Sirmooree #80

94 commissioned again in 1939 acquired a replacement, at a time when replacements were not marked with a ‘R’ as they now are. There may consequently be two such medals in existence. Given this uncertainty the sale was cancelled but the brief appearance of the medal, whether the original or not, was a reminder of Stephens’ extraordinary history. He was born in Alexandria in 1900, the son of a teacher on contract to the Egyptian Ministry of Education, and attended the Lycée Français there. He saw little of his parents after he returned to the UK at the age of 10. After prep school he went to Dulwich College where he was Captain of Athletics. His older brother Howell was killed at Ypres in 1917 as a 19-year old 2Lt in The Worcestershire Regiment. He was granted an Indian Army Commission on 15 th April 1919 after attending Woolwich and the Cadet College at Quetta. He joined the 2 nd Battalion of the 2 nd Goorkhas on 21 st April, which at that point was part of 68 (Derajat) Brigade based at Dera Ismail Khan, taking part in the Third Afghan War and operations in Waziristan during the rest of that year. Lt Stephens in 1920 (standing, right). He was still a 2 nd Goorkhas officer at this point. (From an album of photographs of the Wana Column by Randolph Bezzant Holmes). www.2ndGoorkhas.com