A WW1 and WW2 British Medal and wound badge set for Private Ernest Edward A'Court, Gloucestershire Regiment, from Bristol
WW1 Duo, WW1 silver wound badge and WW2 War Medal and WW2 Defence medal all for the same man.
Private Ernest Edward A’Court (28455), 11th, 3rd, 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
A postman from Bristol, Ernest enlisted at the age of 27 in December 1915, with service number 28455, to the 11th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
He then transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment in May 1916, both of these being garrison/reserve battalions to train troops up before postings overseas.
In October 1916, Ernest was assigned to the 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, as part of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force.
He saw action in the 2nd Battle of Kut, Dahra Bend, the Passage of Diyala and the Capture of Baghdad in March 1917. He then joined ‘Marshall’s Column’ pushing north across Iraq, it appears he was wounded in action on 6th April 1917, near Dogamah at a crossing of the Tigris river. (the record is very damaged so it is hard to make out the date).
He received a silver wound badge, number B293347, included in the set, matching the war badge records.
After this he appears to have been transferred to the 3rd Reserve Battalion, so his wound must have been relatively severe. Curiously he is listed as serving in Bangalore India from November 1917 but I can find no mention of the 3rd Reserve Battalion being posted there. He was discharged in 1919.
He appears to have then served in the Home Guard in WW2.
