Bidspirit auction | A long service group of

A long service group of six medals, including both ‘Frontier Medals’, to a Regimental Sergeant Major of the Royal Corps of Signals, consisting of: India General Service Medal 1908 with clasp ‘Waziristan 1919-21’ named to: 2309540 Sigmn C B Starling R Signals. India General Service Medal 1936 with clasp ‘North West Frontier 1936-37’ named to: 2309540 Sjt C B Starling R Signals. 1939-1945 Star, Defence and War Medals, unnamed as issued. Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (Military) (GVIR 1 st type) named to: 2309540 Sjt C B Starling R Signals. Charles Bodham Starling was born in Norfolk on 27 June 1902, the son of a prosperous farmer Butcher Bodham Starling. For reasons best known to himself, Charles Starling enlisted into the Regular Army on 2 February 1920, when just 17 years old, and joined the newly established Corps of Signals. He was posted to India in 1921, where he served for the next eight years, earning the IGS 1908 for service in operations against the Waziris and Mahsuds, following the end of the Third Afghan War. He then returned to the UK until 1934, during which time he married Freda May Newman at Gt Yarmouth, on 9 December 1932. He was posted back to India in 1933 and took part in further operations against insurgent tribesmen on the frontier, for which he later received the IGS 1936 with clasp ‘North West Frontier 1936-37’. On 19 September 1939 he disembarked in France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), now in the rank of Staff Sergeant (SQMS), serving with the First Infantry Divisional Signals. Following the evacuation of the majority of the BEF from the Dunkirk beaches, he remained in France until 18 June and so was probably evacuated from one of the French Atlantic coast ports such as St Nazaire or Nantes during Operation Aeriel (15-25 June). During his time in France his medical category had been down graded to ‘B2’ and was further downgraded to ‘C2’ in 1941. As a result, he remained in the UK for the rest of the war, but was promoted to War Substantive WO1 (RSM) in 1943 and served with training and anti-aircraft units until his final discharge to the reserves on 21 September 1945. He was awarded the LS& GC (Military) in 1938 and received the 1939-1945 Star, Defence and War Medals for his WW2 service. His total service, including with the reserve, amounted to 32 years 262 days. Following the end of his military service, Charles Starling returned to Norfolk and died at Great Yarmouth on 14 October 1979. The medals are mounted together for display and accompanied by full service record. Generally Good Very Fine (GVF) condition.