CAMPAIGN GROUPS AND PAIRS


By chance, one of the Gurkhas surrounding the building then accidentally discharged his rifle. The deputies inside the chamber jumped to their feet but, realising the futility of resistance, gave themselves up. The leaders of the ‘South West Caucasian Republic’ were then arrested and taken by Ford vans to the railway station, whence they were despatched to Tiflis. Martial law was declared in the city, and British troops patrolled the streets. Controls were placed on the roads leading out of town, and a house to house search for arms was carried out.


On 27 April General Milne, Commander in chief of the British ‘Army of the Black Sea’, visited the Battalion. It is not known if he shared his thoughts on this campaign with Preston; he recorded in his diary ‘The country and the inhabitants are equally loathesome and we seem to be accepting an enormous responsibility for no very great reason.’ The Armenian parliament and army arrived from Alexandropol to take over and the British prepared to leave Kars and return to Tiflis.


On 6 May 1919, Preston was thrown from his horse and suffered a fractured skull. He was treated at the Battalion hospital and then at No. 110 Field Ambulance but died of his injuries. His body was brought to Tiftis, Georgia, and buried in the British Military Cemetery. Brigadier Davey sent the following telegram : ‘Have learned with greatest sorrow of the accidental death which happened to Lieutenant-Colonel Preston. The Armenian Government have asked me to express their deepest condolences.’


Sold with comprehensive research. Preston’s letters to his wife are held at the National Army Museum (Acc. 6510-11).


778


Four: Private J. Gosnell, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry


1914 STAR, with clasp (21853. Pte. J. Gosnell. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) later impressed naming; BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (21853 Pte. J. Gosnell. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); INDIAGENERAL SERVICE 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (21853 Pte. J. Gosnell, Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) unit officially corrected on the last, good very fine (4)


£160-200


Sold with copied m.i.c. for British War and Victory Medals and I.G.S., no date of entry given. The 1914 Star is probably a later claim for which no card has been found.


779


Five: Signalman A. R. N. Watson, Royal Signals, late Royal Engineers, who served overseas during the Great War underage and with the scarce rank of ‘Boy’


1914 STAR, with copy clasp (24828 Boy A. Watson. R.E.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (24828 Spr. A. R. M. Watson. R. E.); INDIA GENERAL SERVICE 1908-35, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1921-24 (2306458 Sgln. A. R. N. Watson. R. Signals.) third initial over-struck; GENERAL SERVICE 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (2306458 Sgln. A. R. N. Watson. R. Signals) mounted court-style, light contact marks, very fine, ‘Boy’ a scarce rank on Star (5)


£240-280


Arthur Robert Norton Watson was born in Kent on 24 January 1899, the son of Sergeant-Major John Watson, Royal Engineers, and followed in his father’s footsteps, joining the Royal Engineers as a ‘Boy’ soldier. He served during the Great War with the 2nd Signal Company, Royal Engineers, on the Western Front from 17 August 1914; unusually, his rank was recorded as ‘Boy’ and his 1914 Star was issued thus. He subsequently served in Waziristan with the newly formed Royal Corps of Signals, and later in Palestine. He died in Chichester, Sussex, in December 1981.


www.dnw.co.uk


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