Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private C. H. Woodberry, Coldstream Guards
British War and Victory Medals (19730 Pte. C. H. Woodberry. C. Gds.) good very fine

British War Medal 1914-20 (200391 Sjt. F. W. Thomas. Worc. R.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (4) (3354 Pte. A. Goodman. Worc. R.; 13303 Pte. W. J. Jerome. Worc. R.; 2484 Pte. F. Wellings. Worc. R.; T-31530 Dvr. W. Turvey. A.S.C.) very fine or better (7) £160-200

Charles Henry Woodberry, a native of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, was born in Stourport, Worcestershire, in 1885 and attested for the Coldstream Guards at Kidderminster on 11 December 1915. Posted immediately to the Army Reserve, he was Mobilised at Caterham, Surrey, on 20 October 1916, and served with the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards during the Great War on the Western Front from 9 July 1917, transferring to the 2nd Battalion on 12 August of that year. Admitted to hospital on 5 April 1918, suffering from the effects of having been gassed, he re-joined his Battalion at the end of that month, and was promoted Lance-Corporal on 28 May 1918, and Corporal on 22 November 1918. He was demobilised on 18 October 1919.

Frederick Thomas, a native of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, served with the 1st/7th and 4th Battalions, Worcestershire Regiment during the Great War.

Albert Goodman, a native of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, attested there for the Worcestershire Regiment in December 1914, and served with the 2nd/7th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, in the Machine Gun Section. Advanced Lance-Corporal, he was killed in action on 10 October 1916, and is buried in St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery, France. Following his death, Company Sergeant-Major C. H. Youngjohns (see Lot 1212) wrote to Goodman’s widow thus:
‘Dear Mrs. Goodman, please accept my deepest sympathy and regret in the sad loss of your husband. He took part in a raid in which we also lost some of our best officers and men killed during the raid, and in bringing in the wounded. He will be very much missed in the Machine Gun Section, with whom he was held in the greatest esteem, and, although they are separated from the Company, we all feel the same for one of our members, and I know I am expressing the feelings of everyone in the Company. He has done his duty well, and made the greatest sacrifice that is possible.’ (The Kidderminster Shuttle, 28 October 1916 refers).

William John Jerome was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and attested there for the Worcestershire Regiment. He served with the 3rd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on 3 September 1916, on which date the Battalion was in action on the Liepzig Salient, Somme: at 5.10 a.m. two companies from the Battalion took part in the attack on the Wonder Work from the Hindenburg trench; the attacking units entered the front line but were unable to consolidate and were forced to withdraw. Jerome has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. He is also commemorated on the St. John the Baptist Church Memorial, Kidderminster.

Francis Wellings was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and attested there for the Worcestershire Regiment in August 1914. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 31 March 1915, and was killed in action on 1 April 1918. He has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.

William Turvey was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, in 1891 and served during the Great War with the 22nd Field Ambulance on the Western Front from 5 October 1914, before transferring to the Rifle Brigade on 28 July 1917 with the new number 6621, and subsequently serving with the 1st/28th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, attached 1st Battalion, Artists’ Rifles (London Regiment). He died on 6 December 1918 and is buried in Amersfoort General Cemetery, Holland.