A good Second World War Defence of France, Liberation of Sicily and Italy, Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct and Army Meritorious Service Medal group to Private, later Company Sergeant Major G.A. Soper, Middlesex Regiment, who during a 25 year career with the colours saw Second World War service during the Defence of France in 1940 and during the Sicilian and Italian campaigns.
Group of 6: 1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; Regular Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVIR 1st type bust; (4905430 PTE. G.A. SOPER. MIDD’X R.) Army Meritorious Service Medal, GVIR 1st type bust; (4905430 W.O. CL. 2. G.A. SOPER. MIDD’X R.) Court-mounted for wear.
Condition: Court-mounted for wear, Nearly Extremely Fine
George Albert Soper was born on 6th May 1905 and enlisted as a Boy into the South Staffordshire Regiment on 7th June 1902. On 29th December 1920 he sailed for Singapore and it was in Tanglin Barracks that he first met the Middlesex Regiment when our 2nd Battalion relieved his own unit in February 1922.
After a few months’ service in India he reverted to the U.K. Home establishment and was stationed in the U.K. until 1928 when he sailed with his Battalion to Malta. Less than a year later he moved with his Battalion to Palestine and in October 1930 to Egypt.
It was whilst serving with the South Staffordshire Regiment in Egypt that he transferred to the Middlesex Regiment, joined the 1st Battalion on 5th March 1932. On completion of six years’ service overseas he was posted to the Home Establishment and joined the 2nd Battalion in December 1934.
Home service did not prove so attractive to him as service overseas so in March 1936 he rejoined the 1st Battalion, then stationed in Singapore, later going with the Battalion to Hong Kong. A few months after the outbreak of the Second World War he once more was posted to the Home Establishment.
After their return with the remnants of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, he was posted as a Sergeant to the 1st Battalion, Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment, with which unit he saw active service in Sicily and Italy until the German surrender on 2nd May 1945.
He was promoted to War Substantive Company Sergeant Major on 23rd April 1945 and in August that year he returned to the U.K., and on 8th November 1945, he was transferred to the Army Reserve on completion of nearly 25 ½ years service with he colours.
He was one of the first of the younger generation of old soldiers to join the Mill Hill Branch of the Middlesex Regiment Association of which he was a staunch and loyal member up to the time of his death in Colindale Hospital on 9th January 1966.
