The Dix Noonan Webb, London, sale on February 24 has a group of five medals to a First World War soldier who retired to the Barrow area. 

He received the 1915-15 Star, Silver War Medal, Victory Medal, the 1935 Jubilee Medal and the 1937 Coronation Medal. 

The medals are expected to sell for £140 to £180. Eric Townson was born in Salford, Lancashire, on January 26 in 1890 and went to Bloxham School, Banbury. 

The law student joined the 6th (Territorial Force) Battalion of the Manchester Regiment as a private soldier on July 12 in 1909. 

He was commissioned as an officer in the 7th Battalion in March 1911 and was promoted to lieutenant in June 1913. 

He was mobilized on the outbreak of war in August 1914 and sailed from Southampton on September 10 on board the Grantully Castle. 

He arrived at Alexandria on September 25 and served in ‘B’ Company. 

On May 7 in 1915 the battalion landed at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles as part of the Gallipoli Campaign against Turkish forces and was soon in action. 

He suffered from a variety of illnesses and was invalided back to Alexandria on 26 June 26 and from there to England in July. 

After recovering he rejoined the battalion in Gallipoli in November 1915 and remained with it until its evacuation in January 1916. 

He served in Egypt and was promoted to Captain in August 1916. 

He was in France with the battalion in March 1917, was placed on sick leave in August 1918 and discharged from the Army in January 1919. 

In 1919 he passed his Law Society examinations and was employed as a council solicitor at Brighton Town Hall. 

In June 1921 he was transferred to the Territorial Army Reserve and moved back to Salford where he married. 

He gave up his commission in April 1923. In September 1926 he was appointed town clerk and solicitor for the Tottenham Urban District Council, a position he held until 1947. 

On his retirement he moved to the Barrow area and died on June 30 in 1953.