1914 Star with original 5th August – November 22nd clasp (entitlement confirmed on the medal roll), War Medal, Victory Medal, George V type A 1911-1920 (swivel suspender) Long Service Good Conduct Medal and 1911 Delhi Durbar Medal awarded Herbert Collis of the Royal Field Artillery. The LSGC is numbered 1043211 and the trio 48996, copy of a discharge record confirms these numbers – the British Army introduced a new numbering system in 1920. Interestingly his Delhi Durbar medal has been privately engraved and carries the number 48966 as does the Delhi Durbar medal roll and he was admitted to the 4th Stationary Hospital at St Omer in June 1915 where his number was also recorded as 48966. The condition of the medals is good, there’s some edge knocks on the Delhi Durbar at around 7 o’clock and a small edge bruise on the LSGC. The ribbons are original but the back of them has a residue of glue, presumably they were glued to a bar to wear.
Herbert Collis was born at Sydenham in Kent in 1885, enlisted in the army in 1903 and transferred to the RFA from the Bedford regiment in 1907. By 1911 Collis was serving with 14 Battery RFA in India and is on their roll for the Delhi Durbar medal. In 1914 7, 14 and 66 Batteries formed the 4th Brigade Royal Field Artillery and landed in France on 14th October 1914 with 7th (Meerut) Division of the Indian Army. The division fought in the battles of La Bassee, 1st Messines and Armentieres during the “race to the sea”. In 1915 the division fought in the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, Festubert and Loos. From then the 4th Brigade RFA was transferred to Mesopotamia with the 3rd (Lahore) Division of the Indian Army and joined the Tigris Corps. In 1918 after the fall of Baghdad the Brigade, still with the 3rd (Lahore) Division transferred to Palestine and in September 1918 fought with Egyptian Expeditionary Force at the battle of Megiddo. It could be said that Herbert Collis got around before he was discharged in 1923.
The Small Print:
All coins, medals and other items I sell are genuine unless I have explicitly described them as otherwise, I have been selling on eBay for over 20 years and I guarantee this forever. If I sell you something as genuine that later turns out to be a forgery I will take the item back and refund you in full including all postage costs. There are a great many groups on social media sites with experienced collectors and dealers posting coins that you can look at which will help you learn to grade coins and offer advice on whether a coin is genuine or not. Don’t get caught out by fake coins. Feel free to copy any of my images to post on groups to get opinions on the actual coins I’m selling.
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