{"product_id":"ww1-british-war-victory-medal-pair-edward-albert-sayer-royal-west-kent-regiment","title":"WW1 British War \u0026 Victory Medal pair, 25054 Pte E.A. Sayer, Royal West Kent Regiment","description":"\u003cp\u003eWW1 British War Medal and Victory Medal pair named to 25054 Private Edward Albert Sayer, Royal West Kent Regiment. A fully researched First World War pair to a London picture frame maker who served in Mesopotamia and came home broken by malaria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe medals are in good condition and correctly named. They are mounted for wear with the original ribbons and are not overly polished. The details are correctly impressed on the rim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHis story\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEdward Albert Sayer was a picture frame maker and joiner from London. He signed on for the length of the war on 15 May 1916, aged 28, and was called up on 5 December 1916.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe sailed for India in March 1917 and joined the depot of the 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, at Bangalore. From Bombay he sailed for Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and landed at Basra on 4 June 1917.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBroken by fever in Mesopotamia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin three weeks he was in hospital with sand-fly fever. He joined his battalion in the field in July 1917.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn October 1917 he went down with jaundice. He was sent to hospital in Baghdad, then down river to Amara, and spent months in the convalescent depot there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn March 1918 he was graded fit for base duty only. On 19 April 1918 he was compulsorily transferred to the 2nd Garrison Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, and worked as a tally clerk at Amara.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHome and discharge\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe left Basra in October 1918 and reached home in November. An Army doctor found he had repeated attacks of malaria and was \"extremely shaky\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was discharged at Ripon on 4 February 1919 as no longer fit for service, with a 20 per cent disability pension. His home was 5 Fassett Square, Dalston, London. His wife was Gertrude Ellen Sayer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTwo regiments, two numbers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis medals are named to the Royal West Kents because that was his regiment when he first reached a theatre of war. His service papers are filed under his later Northumberland Fusiliers number, 76997. His medal index card shows both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eService record\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e15 May 1916: enlisted, aged 28\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e5 December 1916: called up\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9 March 1917: sailed for India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 June 1917: landed at Basra, Mesopotamia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJuly 1917: joined his battalion in the field\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOctober 1917: hospital in Baghdad and Amara with jaundice\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e19 April 1918: transferred to Northumberland Fusiliers, number 76997\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e17 October 1918: left Basra for England\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e4 February 1919: discharged with malaria\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNaming on the medals\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25054 PTE. E.A. SAYER. R.W. KENT R.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54823759970632,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG_3535.heic?v=1794729372","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/ww1-british-war-victory-medal-pair-edward-albert-sayer-royal-west-kent-regiment","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}