WW1 1914/15 Star Trio 1/5th ( Sandringham Pals) Norfolk Regiment & Brothers WW2 Medals.

WW1 1914/15 Star Trio & Death Plaque: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal 1914-1919, Victory Medal. Death Plaque. 1544. Pte.R.Mussett. 1/5 Territorial Battalion ( Sandringham Pals). Norfolk Regiment.

Full Service History, Mic, Medal Rolls confirm entitlement, and a lot of original paperwork from family. 

Reginald Mussett born 1895 at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, one of 6 Brothers to Alfred & Charlotte Mussett. He worked on the SANDRINGHAM ESTATE as a GAMEKEEPER and enlisted, at the very early age, of 16 years 8 months on 21st November 1911, in the 1/5th SANDRINGHAM COMPANY (Sandringham PALs.) of the NORFOLK REGIMENT. (Battalion Number 1434. Re-Numbered on outbreak of WW1 1544.) Witnessing Officer Frank Beck, who was the Commanding Officer of The Company. Question 8 on page 1 " In whose employ are you." answer " The King."

The order for Mobilisation reached the Battalion on the evening of August 4th 1914, a few hours after the formal declaration of war. The 1/5th mobilised at Dereham, and on 17th August the 1/5 was transferred from Billericay to Colchester where the Bn trained until Spring of 1915. On 21st May the Bn became part of the 54th Infantry Division, and the 1/5 th Norfolks & 1/8th Hampshire constituted the 163rd Infantry Brigade.

ACTIVE SERVICE. GALLIPOLI.

The 1/5th Norfolk Battalion embarked on the AQUITANIA on the 20th May 1915 for the Dardanelles. On reaching Mudros, the Troops were then taken in smaller vessels to Imbros on the 9th, then on to the landing place of the 54th Division in SUVIA  BAY and bivouacked on beach on the 10th August.

BATTLE OF SARI BAIR 12th August 1915  ATTACK ON TURKISH POSITIONS SULVA BAY.

On 12th August 1915 the 1/5th Norfolks (part of 163rd Brigade 54th Division) were ordered to advance to contact through a wooded area near KUCHUCK ANAFARTA OVA.
The "Vanished Battalion" as the 1/5th became known, because a large part of the Battalion, including THE SANDRINGHAM COMPANY led by Captain Frank Beck, were men who worked on the King's Sandringham Estate, advanced into the forest and never returned having been surrounded, isolated, and overrun by the Turkish Forces.

The 1/5 th Battalion lost 11 Officers and 151 Other Ranks KILLED IN ACTION in that period, many reported as " MISSING"  for years. With myths circulating of a " mysterious mist" and the Company vanishing being the talk of the time.

The Sandringham Company was entirely made up of men from the King's Estates at Sandringham. The whole Company was lost in Action in Gallipoli with 16 Officers and 250 Other Ranks KILLED and MISSING.

In 1919 after an extensive search of the surrounding area, which had been prompted by the King and Queen, at least 180  bodies were found in a ravine, some wounds showing they had been shot in the back of the head after being captured by Turkish Troops.

The Television Programme "All The King's Men " made in 1999 by the BBC, and first broadcast on Remembrance Sunday 14th November 1999, was based on a 1992 book "The Vanished Battalion," by Nigel McCrery.  This detailed the human side of war, and the ongoing involvement of the Royal Family with a need to find out what had happened to their men from Sandringham, after years of mystery stories that circulated for decades about the fate of the men.

As can be imagined news of the fate of the Sandringham Company was deeply upsetting for the King George V and Queen Mary, who erected a Memorial to the fallen at Snyderstone Churchyard, where on the 2nd October 1921 a memorial was held for those men of the Sandringham Estate, who did not return from Gallipoli. Reginald Mussett is named on it (see Pamphlet). His name is also on the HELLES Memorial on Gallipoli.

The 1/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment were involved in further actions at the end of 1915. By then Reginald Mussett had been promoted to Lance Corporal and according to the family had become a SNIPER in the Battalion, which makes sense as Reginald was a Gamekeeper and a good shot. 

During the Autumn of 1915 Reginald Mussett became ill with Diphtheria; this was often coupled with Dysentery and Enteric Fever, which decimated Troop numbers in the Gallipoli Campaign. Reginald died on 20th November 1915 aged 20 Years old. His parents, Alfred & Charlotte Mussett of Whitehall Cottages, Syderstone, King's Lynn, Norfolk, received notification of his death.

Walter Mussett

Walter Mussett was born in 1922 and never knew his older brother Reginald who had died in Gallipoli. Leaving school in 1936 he worked for Lord & Lady Somerleyton on their Estate with the Gamekeepers.

He joined the Auxiliary Fire Service in 1939 as a messenger boy on their Estate with Somerleyton Estate (Local Defence Volunteers).  In the Summer 1940 Colonel Colin Gubbins started forming a force of Civilian volunteers led by serving Army Officers to train in the art of Guerrilla Warfare.

At Fritton Lake a hideout was created with food arms and equipment for 14 days, William Ward commanded this group, in which Walter Mussett was a member. Fritton Lake was seen as a good location for landing Seaplanes. These Auxiliary units were authorised by Winston Churchill.

Walter Mussett joined the RAFVR on 26th May 1941.

1231216. LAC. Walter Mussett RAF. Basic training was at No 11 Recruit Centre RAF Skegness and there is a group photo including Walter in Squad 15 Skegness 27/6/41.

Between 14th March 1942 to 12th June 1944 Walter served abroad in the Middle East Command as an Equipment Assistant. In 1943 he was ill with dysentery and other medical issues, and from Egypt was flown on to Tel Aviv for convalescence.
Walter was awarded 1939/45 Star, Africa Star with 1942/43 Clasp, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939/45. With medals are Walters Pamphlets, etc from his time in the Middle East mainly Palestine/ Jerusalem, a wooden backed Bible, and a Photograph album.

Walter ended up back at RAF Station Warboys in December 1944. RAF Warboys was a vital Pathfinder Navigation Training Unit. Walter left the RAF in 1946 and returned to Lord & Lady Somerleyton's as their Gamekeeper and later on became the Estate Manager. Walter had two children and two grandchildren when he died in 2012.

Frederick Mussett.

Frederick was born in 1912 the youngest of the Brothers and was a Chauffeur/Gardener for the Rector at Syderstone. At the outbreak of WW2 he joined the RASC in 170 Company Armoured Brigade and served in France and Germany as a driver, that included supply missions to Belson Concentration Camp. Serving until 1964 at RAF Scunthorpe. Both his sons joined the RAF and tragically were both killed:

Flying Officer Edgar John Mussett died on 17th April 1956 when his Hawker Hunter jet crashed during a cross country exercise, he served with 257 (Burma) Squadron based at RAF Wattisham.

In 1955 Sgt B.G. Mussett was an Air Crew Signaller flying in Shackleton of 42 Squadron based at St.Eval Cornwall. He Died in a car accident when a car he was travelling in left the road in fog.

There is a huge amount of information on these three brothers. A lot of extra information in the research sheet that accompanied all items and Medals. A very interesting family who did much in the service of their country.

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