Description
Queen’s Sudan 1898, Khedive’s Sudan, bar Khartoum, Queen’s South Africa Medal, 6 bars, Belmont, modder River, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, King’s South Africa Medal, 2 bars, SA 1901, SA 1902, 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medal, Private Ernest Frederick Page, Grenadier Guards.
An excellent Guardsman grouping. All the medals are mounted for wear by Spink & Son.
All 7 medals named and in the exact correct styles etc, matching the medal rolls.
Sudan Officially engraved: “3282 Pte E.F. Page. 1/Gren: Gds:”
QSA Officially impressed: “3283 Pte E.F. Page, Gren: Gds:”
KSA Officially impressed: “3283 Pte E.F. Page Grenadier Guards.”
1914-15 Star officially impressed: “SS-22004 Pte (A. Cpl) E. F. Page. A.S.C.”
British War and Victory Pair Officially impressed: “22004 Sjt E. F. Page. A.S.C.”
Khedive’s Sudan impressed in correct regimental style as encountered to this unit: “3282 Pte E. F. Page. Gren. Gds.”
With copy service papers, all medals confirmed on the medal rolls.
Ernest Frederick Page, was born in the Parish of Waldringfield, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, circa 1873.
Son of Ben Page, of Waldringfield.
He first signed up with the Grenadier Guards in London on 2nd November 1891, aged 18.
His early days with the Guards were a bit wobbly, having been found absent without leave on 26th December 1894, spending 9 days in prison, no doubt a good Christmas was the culprit, he would miss New Years eve in consequence.
On 8th October 1895, he was again in confinement.
On 15th October, he was convicted of District Court martial for: 1, Disobeying a lawful command, 2. Using insubordinate language, 3. Resisting an Escort.
For this he was given a hefty 84 days of imprisonment and hard labour.
He saw the following service:
Home, 26th Oct 1891 – 27th Sept 1897
Gibraltar, 28th Sept 1897 -18th July 1898
Egypt, 19th July 1898 – 7th Oct 1898
Home, 8th Oct 1898 – 20th Oct 1899
South Africa, 21st Oct 1899 – 21st July 1902
Home, 22nd July 1902 – 25th October 1903.
After arriving home he closed out his 12 years terms of engagement by October 1903 and was finally discharged.
Now a little over 40 years old he returned to the Army for World War 1.
However he was a little old to be on the front lines so joined up with the Army Service Corps and Labour Corps.
The Medal Rolls for WW1 record him as a Private, Acting Corporal when he arrived in France on 6th December 1915, just in time to claim the 1914-15 Star, serving with the 30th Labour Company.
It is unsurprising that given his field experience, he rose to Sergeant by the end of his service, which rank is recorded on his WW1 Pair.
He was discharged to the Class Z Reserve after the end of the war on 17th April 1919, aged 46.
After the war was over, he returned to Islington, London, and his wife Emily
