Five: Sergeant G. A. Organ, 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, who landed as a Boy Soldier at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao in September 1914

1914-15 Star (11028 Boy G. A. Organ. S. Wales Bord:); British War and Victory Medals (11028 Pte. G. A. Organ. S. Wales Bord.); Defence Medal; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (3903248 Sjt. G. A. Organ S. Wales Bord.) worn, good fine (5) £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to the South Wales Borderers.

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George ‘Gerry’ Albert Organ joined the Regimental Band of the South Wales Borderers as a Boy in 1911, and was serving with the 2nd Battalion in China in 1913 - where he was part of the Battalion’s Boys Football XI (photograph of team at Tientsin in 1913 included with lot). He served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion when they landed at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao in September 1914 (MIC erroneously gives entry date as September 1915). Jack Henderson, also a Boy in the 2nd Battalion (No. 11027) and also included in the above mentioned photograph, wrote the following in 1980:

‘Gerry Organ... was in China with me. Yes we were both in Tientsin and the Fall of Tsingtao... he was a clarinet player and I was a cornet player.’

Organ stayed in the Army after the Great War, and advanced to Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion in September 1926. He died at St. Helens, Isle of Wight in December 1965.

Sold with several letters from Jack Henderson in the 1980’s, his Regimental Association Membership Card, and the above mentioned photograph as well as one of Henderson during the Armistice Parade at Farnham, Canada in 1960.