Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Second Lieutenant E. Combe, Royal Engineers
British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. E. Combe.) in named card boxes of issue, nearly extremely fine

Three: Pioneer G. Stonell, Royal Engineers
British War and Victory Medals (211449 Pnr. R. G. Stonell. R.E.) with flattened named card box of issue; Imperial Service Medal, G.V.R., Circular issue, 2nd ‘Coronation robes’ issue (Rupert George Stonell) in case of issue, nearly extremely fine (5) £70-£90

Edmond Combe served as Sapper in France from May 1918 and was subsequently appointed to a commission on 22 August 1918. Recorded in the British Rolls of Honour and Nominal Rolls as a volunteer from Argentina, the reverse of his MIC further confirms his post-war address as the ‘Department of Engineering, Plaza Constitucion, Buenos Aires, S. America.’

Rupert George Stonell was born in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, in 1876, and worked pre-war as a local postman. He attested for the Royal Engineers at Bletchley Recruiting Office on 6 November 1916 and served in France with the 5th Army Signalling Company. Demobilised in 1919, he resumed his career as a postman, and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal in 1936 (London Gazette 2 October 1936), detailed in detail by The Buckinghamshire Advertiser and North Bucks Free Press:
‘Postman’s Imperial Service Medal
Walked 302,260 Miles
The well-known Winslow postman, Mr. Rupert George Stonell of 112, High Street, had the distinction this week of receiving the Imperial Service Medal in recognition of his meritorious service.
Mr. Stonell was one of the old walking postmen and during his service covered a distance of approximately 302,260 miles. Part of this was across fields to isolated farms in the Claydons, which he faithfully served for a long period, setting off in the darkness of a winter morning. Later, he became a cycling postman and covered the North Marston round, cycling 35 miles in a day. He was scarcely ever ill or absent and had a reputation for punctuality.’