Medal group of 4 to an Old Indian Hand, whose son, a British Officer was 'Killed-in-Action' fighting at Singapore: Captain Charles Hammond, M.B.E. Indian Army, later Squadron Leader, Royal Air Force & late Royal Sussex Regiment
The group of 4 x medals comprise:
- 1914-15 Star (8092 Sjt. C. Hammond. R. Suss. R.)
- British War Medal (1-8092 C. Sjt. C. Hammond R. Suss. R.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (8092 C. Sjt. C. Hammond R. Suss. R.)
- Delhi Durbar Medal 1911. Silver issue (8092 Cpl C Hammond R S R)
Note: The Delhi Durbar Medal is named in the correct regimental impressed style common for the Royal Sussex Regiment
All medals verified as entitled and issued per the respective medal rolls referenced below:
- 1914-15 Star: (Ref 329/2650). Star issued 10 July 1924
- British War Medal: (Ref 329/871). Medal despatched 6 June 1922
- Interallied Victory Medal: (Ref 329/871). Medal issued 10 July 1924
- Delhi Durbar Medal 1911: (Ref WO 100/400)
M.B.E.: In addition to the above campaign and commemorative medals, Charles Hammond is also confirmed being decorated as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division). Captain (Deputy Commissary) Charles Hammond is confirmed having been awarded an M.B.E (Military Division) published in the London Gazette issue of 9 June 1938 - vide King's Birthday Honours List 1938
Important: Captain Deryck Charles Eckron Hammond 7th Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment - son of Captain Charles Hammond - was 'Killed-in-Action' in Singapore Colony on 11 February 1942 - he was only 22 years of age, and very recently married (in 1941 he had married Phyllis Helen Owen (a 28 years old bride) at, Colaba, Bombay, India). Tragically, 7/8 Punjab were, like all of the other infantry battalions of 44th Indian Infantry Brigade, woefully ill-prepared when they were rushed to theatre of war 'Malaya', where they disembarked at Singapore Colony on 22 January 1942 (all members of 44 Indian Infantry Brigade qualifying for the award of the 1939-45 Star, The Pacific Star and War Medal only). In the event, 44th Indian Infantry Brigade never did serve on the Malaya peninsula, and remained in Singapore Colony. 7/8 Punjab first experienced combat in the wake of the Japanese landings at Singapore on 8 February 1942 - a week later Singapore Colony surrendered! The body of Captain Deryck Charles Eckron Hammond was never recovered from the battlefield, but his sacrifice is commemorated in perpetuity on Column 201 of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's 'Singapore Memorial' located at Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore
Charles Hammond was a native of the Parish of St. Lukes, Brighton, Sussex, England (ref National Census for England & Wales 1911) where he was born on 1 May 1886 (Indian Army Lists refers). Charles enlisted in the British Army sometime in 1905, and was posted to his local infantry regiment, the Royal Sussex Regiment. After completion of his basic training Charles was posted to 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, that had been serving in British India since 1902. Charles Hammond was destined to spend almost his entire military career of 33 years, serving in India. 1st Battalion Royal Sussex was one of a handful of 'Regular' British infantry regiments to remain in India during the Great War, where it formed part of the 'Peshawar Brigade' and from where it deployed during the North West Frontier Campaign of 1915 in the operations against the Mohmand, Bunerwal and Swati, Pathan tribes (the three tribes that inhabit the northern half of the Peshawar District) that lasted between 17 August?28 October 1915. Fighting began with the defeat of about 3,500 Bunerwals near Rustam on the 17 August, and ended with the rout of 3,000 Bajauris near the village of Wuch north of Chakdara. Another six small engagements were fought; the most important was on 5 September at Hafiz Kor, when 10,000 tribesmen were defeated. Keen to continue soldiering in British India, Charles transferred to the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, in which regiment he was serving as Acting Regimental Sergeant Major and in which regiment he was allocated his unique British Army number in 1920, viz 5610534. Charles Hammond served variously in the inter-war years on attachment with the Indian Unattached List - including a posting attached to the North Western Railway Regiment - and subsequent posting to the Indian Army Corps of Clerks. Charles Hammond was married to Mildred Hammond (born circa 1899), with whom he had two children, viz Deryck Charles Eckron Hammond (born 1920) and Heather Joan Eckron Hammond (born Lahore, Punjab Province, 1922). The family made at least two voyages from British India to England in the inter-war years. On 26 February 1931 the family disembarked at Plymouth, England, from the Peninsula and Oriental liner the S.S. 'Mantua that had sailed from Bomba, India - on the passenger manifest Charles Hammond is shown as a 'Conductor, Indian Corps of Clerks'. On a later voyage, the family sailed aboard the Ellerman City Line vessel S.S. 'City of Hong Kong' from Bombay bound for Plymouth, England, where they disembarked on 3 June 1937, and showed their proposed address as Preston Cottage, North Road, Brighton, Sussex - on this last voyage Charles Hammond is shown as 'Captain, Army Officer'. Captain Charles Hammond M.B.E. retired from the Army 1 May 1938. Early during the Second World War, Captain Charles Hammond, M.B.E. (Indian Army Retired) was appointed a commission in the Royal Air Force, and appointed to the Accountancy Branch, as Flight Lieutenant Charles Hammond, M.B.E., effective from 1 September 1939. His Royal Air Force officer number was 75978. He was granted temporary rank of Squadron Leader effective 1 June 1940
Charles Hammond resigned his Royal Air Force commission on 26 April 1945, at which time he retained the rank of Squadron Leader. For his service in the Second World War, Squadron Leader Hammond was entitled to a Defence and War Medal - whether the medals were ever subsequently issued, and or claimed is not known
Condition: GVF