a volley of shots was poured into the party from both sides of the roadway and before they could see where the danger came from, two of the party were shot dead and an officer was wounded.'

His commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel McDowell later wrote to the recipients' family stating:

'I much regret to tell you that your son was killed in an ambush by the rebels on Friday evening the 26th inst. He and Corporal Hall also of the Bandsmen both killed - three men and an officer were injured as well.
I knew your son personally and had a very great regard for him. We shall all feel his loss very much, as he was so popular'.

Gammon was buried at Ramsgate and St. Lawrence Cemetery. Some revenge for the killing appears to have occurred locally with the Sunday Pictoral reporting four arsons of republican aligned properties around Cork.

Notably Gammon's father was present in Faversham in 1916 at the time of the munitions factory explosion there. He was awarded an Explosives Loading Company Distinguished Service Medal for his role there. A fire, on 2 April 1916, amongst the empty munitions boxes spread to the TNT and despite the efforts of staff to contain it caused an enormous explosion. This is believed to have killed upwards of 109 people, five of whom belonged to the 4th Battalion, The Buffs; sold together with copied census data, Commonwealth War Graves certificate and newspaper extracts as well as an extract from The Buffs and several original documents comprising the letter from the recipient's commanding officer and a business card.

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Estimate
£1,200 to £1,500

Starting price
£1000