A Collection of Medals to the 42nd Highlanders and 73rd Foot (Black Watch) 743
Three: Sergeant R. F. Newton, 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders, killed in action during the attack on Hanna, 21 January 1916
1914-15 STAR (S-10207. L-Cpl. R. F. Newton, R. Highrs.); BRITISHWAR ANDVICTORYMEDALS (S-10207 A. Sjt. R. F. Newton. R. HIghrs.) generally good very fine (3)
£70-90
Richard Frederick Newton was the only son of F. W. Newton of Beech Lodge, Fleet, and was born in January 1891. He was educated at University School, Hastings and ‘enlisted in the 9th Reserve Cavalry, 3rd Hussars; was gazetted Temp. 2nd Lieut. 9th Yorkshire Regt. 21 Sept. following, but refused a commission, not wishing to leave his friends in the cavalry; joined the 2nd Black Watch in June, 1915, when the Reserve Cavalry was disbanded; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following month; took part in the Battle of Loos in Sept., when he received two stripes; proceeded to Mesopotamia in Dec., being promoted Sergt. after the fighting there on 7 Jan. 1916; took part in the actions on the 8th, 13th, 14th and 15th; was wounded in the hand on the 21st, afterwards being reported as wounded and missing, and is now assumed to have been killed in action on that date, while on his way back to the Field Dressing Station.
A comrade wrote, after the Battle of Loos: ‘On 25 Sept. last, after the 2nd Black Watch had captured five lines of German trenches, it was discovered that the battalion attacking on their right and left had been compelled to retire. The consequence of this was that the Black Watch were attack on both flanks, and to avoid being taken prisoners, had to fight their way back over the ground they had won. When they commenced to retire, Capt. Dennison [A. C. Denison] and four men collected a number of bombs and held the ground whilst the remainder of the battalion got away, and so prevented an attack from the rear. After holding on until the last moment possible, this bombing party commenced to retire, and when doing so Capt. Dennison was killed, and although every effort was made to get his body back to the British lines, he had eventually to be left. The remainder of the party all got back, and the affair coming to the ears of another officer; the men were all recommended for promotion, and Capt. Dennison was awarded the V.C. One of the bombing party was your son Dick, and accordingly he along with the other three earned his first promotion on the field.’ (De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, refers)
Sergeant Newton was killed in action during the attack on Hanna, 21 January 1916. He is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. Sold with copied research, including small photographic image of recipient.
744
Three: Private H. Worthington, 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders, killed in action during the attack on Hanna, 21 January 1916
1914-15 STAR (S-7902. Pte. H. Worthington, R. Highrs.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (S-7902 Pte. H. Worthington. R. Highrs.) generally good very fine (3)
£60-80
Henry Worthington was born in St. Helens, Lancashire. He served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders in the French theatre of war from 8 June 1915. Worthington was killed in action, 21 January 1916. On the latter date the 2nd Battalion served with the 41st Dogras and 6th Jats as part of the 35th Brigade for the first attack on the Turks at Hanna. The Regimental History gives the following:
‘At seven minutes past eight on the morning of the 21st, as the bombardment lifted, The Black Watch advanced at a slow double, and were at once greeted by a storm of bullets. Despite the heavy mud, despite the losses, perfect order was kept, and after a momentary halt at the irrigation channel every man rose up simultaneously and swept forward into the Turkish trench. There for a few moments the Turks met them hand to hand. Lieutenant Thorburn, who was among the first in, was bayoneted and clubbed to the ground, but recovered consciousness to hear the welcome sound of Piper Crichton playing along the captured trench.
On the right, the Dogras suffered heavily, lost all their British officers, and were unable to make good the right of the objective. But a few small parties of them and of the 6th Jats gallantly pressed forward and joined the Regiment after the trench was captured.... the flanks were exposed, and the Battalion was cut off from all support.
Immediately after the assault the Turks had fled across the open to their second line, losing heavily as they ran, for in spite of the exertions of the assault our men fired steadily and with good effect. Before long, however, the enemy was strongly reinforced, and soon discovered how few in numbers were the British who had penetrated his position. Two main counter-attacks now developed... These attacks were checked for some time with the aid of one or two machine guns captured by the two flank companies.... But force of numbers was bound to tell in time. Many of our men fell, and step by step the remainder were forced to give ground until they were gradually squeezed into the corner of the trenches nearest to the river bank... bravery and discipline can make good lack of numbers in an assault, but it is impossible for a hundred men to hold a position indefinitely when attacked on three sides and with no supports forthcoming....
For two hours a desperate resistance was put up against hopeless odds. Sergeant Finlay died fighting with the same cool courage that had won him his V.C. on the 9th May in France. At last, about 10.15am, when almost surrounded, the remnants of the shattered platoons, half of whom were wounded, fell back on the British lines, bringing with them one officer and about a dozen Turks as prisoner....
The losses reported on the 21st were 6 officers (2 killed, 1 wounded and missing) and 175 other ranks (21 killed, 79 wounded and missing). Of those reported missing all were subsequently ascertained to have been killed, and at least one officer and many man who were wounded refused to report or go to hospital while the need of the Battalion was so great. The casualties in this action were approximately 60 per cent of the fighting strength of the Battalion. Exclusive of the transport, 29 officers and nearly 900 men had landed at Basrah three weeks earlier. There now remained to report themselves fit for duty two combatant officers and 130 men, and of these not all were unwounded.’
Private Worthington is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
745
Three: Private A. J. Trory, 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders, who died of wounds in Mesopotamia, 7 September 1916
1914-15 STAR (S-8356. Pte. A. J. Trory. R. Highrs.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (S-8356 Pte. A. J. Trory. R. Highrs.); MEMORIAL PLAQUE (Albert James Trory) last with traces of verdigris, generally very fine or better (4)
£100-140
Albert James Trory was born in Leith, Edinburgh. He served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Highlanders in the French theatre of war from 3 August 1915. Trory died of wounds 7 September 1916.
Private Trory is buried in the Amara War Cemetery, Iraq
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