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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 241

Sold by Order of a Direct Descendent

The superb Great War M.C., D.C.M. group of six awarded to Captain J. Afford, Reconnaissance Corps, late Bedfordshire Regiment and Yorkshire Regiment, who added a Field Commission to his laurels during the Great War only to tragically die in service during the Second World War

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (8939 Sjt. J. Afford. 1/Bedf: R.); 1914 Star, with clasp (8939. J. Afford. 2/Bedf: R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (8939 W.O.Cl.II. J. Afford. Bedf. R.); War Medal 1939-45, together with a corresponding riband bar, light pitting, very fine overall (6)

M.C. London Gazette 22 October 1917, the original citation quoted on 7 March 1918 states:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in successfully carrying out the task allotted to his company of capturing a house under heavy fire'

D.C.M. London Gazette 22 September 1916, the original citation states:

'For conspicuous gallantry during operations. When his Company Commander was brought in wounded, he carried him back under heavy shell and machine gun fire. Believing that all his company officers had become casualties he took charge, and sent in a good report of the situation though suffering from shock after being wounded and buried.'

Note the recipient appears on the roll for the Bedfordshire Regiment as a Warrant Officer with a note stating that he was commissioned in February 1917.

Joseph Afford was born at Offord D'Arcy, Huntingdonshire on 18 April 1888, the son of Charles and Jane Afford of the Baker's House Offard D'Arcy. His father was the village baker and the young Afford's brothers joined him in the family trade. It may have been that there were simply too many bakers in the family but by 1911 Afford had enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment and was stationed in Bermuda.

They were stationed in South Africa when the Great War began in 1914 and the Regiment landed at Zeebrugge in October to help defend Antwerp. Afford himself entered the war in Flanders on 6 October 1914, but they soon found themselves covering the withdrawing Belgian Army instead. They reached Ypres on 14 October and their the line stabilised, soon the Battalion was to be thrown into heavy action at the First Battle of Ypres.

Afford continued to serve with the Regiment, reaching the rank of Sergeant in 1916, he was commissioned for services in the field on 3 February 1917 and posted to the 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. His award of the M.C. cannot have come much later and likely occurred when they were in action at the Passchendaele.

Notably they saw heavy fighting during the German Spring Offensive in March 1918 and suffered such heavy losses that they were reduced to a Cadre in May of that year. It is not known whether Afford remained with the Battalion for service in North Russia from 1919-1920. However he was certainly in the Military, appearing in that capacity in the 1921 Census stationed with 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment in Ireland where they saw action in the Irish War of Independence.

Married in October 1925 at Romford to Constance Wilson he appears to have settled down to the life of a baker like his father. However on the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to service with the rank of Captain, joining the newly formed Reconnaissance Corps. Tragically it appears that the strain of service was too much for the now 53 years-old Afford and he died at Edinburgh on 16 February 1942. He is buried at Offord D'Arcy Cemetery, Huntingdonshire; sold together with copied research.

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Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800

Starting price
£1100