Museum's funding bid to buy Hereford corporal's medals

Cpl John Bertram Symonds' medals will go on sale at auction in London next month

The Herefordshire Regimental Museum is appealing for donations towards buying the medals of a local corporal.

Cpl John Bertram Symonds joined the Herefordshire Regiment in 1914 and served in Gallipoli, the Middle East and the Western Front in 1918.

He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) in July 1917 and the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) in February 1918.

Their estimated values are £2,500 and £3,500, but similar groups have sold for up to £12,000, the museum said.

They hoped to raise 50% of the sale price before they go under the hammer in London next month.

He is remembered on the Tupsley War Memorial

Soon after joining the regiment, Cpl Symonds, from Aylestone Hill, Hereford, fought at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli, the museum said, before serving in Gaza, Rafah and Khan Younis and then the Western Front.

The museum said the citation for his DCM stated: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an action.

"Cpl Symonds showed great courage in crossing an exposed piece of ground under very heavy rifle fire to obtain an important message from a runner who was lying wounded in the open."

As well as receiving the medals, he was also mentioned in dispatches in January 1918.

"On 23 July 1918, the Herefords took part in an attack to the south of Soissons - their first in France," the museum said.

"They suffered some 238 casualties from machine-gun fire whilst advancing through high-standing corn.

The war memorial includes the names of many men from the regiment

"Sadly, John Symonds was one of the men killed and today lies buried at Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire, and is commemorated on the Tupsley war memorial."The museum said it was keen to bring the medals to his home city and put them on display where they could accompany the medals of Lt Col WF Chipp, the regiment's most decorated officer.