A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Pair: Second Lieutenant S. C. East, Honourable Artillery Company, killed in action at Passchendale, 9 October 1917

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (Sydney Clark East) contained in a contemporary glazed oak display frame; together with a quantity of original documentation, including, illuminated memorial scroll; assorted wartime newspaper cuttings; exercise book, with handwritten entries mostly dealing with military tactics; H.A.C. Journal, May 1925 issue, this with details regarding the attack on Reutel, in the build up to which East was killed; and a quantity of letters, many in French, and including three detailed wartime letters from recipient to his wife and children, extremely fine and an interesting and emotive lot (3) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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Sydney Clark East was killed in action at Passchendale on 9 October 1917, whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company. He was 37 years of age, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium

The following is extracted from a typescript letter written by a Corporal in the H.A.C. to his widow: ‘Your husband was the most popular man in his company, he was loved by everyone and treated with the highest of esteem. He came to 13 Platoon in the summer of last year, and during our training at Bertrancourt, he soon proved a worthy leader. Whilst we were marching towards Belgium, I noticed several kindly actions. On several occasions have I seen him take rifles away from weary boys and carry them himself. He always spoke words of comfort and cheer.

At Passchendale he proved himself a brick. Before October 9th we were under heavy shell fire for over three weeks, and 13 Platoon came in for a great deal of work. Once I saw Mr East standing out in torrential rain, whilst his men were huddled together in a small bivouac. Prior to the advance, the boys agreed to stand by him until the last, and they did. What was left of us were terribly upset when we heard the sad news. Had Mr East survived the battle, he would have earned a decoration.’