Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A well-documented group of four awarded to Gunner W. J. Blunden, Royal Field Artillery

China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (17783 Acting Bomdr W. Bluden [sic] 12th. Batry. Rl. Fd. Artry.) rank and surname both partially officially corrected; 1914 Star, with clasp (17783 Gnr; W. J. Blunden. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (17783 Gnr. W. J. Blunden. R.A.) mounted as worn, very fine (4) £700-£900

Walter Jacob Blunden was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, in 1878 and attested for the Royal Field Artillery at Hounslow on 23 December 1896. He served with the 12th Battery R.F.A. in India from 10 November 1898, and was promoted Acting Bombardier on 16 May 1900. He served with the Battery in China during the Boxer Rebellion from 23 July 1900, and was present at the Relief of the British Legation in Pekin on 14 August 1900: the recipient’s diary extract for Tuesday 14 August states:

‘Marched at 5:30 a.m. The roads were very heavy from the rain which had fallen during the previous night and we had hard work to get along. Firing could be heard from the direction of Pekin. We passed along the road leading to the East Gate of the Chinese City, and came into action at 1,350 yards range. The enemy cleared out and left two 12-pounder Krupp guns behind them. We then advanced and entered the City of Pekin; as we proceeded up Chen-men Street we were under a hot fire from the houses on both sides of the road, by the Imperial Troops and Boxers who had taken refuge in them, and there was a lot of sniping from the walls. A gun was made ready, brought up to the corner of the street, and fired; after 4 rounds the snipers retired. News was soon through that the General had got into the British Legation and found “All Well”. 2 guns entered the Legation by the Sluice Gate, with the remainder of the Battery going to the “Temple of Heaven” for the night. It was 11:30 p.m. when we got settled, but we then turned out and twice fired on the South Gate as the Boxers were trying to attack, but eventually they were driven back. It was 11:50 p.m. before we finally retired for the night, horses and men completely knocked up. To add to our discomfort it now came on rain.’

Blunden was promoted Bombardier on 18 December 1900, but reverted at his own request to Gunner on 16 September 1901. He departed China on 3 November 1901, and arrived back in India on 22 November of that year. He saw further service during the Great War with the 37th Brigade R.F.A. on the Western Front from 23 August 1914.

Sold together with the recipient’s Service Book, this privately rebound in calf leather covers, the outside cover embossed ‘No. 17,783 W. Blunden 12th. F.B. R.A.’ together with the badge of the 12th Field Battery, R.A.; the recipient’s hand-written diary of the operations of the 12th Battery, R.F.A. in China 1900-01; various hand-written poems by the recipient relating to service life; two portrait photographs of the recipient; and a book of ‘Regulations and Instructions for Encampments 1875.’