A fine Great War Western Front June 1919 Army Meritorious Service Medal, Delhi Durbar 1911 and long service group awarded to Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor L. George, School of Musketry, formerly Army Gymnastics Staff and West Riding Regiment. George from Lambeth, London, saw continuous service between November 1901 and August 1920, and from October 1903 to March 1916 was out in India with the West Riding’s. A Staff Inspector of Gymnastics within his regiment, he was awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal in 1911. He then saw service a an Acing Warrant Officer 2nd Class out on the Western Front from March 1916 to October 1918, before returning home, being awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal in June 1919. George saw home service initially as the Inspector of the Gymnasium and an Inspector on the Army Gymnastics Staff, but then went on to latterly serve as a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor with the School of Musketry, and was with this latter unit when he received his long service medal, this being a belated award owing to his having been previously three times tried by Court Martial during his early days out in India.
Group of 5: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (6864 A.W.O.CL.2 L. GEORGE. W. RID. R.); Delhi Durbar Medal 1911 in Silver, engraved in a known style in upright capitals; (SERGT. INSTR. L. GEORGE PHYSICAL TRAINING STAFF); Army Meritorious Service Medal, GVR Fm. bust; (6864 CPL.L. GEORGE. W. RID: R.); Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR Fm. bust; (739 Q.M. SJT. INSTR. L. GEORGE. S. OF M.), mounted swing style as worn on old ribbons.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Together with the following:
Prize Medal for The Minto Fancy Fete at Calcutta in 1907, copper with silver central plaque bearing the coat of arms of the Earls of Minto.
Royal Life Saving Society Swimming Proficiency Medal in Bronze, reverse engraved: ‘L. George. Aug. 1920’.
Leonard George was born in Lambeth, London, and having worked as a carman and seen service in the Militia as a Private with the 2nd Militia Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, then attested for short service with the regular British Army at London on 25th November 1901, joining as a Private (No.6864) the West Riding Regiment. Posted to the 1st Battalion on 1st October 1902, and to the 2nd Battalion out in India from 2nd October 1903, he extended his service to complete 8 years from 1st April 1904.
Posted to the 1st Battalion on its arrival out in India on 4th November 1905, he was then permitted to extend his service to 12 years on 13th September 1907, and was appointed to unpaid Lance Corporal on 15th October 1907, and would be confirmed in the paid rank on 7th June 1908. In the meantime, whilst stationed at Kasauli, he was awarded the 1st Class Army Gymnastics Certificate on 11th April 1908, and was then further awarded a Physical Training Certificate in March 1910. As such, as a Lance Corporal and Acting Sergeant Instructor, George was serving as a Staff Inspector of Gymnastics within his regiment when he was awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal 1911.
Promoted to Corporal on 21st February 1912, this was back dated to 18th January 1912, and as of 10th August 1912 he was still out in India and stationed at Ambala. With the outbreak of the Great War he was still on service in India, but was posted home on 15th March 1916, and then posted out to the Western Front from 30th March 1916, and remained on service at the front through to 21st October 1918, when posted for home service. For his meritorious service during the war, he was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal in the London Gazette for 1st June 1919.
George saw home service initially as the Inspector of the Gymnasium and an Inspector on the Army Gymnastics Staff, but then went on to latterly serve as a Quartermaster Sergeant Instructor with the School of Musketry from 29th August 1919, and was serving as such when he was finally awarded the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in the Army Orders for March 1920, his award being belated in that he had been previously three times tried by Court Martial during his early days out in India. George was discharged ‘time expired’ on 31st October 1920. Confirmed as his full entitlement.
