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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 135

(x) The rare group of five awarded to Captain E. A. Wheeler, Royal Army Dental Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps and latterly Squadron Leader, Royal Air Force (Dental Branch), the recipient of the French Medal of Epidemics in Gold

1914-15 Star (146 Pte. E. A. Wheeler. R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. E. A. Wheeler.); France, Republic, Section Sanitaire Anglais, gilt and enamel; French Medaille des Epidemies d'Or (Medal of Epidemics), 1st Class gold issue, gold marks to rim (M. E. A. Wheeler 1916), these first four mounted as worn, good very fine, together with several Army Dental Corps badges (Lot)

Gold Medal tests as 94.5% using Spink XRF surface detection. Weight 17g.

Just 8 Medaille des Epidemies d'Or during the Great War.

Medaille des Epidemies d'Or London Gazette 26 November 1919.

Ernest Alfred Wheeler was born on 20 July 1871 and qualified as a Dentist at the Middlesex & National Dental Hospital in February 1897. With the outbreak of the Great War, he enlisted as a Private soldier in the Royal Army Medical Corps and served in France from 17 January 1917. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant into the 3rd London Field Ambulance in July 1915, he took the very rare award of the Medaille des Epidemies d'Or in 1916, with the award entered in print a little more than five years later.

The Royal Army Dental Corps was formed in 1921 and Wheeler was seconded to the Royal Air Force Medical Branch as a Dental Surgeon in November 1926, being paid by the Army. Posted to RAF Uxbridge, he was made Hon. Squadron Leader in December 1927 and thence went to RAF Halton as Dental Officer in February 1928. With the foundation of the Dental Branch of the Royal Air Force, Wheeler was transferred officially in July 1930. He retired in June 1932; sold together with copied research.

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

Estimate
£1,500 to £2,000

Starting price
£1300