WW1 British War & Victory Medal pair – Awarded to Private ALBERT SELLARS of the 22nd Company the Labour Corps –comes with associated ‘Trench Art’ - A named metal bracelet and brass matchbox holder decorated with inscription ‘A.S’ and ‘YPRES 1918’

Stock Reference – MM-MED-0056

WW1 British War & Victory Medal pair – Awarded to Private ALBERT SELLARS of the 22^nd Company the Labour Corps –comes with associated ‘Trench Art’  - A named metal bracelet and brass matchbox holder decorated with inscription ‘A.S’ and ‘YPRES 1918’

You are looking at a British War Medal and Victory Medal awarded to Private ALBERT SELLARS of the Labour Corps, along with a metal bracelet inscribed ‘A.SELLARS 183 Burnley Road Waterfoot’ on the face and ‘502573 Pte A.SELLARS 22^nd LC’ on the reverse, and a hand decorated brass matchbox holder with the initial ‘A.S’ inscribed into the side and ‘YPRES 1918’ inscribed on the top face.   

The medal is inscribed ‘502573 PTE. A.SELLARS. LABOUR CORPS.’

Service number 502573 was believed to have been issued in the early months of 1918, and, based on the ‘Trench Art’ bracelet that comes with the medal pair, he was serving with the 22^nd Company of the Labour Corps, who were one of a number of Labour Corps units who served on the Western Front, most of them employed in building and repairing roads and other infrastructure required to allow allied troops to operate effectively.

In late 1917 early 1918, the 22^nd Company were operating in the Ypres and Poperinge area of Belgium, and they often came under fire whilst carrying out their work, and when the German Spring Offensive was ongoing in March to April, members of the company may have been called upon to support the infantry in trying to repel the German advance.

Whether ALBERT was involved in the German Spring Offensive or any other specific action in 1918 is not known, but the inscription ‘YPRES 1918’ on the accompanying matchbox holder may suggest a personal connection with the Ypres area at the time, although the precise circumstances in which the inscription was made are unknown.

ALBERT SELLARS, the son of WILLIAM HENRY and MARGARET SELLARS, was born on the 6^th of December 1880, and in the 1911 and 1921 Census records, he is listed at 183 Burnley Road in Waterfoot, and this is the same address recorded on the metal bracelet that comes with these medals.

SELLER NOTE = Only very limited research has been conducted into this medal and its recipient...Supporting documentation obtained and / or created during this research will be provided.