The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals 53
Pair: Private J. T. Gresswell, 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War near Wancourt during the German Spring Offensive on 28 March 1918
British War and Victory Medals (44095 Pte. J. T. Gresswell. North’d Fus.) extremely fine (2) £100-£140
John Thomas Gresswell was born on 14 February 1888 at Rothley, Leicestershire. A farmer by occupation, he attested for the Northumberland Fusiliers on 2 February 1916 and served with the 20th (Service) Battalion on the Western Front from 16 September 1916. Repatriated sick on 14 February 1917, he arrived at Northumberland War Hospital two days later and, once recovered, reported back to Alnwick Depot 24 March 1917. He sailed again to France on 15 August 1917 and was posted to the 1st Battalion of his regiment at Fremicourt.
In a semi-diarised account of his war service (included with the lot), Gresswell describes this his second period of service on the Western Front and his subsequent captivity following his capture by the Germans at Henin on 28 March 1918. Example entries include:
‘Went up to Ypres for our offensive and over the top 7 days on 26 September 1917’ ‘Holding the line at Vaulx for a time [Oct 1917]’ ‘At Cambria push Ecourt , 20 Nov 1917, over the top, hit in eye same night and went down the line to Ashly...left for Rouen General Hospital 3 days later’
‘Joined battalion at Murcatelle and marched into the trenches next night [Feb 1918]. Cuckoo Reserve’ ‘In the attack on 21 March front line’
‘At Wancourt on 28 March. Jerry’s offensive at Henin and Wancourt and captured at 8 o’clock.’ ‘Marched all day to a cafe at Estrees, no food that day.’
A detailed account of the hardships of his captivity - e.g. being shelled while on working parties and being fed on horse flesh - is then concluded by the final entry on 26 November 1918: ‘Crossed for Blightly, arrived at Dover 2.30.’
Sold together with the following items and documents: Recipients ‘Soldier’s Pay Book for use on active service’; a booklet entitled, ‘What a British Soldier wants to say in French and how to pronounce it.’; Buckingham Palace letter from H.M. King George V to ex- Prisoners of War with a small union jack pinned to top left corner; the recipient’s 5 page clearly legible hand-written account of his war service and time as a prisoner of war.
54
Three: Private W. Cramp, 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who was killed in action at the capture of Méteren during the Battle of Armentières on 13 October 1914
1914 Star, with copy clasp (157 Pte. W. Cramp. R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals (157 Pte. W. Cramp. R. War. R.); Memorial Plaque (William Cramp) in card envelope, nearly extremely fine (4)
£240-£280
William Cramp was born in 1885 in Foleshill, Warwickshire and attested for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Warwick on 2 August 1904. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 August 1914 and was killed in action on 13 October at the capture of Méteren during the opening of the Battle of Armentières.
On this date the 1st Warwickshires gained the outskirts of Méteren by 1pm but then being held up, ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies are noted by the War Diary as moving forward later, taking several trenches, but with heavy loss. The Battalion withdrew in the evening to reserve trenches having suffered Major Christie killed, Lieutenant Gilliat mortally wounded, 3 officers wounded and 45 other ranks killed, 85 wounded. Notable among the wounded officers was Lieutenant (later Field Marshal) B. L. Montgomery.
William Cramp was the son of William and Mary Cramp and husband of Lucy Wheatley (formerly Cramp) of Little Boyton, Foleshill, Coventry. He is buried in Méteren Military Cemetery, France.
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Three: Lance-Corporal A. Whitehouse, 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Houplines, near Armentières, on 3 November 1914
1914 Star, with clasp (7623 L. Cpl. A. Whitehouse. R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7623 Pte. A. Whitehouse. R. War. R.) good very fine (3)
£200-£240
Alfred Whitehouse was born in Aston, Warwickshire and attested for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Birmingham in January 1901. He served as a Lance-Corporal with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 19 September 1914. The 1st Royal Warwickshire participated in the capture of Méteren on 13 October 1914, suffering suffered Major Christie killed, Lieutenant Gilliat mortally wounded, 3 officers wounded and 45 other ranks killed, 85 wounded. Notable among the wounded officers was Lieutenant (later Field Marshal) B. L. Montgomery.
The battalion moved forward to trenches in the firing line at Houplines on 18 October: ‘The Warwicks remained in their positions for the next month, during which they were regularly subjected to heavy shellfire. They also experienced machine-gun fire and constant enemy sniping. Casualties included Captain Bentley, who was mortally wounded... as winter arrived the earlier war of mobility ground to a halt. It was to be replaced by deadlocked trench warfare. Whereas earlier shallow trenches were generally termed mere fox-holes, these soon gave place to well-constructed and sophisticated systems of passageways... November saw heavy rainfall, frost and snow which caused another serious problem. Mud, besides adding to the already unbearable trench life, further hindered communications. The Battalion’s diary comments that the “discomfort was indescribable.”’ (Seek Glory, Now Keep Glory - The Story of the 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire 1914-1918 by John Ashby refers)
Lance-Corporal Ashby was killed in action at Houplines on 3 November 1914. He was the husband of Annie Louise Whitehouse and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ploeegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
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