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Mystery of Highland war hero medals found in secret drawer of antique desk during restoration

Armourer Serjeant Edward Webb and the medals found in the secret desk drawer. Supplied by Baldwin & Sons
Armourer Serjeant Edward Webb and the medals found in the secret desk drawer. Supplied by Baldwin & Sons

A search has begun to unravel the mystery of a Highland war hero after his medals were found in a secret desk drawer.

David Grant was restoring an antique desk in his loft, quite literally blowing away the cobwebs, when he came across a hidden treasure.

Hidden behind a panel in a Victorian writing slope, activated by a spring mechanism concealed in a crack in the wood grain, was a drawer containing war medals.

“It was a portal to another world and obviously tremendously exciting,” said Mr Gray.

“I felt a pulse of electricity shoot through me as the panel popped open and revealed the secret drawers behind.

“It was like a gadget from an old James Bond movie — and then I saw the medals staring up at me along with this man’s photo. His descendants are out there somewhere and it would be wonderful to find them.”

Decorated war hero

The 168-year-old medals and photo – as well as lock of hair and watch fob – belonged to Armourer Serjeant Edward Webb.

On October 25, 1854, during the Crimean War, Sgt Webb and his comrades were guarding a supply base at the village of Balaklava when they saw a mass of Russian cavalry forming in the distance.

He was among a two-deep line of around 500 infantry from the 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment who stood firm as around 2,500 Russian cavalrymen charged towards them.

Armourer Serjeant Edward Webb

The day became the legendary Battle of Balaklava and the troops standing their ground the “thin red line incident.”

Sgt Webb served for more than 30 years before returning home to a civilian life – it is believed his widow later placed his medals in the secret drawer before her family sold it.

Records, which could have helped trace his descendants, were destroyed in a fire in the National Archives in 2014.

Mr Grant came by the writing slope after it was gifted to him by his grandmother when he was a schoolboy.

Medals found in the drawer.

Finding family

Sgt Webb’s Crimea Medal, Army Long Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal will soon go to auction.

Before they go under the hammer, experts at Baldwin & Sons auctioneers are desperate to trace any of his descendants.

Though little is known about him, they hope someone might see the photo of him and recognise a family resemblance.

Mark Smith, medals expert at Baldwin & Sons said: “The courage of Serjeant Webb and his comrades that day has become part of battlefield folklore, and they are rightly lionised in the history books.

“We’ve put a lot of work into trying to find his descendants, but sadly the records which might have helped us have all been destroyed.

The writing slope was given to David Grant by his grandmother.

“His regiment was headquartered in Scotland but we don’t know what happened to him after he left the army.

“It’s possible that someone out there might look at the photo and see a resemblance to a Webb they know. We’d love to hear from them.”

The medals will go to auction with the writing slope and other items on September 15 with a guide price of £2,000.

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