Four: Sergeant S. A. Dear, Devonshire Regiment, who participated in and survived the...

Four: Sergeant S. A. Dear, Devonshire Regiment, who participated in and survived the Regiment’s famous action at Bois des Buttes on 27 May 1918 1914 Star, with clasp (8817 Pte. S. A. Dear. 2/Devon: R.); British War and Victory Medals (8817 Pte. S. A. Dear. Devon. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (5608128 Sjt. S. A. Dear. Devon. R.); together with the recipient’s riband bar, light contact marks, nearly very fine (4) £240-£280 --- Samuel Arthur Dear was born in Teignmouth, Devon in 1891. A Butcher by trade he attested for the Reserve in August 1908 and enlisted for the Devonshire Regiment at Exeter on 9 November 1908. In 1909 he was posted to the 2nd Battalion stationed on Malta, before moving with his battalion to Egypt in 1912. Mobilised, the battalion embarked from Egypt for France via England and disembarked at Le Havre on 6 November 1914. His records give no indication of his involvement during the early part of the Great War, although it is assumed he continued to serve with the 2nd Battalion as he is reported missing following their action at Bois de Buttes near Pontavert on 27 May 1918, when their orders were to hold the line to the last. 23 officers and 528 men reported as killed or missing during the action, and for their gallantry the 2nd Battalion was cited in the French Orders of the Day and awarded the Croix de Guerre, the first British unit to receive such an honour. Shown as having rejoined the remnants of his unit on 31 May 1918 it is likely he was one of the handful of men who managed to find their way to safety over the river at Pontavert. Posted home to the Depot at Exeter in August 1918, Dear joined the 3rd Battalion in Sunderland. A party of 1 officer and 12 men, including Corporal Dear, representing the Devonshire Regiment were selected to attend the Peace Celebrations Victory March through London on 19 July 1919. Posted next to the 1st Battalion he served with them at Waterford during the Irish Troubles 1920-21 before embarking for Shanghai, were the battalion formed part of the Shanghai Defence Force, on 26 March 1927. Serving later in Malta and India he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1929, before returning to England to be finally discharged on 8 November 1930. He later served as Postman at Newton Abbot, living in Bovey Tracey. He died at Bovey Tracey on 29 March 1964, aged 72. Sold with copied service record and other research.