To reserve an item email: alligatormilitaria@gmail.com or text: +44 (0)7970 273034

WWII casualty group awarded to Chaplain the Reverend A. R. Botting, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Reverend Arthur Robert Botting was serving onboard H.M.S. Galatea when he was killed in action in the Mediterranean on 15th December 1941 at the age of 29. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Group includes: 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, War Medal, all unnamed as issued in original wrappers in box of issue addressed to his wife (remarried) Mrs. B. M. Waine, 4, The Avenue, Clifton, York. Handwritten casualty slip to the Reverend Arthur Robert Botting, Temporary Chaplain, R.N.V.R.

The light cruiser Galatea (15th Cruiser Squadron) was returning to Alexandria having unsuccessfully attempted to locate and engage an enemy convoy when she was attacked by German dive-bombers which persisted for around seven hours. Just before midnight Galatea was subsequently attacked by the German submarine U-557 thirty miles west of Alexandria and hit by two torpedoes in quick succession. The cruiser turned over and sank in just three minutes. The Captain, E. W. B. Slim, 22 officers and 447 ratings lost their lives. Around 100 survivors were picked up by the destroyers Griffin and Hotspur.

Galatea had seen much war service having taken part in the Norwegian Campaign, the evacuation of the BEF from France in May-June 1940 and had also taken part in the rounding up of the Bismark.

Ironically the U-557 was herself sunk one day later on 16th December 1941 with the loss of all 43 of her crew. She was returning to port when she was rammed by the Italian torpedo boat Orione on her way to North Africa with a cargo of cased petrol. The following investigation attributed the sinking to 'an accident' but it is unclear whether the collision was the result of a navigational error or whether the attack was deliberate.

Research paperwork included. £285.00 + £8.00 P&P UK

Stephens family medals - (WWI) Father 11th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and son - (WWII) Able Seaman Royal Navy killed by friendly fire whilst serving onboard HMS Illustrious

Father - Arthur Stephens was awarded the British War & Victory Medals (both impressed on the rims 25578 PTE. A. STEPHENS R. WAR. R.) Arthur Stephens later saw service as Private (No. 54965) with the Gloucestershire Regiment.

Son - 1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 39-45, all unnamed as issued with hand written casualty slip to John Arthur Stephens. Able Seaman John Arthur Stephens aged 20, was killed in action on 29th January 1945 whilst aboard the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Illustrious. On this day the Illustrious launched an air attack on the Soengi Gerong Oil Refinery at Pladjoe near Palemnang in Sumatra. This attack faced stiff air opposition including Japanese bombers attempting to find the British fleet. The Illustrious would be hit by 6in anti-aircraft shells from the carrier HMS Indomitable which had fired at the Japanese aircraft flying close to Illustrious, this caused the deaths of eleven of the ship’s crew including John Arthur Stephens and many wounded. Having been buried at sea he is now remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Paperwork includes copy MIC and medal roll for Arthur Stevens. For his son, John, there is a wealth of documents including copy birth and death certificates, HMS Illustrious diary entries and also fully detailed CONFIDENTIAL damage report and SECRET full report of events, damage and casualties to the Admiralty dated 04/02/1945. Various other items include copy magazine / newspaper articles and CWGC information sheets. Interestingly, when conducting a general online search for HMS Illustrious, there is very little, if any information about this 'friendly fire' incident. It has taken someone a great deal of effort to effect this exhaustive research to reveal the full sad story.

Nearly Extremely Fine.

£235.00 + £8.00 P&P UK

Victory Medal - SOWAR SHAH BAZ - 19th Lancers (Fane’s Horse)

Some 1.5 million Indian soldiers and non-combatants served in the trenches of the Western Front, the Middle East, East Africa and Gallipoli. Hurriedly sent to Europe at the end of September 1914, they became the first ever Indian elements committed to war outside India. Their first undertaking was to support the British Army (BEF) that was being decimated within the first few weeks of conflict - their task made all the harder as they were unfamiliar with the newly issued Lee Enfield rifles which they only received on their arrival in France. They had almost no artillery and were poorly equipped to resist the weather which they were unused to. They fought in many of the major battles including Ypres, Neuve Chapelle (heavy casualties), Festubert and Loos. At the end of 1915 the majority of Indian contingents were redeployed to the Middle East, but two cavalry divisions remained and participated in the Battle of the Somme. Soldiers in the Indian Army won many awards for bravery including fourteen Victoria Crosses. In all, 74,187 Indian soldiers died in the First World War, 7,700 on the Western Front alone.

Manchester Regiment (5th City Pals) 1914-1915 Star - PTE. A. FRANCIS. Wounded First Day of Somme, recovered and again wounded in 1917. Discharged with Silver War Badge

Impressed on reverse: 18176 PTE. A. FRANCIS. MANCH: R.

Albert Francis worked as a labourer and was living at 4 Buxton Lane, Droylsden, Nr. Manchester with his wife and three young daughters when he enlisted at the age of 29 in January 1915. He saw service as a Private in 'B' Company, 20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment being wounded on 1st July 1916, confirmed by correspondence in his papers available online. Recovered and returned to duty, a year later he was wounded a second time (gun shot wound left arm), and was discharged with a Silver War Badge on 6th August 1917. Paperwork includes copy MIC, details of Silver War badge, copies of attestation papers and correspondence.

