Silver War Badge. Numbered ‘467690’ (positively attributed to No A/1059 Driver James Sanderson, Royal Army Service Corps late Army Service Corps)

A S.W.B. to an 'Old Contemptible' who was 'Convicted a Deserter and did 5 Years Penal Servitude' - the recipients 1914 Star Medal Roll entry refers

Medals & Silver War Badge verification: A/1059 Driver James Sanderson, Army Service Corps is confirmed entitled to Silver War Badge, together with a 1914-15 Star trio of Great War medals, per below cited sources:

- 1914 Star. No clasp: WO 329/2489. Shown as SANDISON Marked (C) for forfeiture, with ink scored entry 'Conv. Desertion, 5 Years P.S.'
- British War Medal. Silver: WO 329/2003. Shown as SANDSON
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/2003. Shown as SANDSON
- Silver War Badge (Badge No. 467690): WO 329/3228. Shown SANDERSON enlisted 11/06/1913 / discharged 25/02/1919. Cause of discharge sickness (K.R. 392 (XV1) A)

A confusing recipient - and a victim of appalling clerical recording. The recipients surname name recorded variously as SANDERSON, SANDISON & SANDESON, what is more certain is that all the respective entries shows the same regimental number A/1059, and in one case a variation, vis the medal roll entry for the BWM/Interallied Victory Medal that show his number as 'CAT. "A" HT1059'

Two Medal Index Cards are extant for the recipient, one for the 1914 Star the other for the pair.

Considering, the confusion of names, and written ink entries - several subsequently scored through - it is not at all clear to us, if the recipient ever actually received any of his campaign medals, to which he was entitled, but may not have been awarded basis his recorded 'Deserter' and Penal Servitude record. The medals notwithstanding, what is certain is that the Silver War Badge here offered for sale, was issued to this soldier....

James Sanderson (Sandison?) was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he is recorded to have been born in 1893. He had enlisted in the British Army on, 11 June 1913, at which time he was posted to the Army Service Corps. In 1914, James was a very early entrant into theatre of war 'France', the respective medal roll showing that he disembarked in France on, 10 August 1914. His Medal Index Card, for the 1914 Star shows his subsidiary Army Service Corps unit as '1/A R D' which presumably is a reference to the Army Service Corps '1st Army Remount Depot'?

The SWB complete with hinged pin & clasp fittings on reverse

Condition: GVF

Code: 24510