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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 99

Four: Captain H. J. Barnham, Royal Air Force, late Shropshire Light Infantry

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (4782 Sgt H. J. Barnham, 2nd Shropshire Lt Infy), the rank and initials officially corrected; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. H. J. Barnham. R.A.F.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (4782 C.Sgt. H. J. Barnham. Shrops:L.I.), sometime silvered, contact wear and light contact marks, overall very fine (4)

Harry Joe Barnham was born at Allahbad, Bengal in 1875 and enlisted at Birmingham on 17 July 1893. The Regiment entered the Anglo-Boer war in South Africa on 10 October 1899 and Barnham served in the Mounted Infantry before returning to Britain on 17 April 1901. He was discharged from the King's Shropshire Light Infantry on 16 July 1914 and appears to have joined the Army Reserve at some stage after this.

Listed as commissioned Quartermaster and Honorary Lieutenant on 13 August 1915 with the 12th (training) Battalion, Sussex Regiment. Several letters within his service papers make clear Barnham's desire to transfer to the Royal Flying Corps however he appears to have been rejected until the formation of the Royal Air Force.

Barnham is listed as 2nd Lieutenant (Honorary Captain) with the Royal Air Force on 25 April 1918 as part of the administrative branch. He was re-classified Pilot Officer (Honorary Flight Lieutenant) around the same time. After the war he was advanced Flying Officer on 17 June 1920 and Flight Lieutenant on 1 January 1925 having at some stage transferred to the technical branch; sold together with copied research.

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Estimate
£140 to £180

Starting price
£110