See under Books: Regimental Histories and Personal Accounts for the Manchester City Battalions Brigades Book of Honour

Manchester Regiment Victory Medal - PTE. W. PENNY. Died of Wounds 03/07/16 - Somme

Impressed on the rim: 20313 PTE. W. PENNY. MANCH. R.

William Penny from Stretford, Manchester saw service as a Private with the 22nd Battalion (7th City) Manchester Regiment and died of wounds on 3rd July 1916, he is now buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe. Copy MIC included along with pages from CWGC and Ancestry.

Good Very Fine. £85.00 + £4.50 P&P UK

The Battalion was raised in Manchester on the 21st November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and the major Manchester cotton producers. Throughout January 1915 the battalion spent time in Morecambe and Grantham for training and in September 1915 they moved to Larkhill Camp, Salisbury Plain for final training. On the 11th November 1915 they landed at Boulogne and on the 20th December 1915. they became part of the 91st Brigade 7th Division. The 22nd had their first experience of the trenches, training with the Royal Irish Fusiliers. In February 1916 they arrived at the Somme, opposite the German held fortified village of Mametz, east of Fricourt. On the 2nd June A company carried out a trench raid on a German listening post which was rated a success but not without cost, as the problem of uncut wire, which was to be a major factor in the oncoming Battle of the Somme, caused many casualties.

The Battle of the Somme commenced on the 1st July 1916, the 22nd, as part of 7th Division, would be attacking Fricourt in a pincer movement. The 22nd achieved their first objective of Bucket Trench and further advanced on Danzig Alley but were driven back as German troops emerged from their deep underground bunkers unscathed by the Allied artillery bombardment. Re-inforced by the elements of the South Staffords, the 22nd took Danzig Trench. The brigade pushed forward and Mametz was taken. The battalion paid a terrible price, of the 796 men that started the day, 472 became casualties. The battalion was relieved on the 5th July.

See under Books: Regimental Histories and Personal Accounts for the Manchester City Battalions Brigades Book of Honour

Manchester Regiment - British War Medal PTE. ALFRED HEAPS - discharged unfit for duty August 1916

Impressed into the rim: 20159 PTE. A. HEAPS. MANCH. R.

Alfred Heaps enlisted 30th November 1914 and was discharged under KIng's Regulation 392 xvi on11/08/16. Listed as sickness, the category embraces a number of reasons that could lead to discharge, but in this case it is most likely to be "Nervous or physical strain from war conditions" rendering the soldier permanently physically unfit for war service. He would have been entitled to a Silver War Badge. Serving with the 22nd Battalion and after a year spent training throughout the UK (see Private Penny’s story above) he was without doubt exposed to the horrors of the Somme as his baptism of fire. No doubt further research would be more revealing.

Fortunately by this period during WWI, the mental and physical strains inflicted by shell-fire were more greatly appreciated. Hitherto, men who were unable to function were usually regarded as cowards / malingerers. Before the medical profession became more enlightened, electric-shock therapy, anesthesia and behavioural methods (shouted commands, isolation and restricted diet) were often employed as methods of treatment.

Copy MIC included. Good Very Fine. £35.00 + £4.50 P&P UK

See under Books: Regimental Histories and Personal Accounts for the Manchester City Battalions Brigades Book of Honour

HOUGHTON family medals: (WWI) Father - Royal Army Medical Corps and son - (WWII) Royal Artillery - KIA Dunkirk. From Accrington, Lancashire

Father - William Edward Houghton was awarded the 1914-1915 Star (named on the reverse - 53492 SJT. W. HOUGHTON. R.A.M.C., and the British War and Victory Medals (both impressed 53492 SJT. W.E. HOUGHTON. R.A.M.C. on the rims) along with eight original photographic postcards, seven in army uniform, nearly all of which have either a letter to the reverse or captions regarding the subject matter. NB. One is captioned 'Great Grandad Houghton in Russia'. He had originally served in Egypt from 27th July 1915.

Son - George Ridsdale Houghton was posthumously awarded the 1939-1945 Star and War Medal, both unnamed as issued. Typed casualty slip Gnr. G.R. HOUGHTON who was killed in action whilst serving with 32nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery on 28th May 1940. The eldest son of William Edward and Edith Houghton of 32 Oswald Street, Accrington, Lancashire (formerly of Rishton). George was 21 when he was killed.

He was educated at Benjamin Hargreaves School and attended St. Paul’s Church. Before he was called up for the Militia in November 1939 he was employed by North East Lancashire Dairies. George is now remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. Also included are copies of two contemporary newspaper cuttings from the same newspaper regarding George's fate. The first cutting carries the story of George's death but mistakenly prints the photograph of another soldier. The second (smaller) cutting apologises for the mistake and prints the correct image.

Gunner Houghton was one of thousands of British troops travelling towards Bray Dunes near Dunkirk. He was riding in a convoy of trucks and as they neared Hazebrouck they were attacked by German dive bombers. George was originally posted as missing for five years and this was subsequently amended to presumed killed as he was last seen by friends travelling in the same convoy and he had not been seen since that day.

£235.00 + £8.00 P&P UK

Copy MIC (shows entitlement to War and Victory Medals) and Gazette entry included. NB. Handwritten note on copy MIC states “MM with B Battery 117/Bde RFA”. There is a considerable amount of information online regarding the role of the Royal Artillery during WWI and this medal could be the beginning of an interesting research project.

Good Very Fine. £35.00 + £4.50 P&P UK