For sale is a Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902) with 3 bars CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, period engraved Lieut H.J.F. WALLIS. Manch Rgt.; 1914 – 15 Star impressed named CAPTAIN H.F. WALLIS. 2/B.H.Q. A.I.F.; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named  LT COL H.J.F. WALLIS. Mounted for display they come with copies of British and Australian service records, medal rolls, MIC, newspaper article, picture and London Gazette extracts.

Lieutenant Colonel Herbert James Ferryman Wallis was born on 30/9/1881 in Pershore, Worcestershire, England. The only son of the Reverend F.W. Wallis, the rector of Hindlip, Worcestershire, he entered the military on 22/1/1902 being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment.

He deployed to the Boer War in South Africa from 12/2/1902 – 30/9/1902 serving with the Regiment for 6 months. On  returning to England he transferred to the regulars serving with the Royal Garrison Regiment on Malta, South Africa and the East Indies.

Pre-Great War he was appointed Aide de Camp to Sir G. Strickland G.C.M.G., the Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 20/3/1914.

On the outbreak of the Great War, he was appointed Staff Captain attached to the 2nd Battalion A.I.F. on 18/8/1914 (his home address being State Government House, Sydney), being appointed Adjutant. See ‘Official History of Australia in the War’. p 51.

He deployed with the battalion to Egypt on 21/10/1914 and was a 1st ‘Day Lander’ on the 25th of April when the battalion was part of the 2nd and 3rd wave. He is listed as being wounded in action on 27th April, receiving a gunshot wound to his leg/thigh. He was evacuated and returned to the 2nd Brigade on 7/6/1915.

He was with the brigade during the attack on Lone Pine on the 6-7th August. The 2nd Battalion went into the attack with 22 officers and 560 men. It cost them 6 officers killed, and 14 wounded, 44 men killed and 207 wounded. Missing 1 officer and 178 men with a total 450. The diary makes for grim reading with the notation nearly all of the men shown as missing will prove killed.

He was evacuated on 8/8/1915 (gastro enteritis) to Malta, and subsequently England. His Australian appointment was terminated as he returned to serve with the British Army on 30/11/1915.

He was promoted to Acting Major on returning to the British Army and appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant to the Quartermaster General from 30/11/1915 – 31/8/1916. Promoted Acting Lt. Colonel and Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 17/9/1916 – 20/7/1917. The battalion was part of the 138th Brigade, 46th (North Midland) Division.

He was appointed Staff Officer for the Service Battalions North Staffordshire Regiments in 1918. Post war he continued to serve until his retirement in 1927, when he was granted the rank of Lt. Colonel. He died on 3/11/1955 in Wandsworth, Surrey, England.

His 1914 – 15 Star was issued by the Australian Government whilst the War and Victory by the British Government.