For sale - medal group of India General Service Medal, 1 clasp, BURMA 1930-32 named 5173068 PTE. W. HOLDSWORTH, OXF & BUCKS. L. I.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star: Italy Star: War Medal 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., Regular Army named  5173068 PTE. W. HOLDSWORTH, OXF & BUCKS. L. I.)); 5th Army Commemorative Medal for Entrance to Naples. Extracts medal roll, GWR employee sheet and discharge extract.

William Holdsworth was born on 30/4/1898. He appears on the roll for the Great Western Railway employed as an Engine Cleaner at the Gloucester Station on 12/6/1915.

Between the wars he served with the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry with the service No. 5173068.

He was awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1939 and as the medal was issued for 18 years’ service, he would have joined about 1921-22. The 2nd Battalion Ox and Bucks arrived in Rawalpindi, India in 1922, later moving to Razmak in Waziristan on the North-West Frontier. In 1929 the battalion moved to Maymo in Upper Burma and then to Rangoon. In 1934 the battalion returned to India. He appears on the medal roll for the India General Service Medal with clasp Burma 1930 -32 with the note 1st Battalion Bordon (Hampshire).

He may have been regular staff attached to the Territorials as it would appear that he served with the 7th Battalion in WW2.

The 50th (Holding) Battalion were a hostilities-only battalion created on 3/6/1940, whose original job was to 'hold' men who were medically unfit, awaiting orders, on a course or returning from abroad. In October 1940 the battalion was redesignated the 7th Battalion. In February 1941, they became part of the 167th (London) Infantry Brigade, attached to the 56th (London) Infantry Division.

With the rest of the division, they left the United Kingdom in late August 1942. The division was sent to Persia and Iraq Command and the battalion later fought in the final battle in the Tunisia Campaign in April 1943. The battalion made a successful attack at Enfidaville following a 3,000-mile road move from Iraq. In the Italian Campaign, 7th Ox and Bucks took part in the landings at Salerno in September 1943 and then the Anzio landings in February 1944 and sustained heavy casualties in both landings.

In late March 167 Brigade, together with the rest of 56 Division, was transferred to Egypt to rest and be brought back up to strength. After the fighting at Anzio the 7th Ox and Bucks were reduced to a mere 60 men, out a strength of 1,000, testimony to the severe fighting in the beachhead. Due to the casualties sustained the 7th Battalion was almost disbanded to allow the 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment, a Regular Army unit, to join the 56th Division. However, the 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, of 168th (London) Brigade, the junior battalion of the division and in an even worse state than 7th Ox and Bucks, was chosen instead, after that battalion had been reduced to only 40 men fit for duty.

Reinforced by large numbers of anti-aircraft gunners of the Royal Artillery who now found their original roles redundant, the battalion returned to Italy in July and fought in the severe battles around the Gothic Line near Gemmano, again sustaining heavy losses. Due to the recent heavy casualties, on 23 September 1944 the 7th Ox and Bucks was reduced to a small cadre.