A WW1 British War Medal & Inter War India General Service Medal 1908, Clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F 1919, awarded to 2013/200579 Pte F. Butterfield, 1/4 Royal West Kent Regiment.

Frank Butterfield was attached to the No.2 M.T Company, whilst serving with the ¼ Battalion, the Royal West Kent Regiment.

The Battalion sailed from Southampton to India on 30.10.1914, where they were stationed until deploying to Mesopotamia during December 1917, landing at Basra on the 11th. They became part of the 54th Brigade, 18th Indian Division and stationed at Sargat on the River Tigris, just north of Tikrit.

From 06.05.1919, through to 08.08.1919, the Battalion took part in the 3rd Afghan War with the Baluchistan Forces. Frank Butterfield was discharged on 31.03.1920.

The following is taken from an online publication about the Royal West Kent Regiment at the North West Frontier -

The “First Line” Territorials, however, were still abroad; indeed the 1/4th had at last, after over fourq years of garrison duty, seen something of active service on the Indian Frontier. It had moved up to the Frontier early in 1918, being stationed at Quetta, where it remained until detailed in May 1919  for the operations against the Afghans. The chief action in which it took part was the capture on May 27th 1919 of the Afghan position at Spin Maldak, about the strongest post in Afghanistan, in which the battalion was at last given a chance of distinguishing itself. It took its chance to some purpose, the position being stormed after an action lasting over eight hours in the hottest weather. The Afghan resistance was stubborn, but so well did the 1/4th Fight that it’s Brigadier, B. -Gen. J.L. R.Gordon, presented it with the drums captured from the enemy as a memento. After this action the battalion remained on active service until the conclusion of peace with Afghanistan in September. It then returned to Quetta and was placed under orders for home in October, eventually leaving Karachi on October 30th 1919, just five years since its departure for India. Of the nineteen officers who returned with the battalion only Major A. M. Cohen and Captain R. D. Watney had held commissions in it on the outbreak of war, so greatly had the vicissitudes of the past five years altered the composition even of a battalion which had been debarred from participating in the chief operations of the war. The voyage home was soon accomplished; on November 21st the battalion landed at Plymouth, proceeding to Crowborough,  And after a most cordial reception at Tonbridge on November 24th made its way to Crystal Palace to be finally demobilised.

The medals are mounted for display, sold with some copied research, and are as follows -

British War Medal, 2013 PTE. F. BUTTERFIELD. R. W. KENT R.; 1908 India General Service Medal, clasp AFGHANISTAN N.W.F. 1919, 200579 PTE. F. BUTTERFIELD. R. W. KENT R.

Condition, Good Very Fine

Frank’s Medal Index Card confirms that both medals are to the same man, and his full medal entitlement.