The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals 80


Three: Private A. W. Giles, 1st Battalion, Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry), who was killed in action at St. Yves, near Armentières, on 10 November 1914


1914 Star, with copy clasp (8731 Pte. A. W. Giles. 1/Som: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (8731 Pte. A. W. Giles. Som. L.I.) nearly extremely fine (3)


£160-£200


Arthur William Giles was born in 1894 at Long Ditton, Surrey and, having attested for the Somerset Light Infantry at Stratford, Essex around 1909, is shown in the 1911 census as serving aged 16 years with the 1st Battalion, stationed at Verne Citadel Barracks, Portland.


Following the outbreak of the Great War Giles landed at Havre, France with the 1st Battalion on 22 August 1914, his battalion being heavily engaged four days later near Ligny during the Battle of Le Cateau as part of the 11th Brigade in Snow’s 4th Division. They again saw action at the Marne and the Aisne, crossing the latter on 13 September and taking part in the attack on Bucy-de-Long. Committed once more the following month during the Battle of Armentières, the 1st Somersets notably took part in an attack on La Gheer from Ploegsteert Wood on 21 October in which they advanced via the eastern edge of the wood and cleared the enemy, who were Saxons, from the village at the point of the bayonet.


Private Giles was killed in action on 10 November 1914, a date on which his battalion was occupying trenches north-west of St. Yves, between Armentières and Ypres. He is buried at Strand Military Cemetery, Belgium.


81


A Great War 1918 ‘Flanders Offensive’ M.M., Belgian Croix de Guerre group of four awarded to Sergeant F. W. C. Douglas, 17th (Service) Battalion (2nd Leeds), Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)


Military Medal, G.V.R. (54077 Sjt. F. W. C. Douglas. 17/ W. York. R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (54077 Sjt. F. W. C. Douglas. W. York. R.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (54077 Pte. F. W. C. Douglas. W. York. R.); Belgium, Kingdom, Croix de Guerre, A.I.R., bronze, very fine (4)


£300-£400


M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919. Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 4 September 1919.


Frederick William Charles Douglas was born in 1899 at St. Pancras, London and served during the Great War on the Western Front initially with the 17th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, and then from 7 December 1917 with the amalgamated 15/17th Battalion. He was awarded the M.M. and Belgian Croix de Guerre for gallantry in Flanders, late August to early October 1918. Discharged to the Class Z Reserve on 1 July 1919, he died at Southend on Sea in 1981.


Sold with the recipient’s Croix de Guerre certificate, measuring 50cm x 41cm, in scroll tube, which states that the award - ‘for courage and dedication during the Flanders Offensive’ - was presented on 13 December 1918.


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