Four: Lieutenant F. W. Deacon, Devonshire Regiment, late Welsh Regiment, later 24th...

Four: Lieutenant F. W. Deacon, Devonshire Regiment, late Welsh Regiment, later 24th Punjabis, Army of the Black Sea 1914-15 Star (39304 L. Cpl. F. W. Deacon. Welsh. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. F. W. Deacon); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (Lieut. F. W. Deacon.) good very fine (4) £160-£200 --- Frederick William Deacon was born at Pembroke Dock in 1890, the son of a Sergeant in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and was educated at Garrison Schools and Newquay Secondary School. Employed as a Draughtsman/Clerk at the Royal Flying School, Upavon, he applied on 4 January 1915 for a temporary commission in the Regular Army for the period of the War. His application was declined, the entry on his service record reads ‘If there are no more gentlemen available of the public schools stamp, it might be necessary to take gentlemen such as these, although I would not wish to have them in my Regt. if possible’ - signed R H Kirkwood Lt Col Depot Devon Regt. Application not accepted 6.1.1915’. Not deterred, Deacon attested for the Welsh Regiment at Pewsey on 14 August 1915, and being appointed Lance Corporal he joined the 2nd Battalion in France on 12 January 1916. Receiving a gun shot wound to the right knee in action at Bazentin-les-Petit on 18 July 1916 he was evacuated to England and posted to the 3rd Battalion. Applying once again for a Temporary Commission he was admitted to No 12 Officer Cadet Battalion at Newmarket. Commissioned Second Lieutenant into the Devonshire Regiment on 27 March 1917 (what would Lieutenant-Colonel Kirkwood have said!), he was posted to the 10th Battalion at Lake Doiran, Salonica and joined ‘C’ Company on 14 September 1917. Posted to the 24th Punjabis he joined them in the field in the Army of the Black Sea 28 October 1918, and was subsequently appointed temporary Captain, Indian Army Reserve of Officers, on 19 April 1921. He relinquished his commission on 8 September 1921, later applying for appointment as a Cadet in the Royal Irish Constabulary on 6 December 1921. He died at Plymouth on 17 August 1969, aged 78. Sold with copied service record and other research.