Beschreibung:

An interesting Great War LSGC group of 3 awarded to Private John Alldis, Royal Marine Light Infantry, sold with his private diary and photographic archive relating to the Anglo-French punitive expedition sent to the New Hebrides Islands (now Vanuatu), where he was present as part of the landing party sent ashore to Malakula from HMS Pegasus in September 1905, comprising: British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919 (CH.8860 Pte. J. Alldis. R.M.L.I.), Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR (CH/8860. John Addis [sic], Private R.M.L.I.); medals officially impressed, group loose. Old cabinet tone, good extremely fine. (3) John Alldis was born on the 19th of September 1877 in Lambeth, London, and enlisted for service with the Royal Marines Light Infantry in London on the 11th of February 1896, having previously worked as a Labourer. The Anglo-French expiation of 1905 was sent in response to several murders connected with the ketch Marsallaise. HMS Pegasus under Commander H D’ Oyly met with the French man of war Meuthe at Noumea, then proceeding to ‘Mallicola’ (now spelled Malekula). Upon arrival and a party of 110 Marines was marched 11-miles inland to the forest stronghold of Billias to demand the handing over of the offending culprits by the local chiefs. When the local chiefs were unable to produce the accused, contemporary newspaper reports suggest that the Anglo-French force exchanged volleys with the enemy resistance (this contested in Private Alldis’ diary - ‘we met no resistance’), and soon after destroyed the settlement and its plantations in retribution, before marching back a further 11 miles in the same day. During WWI Private Alldis served aboard HMS Bonaventure, which served as a Sea-Going Submarine Depot for the 2nd Submarine Flotilla throughout the war, based upon the River Tyne (largely at Jarrow), where she remained for the duration. After the war, he enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve, before ultimately retiring to pension on the 19th of September, 1928, having reached the age of 50, after 32 years of service. He appears to have latterly resided at 35 Grove Place, Acton. Sold with his personal diary and photo album, four portrait photographs of the recipient, a selection of ephemera in cluding dog tag, cap badges, shoulder titles etc., original service papers, certificate of discharge, an edition of the Globe and Laurel from 1923, and a printed extract taken from ‘Fiji and Its Possibilities’ by B Grimshaw, concerning Malekula.