An excellent Boer War casualty Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal operations, Great War Gallipoli, Western Front and Italian Front 1914-1915 Star trio and Second World War Exeter Special Constabulary group awarded to Lieutenant, later Lieutenant Colonel M.R.A. Wyatt-Edgell, Imperial Yeomanry, later Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry and 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment who would see service in South Africa during the Boer War where he was wounded Bothasberg on the 12th July 1901 when he suffered a large bullet wound. He would be recalled for the Great War and would see service at Gallipoli from 8th October 1915 and later on the Western Front during the Third Battle of Ypres, as well as in Italy where he saw service at the River Piave and the Asaigo Plateau. By the Second World War he would be employed as a Special Constable with the Exeter Special Constabulary. He was also the Second World War Chairman of Defence Commmittee for his area. As well as the Chairman of Upton Pyne branch of Tiverton Conservative & Unionist Association. He also acted as the President of the Royal West of England Residential School for the Deaf and a Committee Member The West of England Eye Infirmary.
Group of 6: Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 4 Clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901; (Lieut. .M.R.A. Wyatt-Edgell, Imp: Yeo) 1914-1915 Star; (MAJOR M.R.A. WYATT-EDGELL. R.1/DEVON. YEO.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (LT.COL. M.R.A. WYATT -EDGELL) Defence Medal; Special Constabulary Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR crowned head; (MERRICK R.A. WYATT-EDGELL.) Loose-mounted for wear.
Condition: loose-mounted for wear, Good Very Fine
Along with a series of 11 photographs and reproduced photographs, four of which contain Wyatt-Edgell.
Merrick Richard Arthur Wyatt-Edgell was born on 23rd July 1872 at Strawberry Hill, Lympstone, Devon, the son of Arthur Wyatt-Edgell, JP and Francis Albinia Gresham Wyatt-Edgell. He would go on to be educated at Eton and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, being commissioned into the 1st Devon Yeomanry Cavalry as a Second Lieutenant on 9th July 1892, being promoted to Lieutenant on 4th April 1896 and then Captain on 18th July 1900, he would volunteer for service with the 11th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry and would travel to South Africa in January 1901 where he would see service during the Boer on operations in Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal , he would be appointed a Captain and seconded to the Imperial Yeomanry on 27th February 1901 and would be severely wounded near Bothasberg suffering a large bullet in the thigh on 12th July 1901, and returned home from South Africa in November 1901.
After completing a Senior Officer’s course he would be appointed Major (Honorary Lieutenant in the Army) Territorial Force, Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry on 1st April 1908.
Mobilised on the outbreak of war, he would command ‘A’ Squadron, Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry on 4th August 1914, and moved to St. Osyth in Essex on 15th August 1914 where he would be involved in guarding the east coast of England against invasion. He would then travel to Liverpool on 22nd September 1915, and the following day embarked HMT Olympic and then travelled to Gallipoli where he landed at Suvla Bay on 8th October 1915. He would assume command of Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry on 5th December 1915 before being evacuated from Gallipoli on 18th December 1915.
He would be appointed Temporary Lieutenant Colonel with the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry on 7th January 1916, he would then serve in Egypt protecting the Western Frontier of Egypt against Senussi on 12th February 1916. He would relinquish command of the Battalion on the return of Lord Hambledon on 2nd May 1916.
His Battalion would then form the 16th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 21st December 1916, and would return to Major, relinquishing his temporary rank on alteration in posting on 5th March 1917. He would then leave Egypt for Home in April 1917 and would later be posted as a Major, 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment where he would serve at Polygon Wood, near Ypres in September 1917. His Battalion would then entrain for Italy on 18th November 1917, where it would alter serve on the River Piave and the Asiago Plateau up to the end of the war.
He would return to Folkestone on 28th February 1919 having survived the war and would be disembodied from the Territorial Force on 1st March 1919. He applied to transfer to the Territorial Force Reserve on 30th June 1921, having this application to transfer accepted 28th September 1921. He retired on 3rd August 1927 having attained the age limit and having served for 35 years 25 days.
In the 1939 census he is noted as living at Cowley Place, Cowley, Exeter and was employed as a Special Constable with the Exeter Special Constabulary, he was also the Second World War Chairman of Defence Commmittee for his area. As well as the Chairman of Upton Pyne branch of Tiverton Conservative & Unionist Association. He also acted as the President of the Royal West of England Residential School for the Deaf and a Committee Member The West of England Eye Infirmary.
He died at St. David’s Nursing Home, Exeter on 28th October 1945, he would leave an estate of £77,841.13s 2d.
