Richard Winterton Auctioneers
Lot 482
A COMPLETE AND VERY IMPORTANT ARCHIVE OF MEDALS AND SERVICE EPHEMERA, to a member of the 6th Btn North Staffordshire Regiment, who was a Veteran of the 'D' Day landings 'Operation Overlord' in June 1944, 5038238 Private, later Company Sgt Major & WO 2.John Coleman, this archive consists of the 1939-45 & France/Germany Stars, Defence and War medal, together with the Territorial Efficiency medal, correctly named to 5038238 WO.Class2. J Coleman, North Staffs, together with certificate of issue and original fibre dog tags, soldiers Service and paybook, six boxed and loose silver & silver gilt Shooting medals for Coleman from the Lichfield Miniature Rifle club, two are named on the reverse J.Coleman, metal North Staffs tie bar, four original WW2 period patches for the North Staffords, and 59th Staffs Division/21st Army group, a number of original maps for the D Day landings including area of Arromanches,(Gold Beach) The overlay map of the Bocage are back from the Beaches,& a further map of the area around Caen, also present is the original cover from the Daily Herald dated Friday August 11th 1944, concerning the landings, original Soldiers release book for Coleman, giving his date of birth as 11th October 1901, information from the Family States that he was evacuated back to the UK with an injury, but went back to France and served with the push to Paris and its liberation, The archive includes many original black and white photos of his time in Paris, with menu cards tourist pamphlets etc, and some original French Resistance photos of their struggles with the Nazi's, there is also a printed letter from Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme HQ AEF, finally a framed certificate from Commander Home Forces dated 4 June 1943 to Coleman & a framed North Stafford crest, a historical and important archive to a D Day veteran
