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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 544

Pair: Lieutenant E. S. Arundel, Worcestershire Regiment late East Surrey Regiment

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. S. Arundel.), extremely fine (2)

Eric Shelton Arundel was born on 30 January 1896 at Leigh Avenue, Marple, near Stockport, Cheshire. The son of Edgar Theodore Percy Arundel, a wholesale confectioner, and Ellen Arundel (nee Butcher), his birth was registered on 12 March 1896 by registrar William Moors. At some stage, the Arundel family moved to Essex and it appears that Eric was a bright student and eventually attended the University of London, gaining a Batchelor of Science. Whilst at University, he became a member of the University of London O.T.C. in 1913 as an Officer Cadet, based at Chigwell.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, Arundel made application for appointment to a temporary commission in the Regular Army on 4 February 1915 for the duration of the War. He requested that he serve with South Eastern County Regiment and his request was initially granted, for he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with the East Surrey Regiment on 26th February 1915.

Arundel disembarked with his regiment in France on 25 May 1916 and appears to have been posted to the 9th Battalion in northern France. He was granted a period of sick leave on 11 August 1916, due to a knee injury he sustained. His medical report contains the following entry:

"On or about 28th July, 1916, in Sassval*, near to Amiens whilst wrestling with fellow officers in field near billet he sprained right knee, but was able to walk for a short time. The next day the knee swelled and he came off duty and was ultimately sent to 2nd Western Hospital, Manchester on 3rd Augt with a tentative diagnosis of internal derangement of knee. This was not definitely confirmed on examination, but the joint appeared to have sustained a sprain. He has had trouble with the same knee previously and as long ago as six years."

Arundel was declared as being unfit for active or home service or light duty during the period of disablement.

He returned to France after a short time and on 3 December 1916 embarked from Marseilles for Salonika, where he arrived on 14 December, to serve in the Balkan Campaign. Arundel arrived at his unit, the 6th Entrenching Battalion, where he moved into the field of operations on 17 January 1917. On 28 April, he was re-assigned and posted to the 11th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment as part of a reinforcement draft (which consisted of six new 2nd Lts.), at that time in reserve positions at Pivoines, Macedonia.

On 8 May, arrangements were made for a renewed attack on the Doiran positions and the Worcester Regiment was brought up from Divisional Reserve. The attack was carried out at night by the 7th Ox. and Bucks L.I., plus three Scottish Battalions, along the Jimeaux Ravine. Initially, it succeeded in driving the enemy from their trenches, but a counter attack was successfully drove the Scottish Battalions back into the ravine, at which point the Worcesters were ordered forward to the front line to reinforce the position, arriving at 3am.

Colonel Barker of the 11th Worcesters, now in command, found a scene of confusion and despite a gallant fight the 10th Black Watch finally fell back to the Worcesters position. At dawn, Colonel Barker concluded that a renewed attack by his weakened numbers would have no beneficial result and after communicating his decision to Divisional Staff, was ordered to stand fast. At the point that this order was received, the British troops were on a forward slope under heavy shell fire and Barker decided that withdrawal to a more sheltered position in rear was necessary. The ravine was narrow and only four men could withdraw at a time under the heavy and accurate shelling, whilst those waiting had to find what cover they could. Consequently, it took 1 ½ hours to extricate the Battalion. They marched back to their camp at Pivoines after the firing died down, but the next day were ordered back to the front line - the position from which the first attacking troops had began their attack 2 days before. Miraculously, during that intense shelling, casualties were light - just one officer killed and nine men wounded, despite the fact that many men were literally blown off their feet from the force of the explosions.

Arundel remained in the field, being promoted to Temporary Lieutenant on 1 July 1917, until 22 September 1917 when he was posted to No .3, Convalesence Depot in Salonika as a P.T. Instructor.

It is unclear how long Arundel served as an Instructor, but by January 1918 he had rejoined the 11th Battalion, who were amongst other Divisions of the British 12th Corps who had dug in and were facing Bulgarian positions between Lake Doiran and the River Vardar.

The Worcestershire Regimental History records that many small skirmishes were experienced during the spring of 1918. So it was that during the night of 19 January, a patrol consisting of Arundel alongside twelve men were sent out to reconnoitre Coldiesi following very heavy shelling along the whole length of the line. They became caught between two enemy patrols consisting of one officer and ten men on one side and one officer and twenty men on the other, in an area known as 'Goldies Hill'. Arundel 'was severely wounded, but by skilful leading succeeded in extricating his patrol without further casualties'.

Arundel had received a wound to his left thigh caused by a rifle bullet and on 21 January, following evacuation from the front, arrived at the 28th General Hospital, Salonika. He remained there for one month and arrived home on 21 February and was admitted to an Officer's Convalescence Home. On 4 March, after leaving the convalescence home, Arundel was posted to No. 1 Base Depot, presumably in Salonika, for on 7 March, he rejoined his Battalion in the field.

The Battalion War Diary records that on 12 April two Platoons, from No. 2 Company, under Lt. E. S. Arundel, proceeded to the line to work on the new Battalion HQ at Mamelom Noir.

From May 1918, Arundel appears to have moved between periods of P.T. Instructing, operating in the field, and a further spell in hospital for an unrecorded reason:

19th May - Divisional P.T. School in the field
9th June - Joined the A.T.S. for Instruction in Salonika
24th June - Rejoined the Battalion in the field
1st September - Proceeded by train on leave at Salonika
4th September - Embarked for leave
17th September - Disembarked following leave
20th September - Arrived at HQ Base in Salonika

For reasons unknown, it would appear that Arundel was wounded or taken ill again, for on 22nd September, he was admitted to the 28th Casualty Clearing Station in the field and was sent by train to the 60th General Hospital. He was admitted to the Officer's Convalescence Home in Salonika on 9 October, returning to the Infantry Base Depot at that location soon after on 16 October. He rejoined his Battalion in the field on 29 October, where he continued to serve until he disembarked from Itea, Salonika for the UK on 4 February 1919.

It would appear that Arundel was released from military service on 20 February 1919. For his services during the War, Arundel was awarded the British War and Victory medals, which were sent to him at 19 Warren Road, Wanshead, London E11.

After leaving the Army, Arundel joined the Civil Service within the Patent Office. On 15 August 1931, whilst still residing at 19 Warren Road, London, at the age of 35 he married Almey St. John Adcock at the Register Office, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Almey was a 39 year old novelist from Speen, Princes Risborough, Bucks, the daughter of Arthur and Marion St. John Adcock. Her father Arthur was also a novelist and literary critic, and a photograph of him is on file at the National Portrait Gallery, London, taken in the 1920s (he died prior to their wedding).

Almey was an accomplished novelist and also wrote words for musical composers. Some of her work includes:

Tin Town
Love is Master, 1928
The Warped Mirror - the story of Maria Marten
Sun Flakes, 1927
Early in the Morning
Love, The Jester
Poachers Moon, 1960
Up Hill, 1932
Winter Wheat, 1926
Wonderful London: The World's Greatest City described by it's best writers and pictured by it's finest photographers, (a 3 volume set, 1935)

At some stage, Almey and Eric moved to Malvern, Worcestershire. It was here that Eric Arundel died on 23 February,1970 of congestive cardiac failure and arterioselerosis. At the time, they were living at 20 Ebrington Road, West Malvern.


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Sold for
£80

Starting price
£80