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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 129

The 'D-Day casualty' campaign group of four awarded to Lieutenant K. E. Bellingham, Royal Artillery, who was the first member of his Regiment to be killed in action on 6 June 1944 in the act of landing

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, sold together with the original named Army Council condolence slip, and card box of issue, good very fine (4)

Kenneth Edward Bellingham was born at Plymouth on 4 September 1921 the son of James and Florence Bellingham of 29 Barton Avenue, Devonport. His father is described at the time as a 'Torpedo Gunner Royal Navy serving on board his majesties ship Defiance'. Bellingham was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant from the Cadets on 4 October 1941.

Serving in Britian for the bulk of the war he was stationed with the 33rd Field Regiment in the run up to Operation Overlord in 1944. They were equipped at the time with the M7 Priest, self-propelled gun as well as half-tracks which were deployed directly to the beach quite quickly.

It had been decided that the Regiment would land on foot rather than with their vehicles however this was not quite the case. A Diary kept by a member of the Regiment initially 'J.A.B.' states the following:

'All these parties were on foot with the exception of one illegally obtained Weasel, which the second in command had managed to introduce on to his craft despite the vigilance of Movement Control. As this was being driven off the LCT it received a direct hit from a mortar and Lieut. K. E. Bellingham RA was killed- the first casualty suffered by the Regiment.'

The war diary confirms this, stating: 'Casualties on beach. Lt. K. W. Bellingham killed by shell while driving "weazle"'. He was buried at Hermanville War Cemetery; sold together with copied research as well as an original Commonwealth War Graves photograph envelope with pictures of the recipient's grave.

For the medals of his father see lot: 124.

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Estimate
£140 to £180

Starting price
£110