The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals

A well-documented group of four awarded to Quartermaster and Captain F. P. Clark, 3rd (The King’s Own) Hussars, a long-served veteran of the regiment who died as a result of illness contracted on active service on 8 October 1918 Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (2314 R. Qr: Mr: Serjt: F. P. Clark. 3rd Hussars.); 1914 Star (Hon: Lt: & Q.M. F. P. Clark. 3/Hrs.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Q.M. & Capt. F. P. Clark.) in named card box of issue; Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (2314 Q.M. Serjt: F. P. Clarke. 3rd Hussars) first and last mounted together as worn, nearly extremely fine (4) £300-£400 --- Frederick Percy Clark was born in 1868 at Ulceby, North Lincolnshire, the son of Rosa Clark, and was educated at Royal St. Anne’s School, Streatham Hill, Surrey. He attested for the 3rd (King’s Own) Hussars at Manchester on 28 May 1886 and was advanced Corporal in April 1888, Payment Sergeant in June 1888 and Quartermaster Sergeant in February 1892. He served in South Africa during the Boer War as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (medal and 3 clasps). Commissioned Quartermaster of his regiment with the honorary rank of Lieutenant on 15 November 1905, he served a total of 4 years and 6 months in South Africa and 8 years and 6 months in India before returning to England with his regiment prior to the outbreak of the Great War. Mobilised on 5 August 1914, Clark served with his regiment on the Western Front as part of the 4th Cavalry Brigade from 16 August 1914 and was present with the regiment in 1914 at the Battles of Mons (and subsequent Retreat), Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Messines, Armentières, Ypres and Gheluvelt. He was promoted Captain in November 1915 and served with the 4th Battalion (Dismounted Cavalry Division) in the trenches at Vermelles between 1 January and 15 February 1916 and was also present with the 3rd Hussars at the Somme, 1916, the Battle of Arras, 1917 and the Battle of Cambrai, 1917. He continued to serve in France until May 1918 when he was compelled to return to England owing to ill health attributable to active service. Diagnosed with an aneurysm, he retired from the service on 3 June 1918, and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He died on 8 October 1918, aged 50 years, leaving a widow - H. G. Clark, of 107 Chart Rd., Folkestone - and is buried in Shorncliffe Military Cemetery. Sold together with the recipient’s metal campaign box, inscribed to front ‘F. P. Clark 3rd (K.O.) Hussars’ 44cm x 31cm x 19cm, containing an archive of items, documents and letters including the following: army shaving strop; wooden baton; 2 ink pots; cigar cutter; gimlet; recipient’s Accounts Book; Programme of the Review in Honour of their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales held at Rawalpindi on 8 December 1905; recipient’s Army Book; Summary of Information 2nd Cavalry Division, Christmas Number. 1914 (2 copies) - a humorous account of the activities of the 2nd Division in the opening phase of the war together with a journal of the Division’s activities from the beginning of the war until 31 August 1914; Royal St. Anne’s Redhill School Magazines, April 1917 and March 1918 - the latter showing the recipient listed as having been wounded on active service; 3rd Hussars Christmas Card 1916; another 3rd Hussars Christmas card - undated; 11 maps of France and Belgium; 2 booklets of postcards showing scenes of Albert post bombardment and a quantity of similar loose postcards; War Office transmittal letter to accompany 1914 Star, BWM and Victory Medals; a quantity of correspondence between the recipient’s widow and the Ministry of Pensions; a further quantity of assorted ephemera.