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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

Military Medal GV (9721 Pte. O. L [sic]. Lakin. 2/ S. Staff: R.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, unofficial rivets between state and date clasps (5758 Corpl: O. Lakin. S. Staff: Regt.);
1914 Star, with clasp (9721 Pte. O. J. Lakin. S. Staff. R.);
British War and Victory Medals (4-9721 Pte. O. J. Lakiun [sic]. S. Staff. R.)

MM London Gazette 14 September 1916.

Oliver James Lakin was born in 1881 and attested for the South Staffordshire Regiment, seeing active service with them during the Boer War. Re-enlisting, he saw further service with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 11 November 1914, and was reported to have been wounded in action in both March and May 1915. He subsequently transferred to the Royal Defence Corps.

Picture courtesy of Dominic Winter

MM GV (3557 Pte A. Hoy. 11/R. Scots.);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (8233 Pte A. Hoy. Rl: Scots.), this carriage of clasps loose on ribbon,;
1914-15 Star (3557 Pte A. Hoy. R. Scots.);
British War and Victory Medals (3557 Pte. A. Hoy. R. Scots.)

Alexander Hoy was born in Midlothian, Scotland in 1883.

MM London Gazette: 6 August 1918

Sold for GBP 420.

Picture courtesy of Morton and Eden

MM GV (6189 A.Sjt: L. O’Byrne. 1/R. Dub: Fus:);
QSA (5) Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (6189 Pte. L. O’Byrne, Rl. Dub: Fus:);
KSA (2) (6189 Pte. L. O’Byrne. Rl: Dublin Fus:), possible official correction after final digit of service number;
1914-15 Star (6189 Pte L. O’Byrne. R. Dub. Fus.);
British War and Victory Medals with MID (6189 Sjt. L. O’Byrne. R. D. Fus.);
War Medal, 1939-45 (412. Sgt. J. O’Byrne. B.S.A. Police.), engraved in smart upright capitals;
Army LS&GC GV (6189 Sjt: L. O’Byrne. R. Dub: Fus:);
Army MSM GVI (7110881 Sjt. L. O’Byrne. R. Irish. R.);
Southern Rhodesia Service, 1939-45, unnamed as issued

MM London Gazette: 11 November 1916 – ‘for bravery in the field’.

Lawrence J. O’Byrne, of Drumcondra, Dublin,Ireland, served in the Second Anglo-Boer War with the 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, with confirmed clasp entitlement as above. Continuing to serve in the Great War with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, he rose to rank of Sergeant, and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the Battle of the Somme with the 1st Battalion in 1916 (according to the collector’s notes), although he does not appear to be entitled to the MID say M&E. While his MM is confirmed in the regimental history, by Wylly, no additional details are provided regarding the particulars of the award. Nevertheless, after a period of additional service with the Royal Irish Rifles at the rank of Sergeant, he was discharged on 31 March 1922, having received the Army LS&GC and MSM.

After the Great War he appears to have emigrated to Southern Rhodesia, and thereafter undertook a lengthy period of service as the Head Warder of the Southern Rhodesia Prison Service between 1926 and 1938. Upon the outbreak of hostilities in WW2 he re-enlisted for military service with the British South Africa Police Reserve, with whom he remained between 1940 and 1946.

Hi David, a wonderful group to O'Byrne, just want to confirm if this is perhaps the group on the coming Morton & Eden sale as opposed to Noonan's?

Note: Scrolling through previous posts, I see these have already been posted from an auction website. They are now with me. Please feel free to delete if not appropriate. A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of seven awarded to Sergeant F. Dunton, Bedfordshire Regiment, late Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment Military Medal, G.V.R. (3-8572 Pte. F. Dunton. 2/Bedf: R.); Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (5831 Pte. F. Dunton. Derby: Regt.); King's South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5831 Pte. F. Dunton. Notts: & Derby: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (3-8572 Sjt. F. Dunton. Bedf: R.); British War and Victory Medals (3-8572 Sjt. F. Dunton. Bedf. R.); Imperial Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Frederick Dunton) M.M. London Gazette 21 January 1919.
Frederick Dunton was born in the parish of Shefford, Bedfordshire, in 1878, and initially attested for the Grenadier Guards at Long Eaton on 9 February 1898. Transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment six days later, Dunton was first sent to Malta for a year and thence to South Africa from 21 November 1899 to 7 September 1902. Attached to 21st Brigade, his Battalion soon developed a reputation for good work, notably during the many actions from 3 to 24 May 1900, and later at Doornkop on 29 May 1900, and Diamond Hill on 11/12 June 1900. However, his Army Service Record notes two weeks' incarceration not long thereafter, in consequence of 'setting the veldt on fire'. Discharged in February 1910 upon termination of his first period of engagement, Dunton returned home to Shefford and took employment as a postman. The outbreak of the Great War saw him return to service with the Colours, being posted to France on 12 August 1915 as Sergeant in the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. The following year this Battalion was heavily engaged during the Battle of the Somme, specifically the storming of the Pommiers Redoubt on 1 July 1916, the Battle of Bazentin, where the Division captured Trones Wood on 14 July 1916, and the Battle of Thiepval in September 1916. The latter engagement included the storming of Thiepval Village and the front face of the Schwaben Redoubt on 28/29 September 1916. Dunton was later commended by Major General R. P. Lee, Commanding 18th Division, for gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the Field on 5/6 August 1918, south of the Bray-Corbie Road. Decorated with the MIlitary Medal, he returned to employment with the post office and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal on 3 March 1939 as a postman based at the Harpenden Sub-Office, St. Albans. He died in St. Albans on 26 November 1946. My collection