THE medals of the most decorated soldier from the Herefordshire Regiment are returning to the county.

The Herefordshire Regimental Museum have acquired the medals of Lieutenant Colonel Wilkins Fitzwilliams Chipp, who received seven gallantry and three distinguished service awards.

Chipp joined the regiment in 1899 in Kington after attending Lady Hawkins school.

He received the Regimental Colour from Edward VII at Windsor Castle in 1909 and was mobilised with the regiment on the outbreak of the First World War.

At Suvla Bay he served with distinction and as Sergeant Major he took command of his company when all the officers were wounded, until he himself was wounded and evacuated to Malta.

He rejoined the regiment in Egypt: now a commissioned officer he was at various times adjutant, company commander, brigade staff officer and commanding officer and reached the rank of major. He again distinguished himself and was awarded the Military Cross at the Battle of Gaza.

The regiment moved to the Western Front in July 1918 and were soon in the thick of the fighting, Chipp again distinguishing himself being awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

At the end of the war he had received the Distinguished Service Order twice, the Military Cross, the Croix de Guerre from both France and Belgium and been twice mentioned in despatches.

After the First World War he worked in India and Malaya and joined the Colonial Forces and was awarded the OBE in 1940. He was captured at the fall of Singapore and became a librarian in Changi POW camp.

At the fall of Singapore he had hidden his medals and was able to recover them before his repatriation to England in 1946. After all this his military days were not over and he joined the reformed Home Guard in London and probably his last appearance in uniform was as the Commander of the Guard on the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey in 1956.

Chipp died in 1970, he had served his country for over 57 years.

Colonel Andy Taylor, the museum’s curator, said: "I have read much about Chipp’s exploits, he is a true regimental character and there are many fond and stirring accounts of him from officers and soldiers alike; he is one of the regiment’s most distinguished soldiers and I never thought I would see the medals let alone acquire them for the museum – the medals of a true Herefordshire Regiment hero have come home."

The medals were purchased with the assistance of a bridging loan from the Army Museums Ogilby Trust, and the museum will now raise funds to repay the loan.