The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals 112


Three: Sergeant E. W. Slater, 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, who was killed in action in the attack on Poelcapelle, during the Battle of Langemarck, on 21 October 1914


1914 Star (9219 Sjt. E. W. Slater. S. Wales Bord.); British War and Victory Medals (9219 Sjt. E. W. Slater. S. Wales Bord.) nearly extremely fine (3)


£200-£240


Ernest William Slater was born in 1886 at Holborn, London and enlisted for the South Wales Borderers in London in 1906. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 13 August 1914 and, following his battalion’s very fierce fighting during the operations above Troyon and on the Mont Faucon Ridge on the Aisne in September, entrained and travelled north to billets at Hondeghem.


The 1st South Wales Borderers entrained for Cassel on 17 October and moved forward to Langemarck in the Ypres Sector on 21 October, taking part in the attack on Poelcapelle at a cost of 2 officers killed, 1 officer wounded, 19 other ranks killed, 62 wounded and 65 missing. The battalion then held the line under heavy fire at Poelcapelle, repulsing several enemy infantry attacks - Atkinson’s Regimental History quotes one officer present as saying ’they came on in masses of 200 and simply got cut to pieces’.


Private Slater was among those killed on 21 October 1914. He was the son of William G. and Eliza Slater of 1 Franklin Street, South Tottenham, London and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.


113 Family group:


Three: Sergeant J. H. Lowe, 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, who was killed in action at Gheluvelt on 31 October 1914 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8159 Sjt. J. H. Lowe. S. Wales Bord.); British War and Victory Medals (8159 Sjt. J. H. Lowe S. Wales Bord.) good very fine


Pair: Private E. Lowe, Northumberland Fusiliers, later Labour Corps British War and Victory Medals (50302 Pte. E. Lowe. North’d Fus.) good very fine (5)


£240-£280


James Harling Lowe was born in 1884 at Norton, Derbyshire and attested for the South Wales Borderers in 1903. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 13 August 1914 in the rank of Sergeant, and was recorded as missing presumed dead following the fighting by the battalion around Gheluvelt Châteaux on 31 October 1914. He was the son of Thomas and Maria Lowe of Rectory Villa, Low Edges, Norton, Sheffield and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.


Edward Lowe, younger brother of the above, was born in 1887 at Sheffield, Yorkshire and served during the Great War in the Northumberland Fusiliers, later transferring to the Labour Corps.


114


Three: Lance Corporal A. E. Ellis, 1st Battalion, Cameronions (Scottish Rifles), who was killed in action near La Boutillerie during the Battle of Armentières on 22 October 1914


1914 Star, with copy clasp (11030 L. Cpl. A. Ellis. 1/ Sco: Rif.); British War and Victory Medals (11030 Pte. A. E. Ellis. Sco. Rif.); Memorial Plaque (Albert Edward Ellis) good very fine (4)


£240-£280


Albert Edward Ellis was born in Fulham, London in 1893 and attested for the Middlesex Regiment on 10 April 1911. He was discharged, however, on 8 July 1911 - ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier’. Undeterred, he attested for the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) at Liverpool in 1913 and following the outbreak of the Great War, he sailed with the 1st Battalion for France, disembarking at Havre on 15 August 1914. Advancing on the 23 August to positions on the Mons-Condé Canal near Condé, the battalion received an order to hold the position at all costs but was ordered to retire at 2:00 a.m. on 24 August and withdrew to Jenlain.


On 13 October 1914, at the commencement of the Battle of Armentières, the 1st Scottish Rifles as part of the 19th Brigade became attached to the 6th Division - then tasked with holding a line from Radinghem to Ennetières. Dug-in at Bas Maisnil near Fromelles on 20 October and facing desperate and mutually costly attacks by the German 6th Army, the 1st Scottish Rifles were then heavily shelled on 22 October, and fell back to trenches in front of La Boutillerie where they held the position under continued heavy shell-fire accompanied by infantry attacks. 4 officers and 45 other ranks of the battalion were either killed, wounded or missing during the day’s fighting, Ellis being among those killed.


He was the son of Mrs Elizabeth Ellis of 99 Swaton Road, Bromley, Bow, London and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.


115


Three: Captain C. C. Thompson, 2nd Battalion, sometime attached 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was killed in action near Ovillers during the Battle of the Somme on 14 July 1916


1914 Star, with clasp (Lieut: C. C. Thompson. R. Innis: Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. C. C. Thompson.) good very fine (3)


£300-£400


Cecil Cuthbert Thompson was born in 1890 at Monk Bretton, Barnsley and was educated at Barnsley Grammar School and Reading University. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant (on probation) into the 4th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from the Reading University College Contingent Officers’ Training Corps on 13 July 1912 and following university he was appointed a master at Handsworth Grammar School, Birmingham, and admitted as a member of the Royal Geographical Society.


Thompson served as a Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 2 November 1914, his battalion occupying trenches near Ploegsteert Wood and participating in several assaults to attempt to recover lost trenches during the month of November. The following year he was promoted Temporary Captain and attached to the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion (15 June 1915).


Captain Thompson was killed in action on 14 July 1916 during the 2nd Battalion’s attack at Ovillers on the Somme. The regimental historian, Sir Frank Fox, records that in the attack, which began on 13 July, 2 companies, co-ordinating with the 17th Highland Light Infantry, gained their objectives but suffered heavy casualties and were forced to withdraw to Bouzincourt the following day.


He was the son of Samuel and Fanny Thompson, of Wakefield, Yorks and the husband of Mary Thompson (nee Ward), of 18, Monmouth Road, Bayswater, London and is buried in Ovillers Military Cemetery, Somme, France. He is also commemorated on a family grave headstone in Barnsley Cemetery which also bears the name of his brother, A. H. Thompson, who fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.


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