The Great War pair and Wakefield Gold Medal for the destruction of Zeppelin L15 awarded to Corporal Alfred Pearce, Royal Artillery

British War and Victory Medals (20412 Cpl. A. J. Pearce, R.A.); The Lord Mayor of The City of London, Sir Charles Wakefield’s Gold Medal, obverse centre Wakefield’s arms within inscription ‘Presented by the Lord Mayor Colonel Sir Charles Wakefield’, reverse, gun and L15 above two scrolls reading ‘Well Hit’ and ‘March 31st - April 1st 1916’, reverse field inscribed with name of recipient ‘Corpl. A. H. Pearce’, 9 carat gold hallmarks for Birmingham 1916, extremely fine (3) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Military Awards from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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Alfred Harold Pearce (who was known in the Army as Alfred John Pearce) was born in about 1887. As a young man he trained as a mechanic and became a chauffeur in private service before the Great War. During the war he joined the Royal Artillery, becoming a Corporal. He served at one stage in 164 Anti-Aircraft Section, Royal Garrison Artillery, one of the detachments that took part in the shooting down of the German Zeppelin L15, for which he received Wakefield’s Gold Medal.

These gold medals were awarded as the result of a bounty of £500 offered by Sir Charles Wakefield to the first gun’s crew to shoot down a Zeppelin on domestic soil. Due to the fact that a number of gun crews were involved in shooting down the L15, it was decided that the money would instead be spent on the production of gold medals to present to each individual member of the crews involved.

The Zeppelin L15 was severely damaged by anti-aircraft fire over London on the night of 31 March - 1 April 1916. The Zeppelin plunged into the sea a mile from the Kentish Knock Lightship shortly after midnight, and the 17 survivors were taken aboard H.M.S. Vulture, but not before being stripped naked by order of the ship’s Captain. Sold with original photograph of the recipient in civilian dress and some research.