A first world war medal pair awarded to 72699 Private Walter Cecil Bacon, Royal Army Medical Corps. 

British War Medal named to 72699 Pte. W.C. Bacon. R.A.M.C. 
WW1 Victory Medal named to 72699 Pte. W.C. Bacon. R.A.M.C. 

The medals are in good condition and are swing mounted for wear. 

Walter Cecil Bacon was born in Camberwell, south London, England, on Tuesday, 15th July 1890. He was one of seven children born to Alfred and Sarah Bacon. The 1891 census records the family residing at 20 Cyprus Street, Bethnal Green, London, with his father Alfred working as a carpenter.

Walter was married to Christina Ellen Mathews at the Register Office, Greenwich, on Saturday, 21st November 1914. Christina already had a five year-old son, George Mathews, who was born on 16th October 1909. 

Walter attested for military service in the Royal Army Medical Corps on Wednesday, 27th October 1915 at Peckham, south London. He was 25 years and 3 months of age the time, and enlisted for the duration of the war. His address was given as Ernest Cottage, Peyton Place, Greenwich, London,  and his occupation was listed as "Bus Conductor". 

Walter's operational service began on 28th August 1916, when he disembarked the boat at Rouen. He was posted to the 42nd Field Ambulance RAMC on 5th September 1916, who were, at that time, situated at Etrejust, west of Amiens. Soon after, the unit moved on to Fricourt, just east of Albert, in the heart of the Somme battlefield. 

On 16th September 1916, Walter was concussed by an enemy shell blast, which caused defective vision in both eyes, and he was admitted to 24 General Hospital. He was later discharged, with corrective lenses. 

On the 28th October 1916, whilst at Izel-le-Hameau, Walter was admitted to his own unit with PUO (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin, or "Trench Fever"). He recovered, and was later posted to 99th Field Ambulance on 4th February 1917. There he remained, despite suffering from defective vision and shortness of breath. He was sent home from active service on 27th November 1917, and admitted to the Military Heart Hospital, Colchester, on 29th November 1917, where he was diagnosed with D.A.H. (Disorderly Action of the Heart), commonly known as "Soldier's Heart".

Having been medically downgraded to B3, Walter continued with his military service at home, being posted as an Orderly to the 40 bed Officers' Hospital, Llangammarch Wells, Breconshire, Wales, on 16th November 1918. He was finally discharged to the "Z" Class Reserve on 21st March 1919, after a total of 3 years, 146 days service, with a military character reference of "very good". He received his war medals on 21st January 1922. The Medal Index Card confirms British War Medal and Victory Medals his only awards.

After the Great War, Walter is recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register living at 78 Forster Road, Beckenham, south London, and still employed as a bus conductor. His son, James, was born on 7th July 1920, and is shown on the same record as an agricultural rep for the Chilean Nitrate Company. 

Later records show that Walter remarried in 1942, to Constance L Brakefield. Walter passed away in 1951 at the age of 61.