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Reginald Evans Wild MM Signed Naval Art
Reginald Evans Wild MM
Reginald Wild was born on 30th August 1897, the eldest son of a tradesman and businessman of Harting, Sussex. Reginald left school at 15 and became a farm pupil. In 1914, on the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the Sussex Yeomanry at Brighton, adding one year to his age (then 17) in order to do so. He trained at Canterbury and remembers his sqaudron being inspected by King George V. In 1915 his cavalry brigade was asked to volunteer for active service in a dismounted role and the brigade joined others on board the P&O liner Olympic, bound for the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign. Reginald's unit was landed at Mudros, transferring on a smaller ship to Cape Helles and joining 42 Division. He soon found himself in the trenches facing the Turkish infantry. So close were the lines, he recalls, that in quiet periods the Turks would lob over cartons of cigarettes in exchange for tins of jam. The first casualty in the regiment was the RSM, killed by a sniper's bullet, but dysentery was to take a much greater toll of fighting strength than enemy fire. Reginald contracted dysentery and was evacuated to Alexandria, thence back to hospital in England. After discharge from hospital he re-joined his unit in Egypt, where he trained as a regimental signaller. The regiment was re-designated 16 (Sussex Yeomanry) Battlaion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, now fully fledged infantry. In 1917 the battalion joined the Egyptian Expeditionary Force for the Palestine campaign. Held in reserve for the second battle of Gaza, the battalion was in action at Beersheba with 74 Division where they suffered heavy casualties. Under Allenby's command the force began the march north leading to the capture of Jerusalem from the Turkish defenders on 9th December 1917. During this period Reginald was promoted to Corporal I/C the signal section. In common with many other units at the conclusion of the campaign in Palestine Cpl Wild's battalion returned to Egypt, and embarked at Alexandria for service on the Western Front. He took part in the final battles of the war in the Somme sector and the advance into Belgium. He was awarded the Military Medal in September 1918. After demobilisation Reginald returned to Sussex to join his father's business, and took over the business on the death of his father. In the Second World War he joined the Home Guard, once more in charge of the signal section, as a sergeant. Reginald Wild married Gladys Irving in 1931 and ran the family business (Harting Stores) until they retired in 1977. Our sources show he was alive around the beginning of 1996, approaching the age of 98, but we have no further information.
| Reginald Evans Wild MM - Signed Naval Art Naval Crew Signatures |
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Clipped Signature - Reginald Wild. Enlisted in the Sussex Yeomanry in 1914, he was sent to Gallipoli fighting in the trenches with 42 Division. Here he contracted dysentery and was repatriated. In 1917 he rejoined what was now 16th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, serving in Palestine and then the Western Front. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1918, and after the war joined the family business. Please note that this particular signature has been written in pen - not in pencil like most of our signatures. |
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