WW1 BRITISH ARMY MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL M.S.M. VETERINARY CORPS M.I.D. SUEZ

36mm wide circular medal with swivel scroll suspension; the face with the crowned head and shoulders of King George V in field marshal’s uniform facing left, circumscribed ‘GEORGIUS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:’ (George V King of Great Britain and Emperor of India); the reverse inscribed ‘FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE’ above an arabesque, within a laurel wreath, a Tudor crown above; age-toned, in overall excellent condition, on correct ribbon. Impressed named to: SE-4829 PTE- A. SGT H. DE BOLLA. R.A.V.C.M.S.M. London Gazette 18.1.1919 SE/4829 Pte. (A./'Sjt.) De Bolla, H., 10th Mob. Vet. Sec. (Bromley) Royal Army Veterinary Corps. 'In recognition of valuable services rendered with the Armies in France & Flanders. Henry De Bolla enlisted under the General enlistment scheme for the wars duration, being numbered SE 4829. His M.I.C. shows he served in the Balkan Theatre (II) as of the 15th March 1915. He is listed as serving with the 19th Mobile Veterinary Section, who on wars declaration were sent to Egypt, Suez & Gallipoli fighting the Turkish forces there. From there, they returned to Egypt, fighting at the Battle of Romani, Palestine and were sent in 1917 to France & Flanders for the remainder of the war. (see details of the unit below). De Bolla was also Mentioned in Dispatches on the 14th of December 1917. The medal was instituted on 19 December 1845 to reward distinguished and meritorious service by non-commissioned officers of the rank of sergeant and above. From October 1916, immediate awards for valuable and meritorious were made and from January 1917 it was also awarded for acts of gallantry other than in the face of the enemy. Only approximately 30,000 of these were issued during WW1, making this a rarer medal than the Military Medal. 19th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC served with 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. The East Lancashire Division was a formation of the Territorial Force, when war broke out in August 1914 all units were mobilised at once for war service. They were the firts Territorial Division to move overseas, embarking for Egypt on the 9th of September 1914 to defend the Suez Canal from the Turkishh forces in Palestine. They were in action in the Turkish attack on the Suez Canal on the 3rd of February 1915. In the first week of May the division embraked from Alexandria, landing at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, where they saw action in the attempts to capture the heights of Krihia and the Battle of Krithia Vineyard which was a diversionary attack for the British Landing at Sulva Bay. The much depleted division were evacuated from Gallipoli in the first week of January 1916, returning to Alexandria via Mudros. They returned to duty on the Suez Canal and were in action in the Battle of Romani in August. In early 1917 they were ordered to the Western Front, departing from Alexandria in February. They went into the front line at Ephey, moved to Havrincourt then were withdrawn to Albert for rest and training during July and August. In September they moved north to Flanders and were in action during the Third Battle of Ypres at Iberian, Borry Farm, Beck House Farm and Sans Souci. At the end of the month they moved to the coast at Nieuport until November when they moved to La Bassee Canal at Givenchy. In 1918 they saw action during The Battle of Bapaume, The First Battle of Arras, The Battle of the Ancre, The Battle of Albert, The Second Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of the Canal du Nord, The pursuit to the Selle and The Battle of the Selle. At the Armictice the advance units of the division had crossed the River Sambre at Hautmont. They were moved back to the Charleroi area in mid December where they were demobilised.