The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals 137
Three: Private E. Burls, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action at the Battle of Le Cateau on 26 August 1914
1914 Star, with clasp (7756 Pte. E. Burls. 2/Essex R.) in named card box of issue with outer envelope addressed to ‘Mrs M. M. Burls, Cadhay Dairy, Ottery St. Mary’s, Devon’; British War and Victory Medals (7756 Pte. E. Burls. Essex R.) both in named card boxes of issue and outer OHMS envelope addressed to, ‘Mrs M. M. Burls, 34 Mill St., Ottery St. Mary, Devon.’; Memorial Plaque (Ernest Burls) with Buckingham Palace enclosure, in card envelope and OHMS outer envelope similarly addressed, virtually mint state (4)
£260-£300
Ernest Burls was born in 1886 at Great Easton, Dunmow, Essex and attested for the Essex Regiment at Braintree, Essex. He served with A Company of the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front, landing at Le Havre, France on 24 August 1914 and entraining the same night for Bertry near Le Cateau, arriving on 25 August. The battalion then marched to Prayelle from where A and B Companies moved to Longsart.
The enemy attacked the A and B Company positions on Longsart Ridge, near Esnes on 26 August and, despite support from C and D Companies, a withdrawal was ordered and the Battalion fell back to positions on the Hancourt-Esnes Road. Here they came under shell fire and later in the day retired via Selvigny to Vendhuille having suffered Captain Vandeleur and Lieutenant Northey killed, Lieutenant Round mortally wounded, 90 other ranks killed, 1 officer and 40 other ranks wounded and 98 missing.
Private Burls was among those missing, presumed dead and was later officially recorded as having died on 26 August 1914. He was the son of Charles and Sarah Burls, of Parsonage Downs, Dunmow, Essex and the husband of Maud Mary Burls, of 9, Cornhill, Ottery St. Mary, Devon. Having no known grave, he is commemorated on La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, France and the Great Easton and Tilty War Memorial, Essex.
138
Three: Corporal W. Mitchell, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action on the Aisne on 13 September 1914
1914 Star, with copy clasp (7309 Cpl. W. Mitchell. 2/Essex R.); British War and Victory Medals (7309 Cpl. W. Mitchell. Essex R.); Memorial Plaque (William Mitchell) in card envelope, with Buckingham Palace enclosure, nearly extremely fine (4)
£240-£280
William Mitchell was born in Cambridge in 1886 and attested there for the Essex Regiment in November 1902. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 August 1914 and was killed in action at the crossing of the Aisne on 13 September 1914: ‘On September 13th, in pouring rain, the Battalion crossed the Aisne. They left the bivouac at 7 a.m., the unit being ordered to march via Billy-sur-Aisne and Venizel to Ste. Marguerite. After an hour’s rest, Venizel was reached at 9 a.m and the Battalion was temporarily halted in column in a field by the roadside, in readiness for crossing first the railroad and then the river bridge. The girders of the latter had been cut, but the reinforced concrete of the roadway was strong enough to take infantry. Whilst waiting to pass over, enemy shell- fire was active and the machine gun teams had a number of casualties, heavier losses being avoided because one of the companies had just moved to shelter in a sunken road...
The Pompadours, after crossing, traversed the two miles of water meadows to Bucy-le-Long in extended order, ten paces interval, at 100 yards distance, and though the shell-fire was heavy, the casualties were slight. “ D ” Company brought up the rear... The Essex were ordered to cover an attack upon Chivres trenches by the Lancashire Fusiliers. The effort was not successful owing to heavy fire from the south of Chivres village and the western slopes of the Chivres spur. The Pompadours then held the high ground north of Ste. Marguerite, with their right thrown back along the eastern side of the wood before-mentioned. There they dug in and remained for the night, Lancashire Fusiliers on the right and the King’s Own on the left. The position possessed elements of anxiety owing to enemy activity and for a time small arms ammunition ran short, but this danger was relieved at 6.25 p.m., when three cart- loads were received. The casualties were light, comprising ten killed and 32 wounded.’ (Essex Units in the Great War 1914-1919 Vol 2. 2nd Bn. The Essex Regt. by John Wm. Burrows, F.S.A.)
He was the son of John Mitchell and husband of Maud Elizabeth Alice Thomas (formerly Mitchell) of 6 Stone Terrace, Stone St., Cambridge. Having no known grave, he is commemorated on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, France.
139 Family group:
Three: Private R. D. Webb, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, who was killed in action near Chapelle d’Armentières on 3 November 1914 1914 Star, with clasp (7959 Pte. R. D. Webb. 2/Essex R.); British War and Victory Medals (7959 Pte. R. D. Webb. Essex R.); Memorial Plaque (Robert David Webb) reverse of plaque bearing scars from metal fixtures, since removed; Memorial Scroll ‘Pte. Robert David Webb, Essex Regiment.’, nearly extremely fine
Three: Private A. E. Webb, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle on 12 March 1915 1914 Star, with clasp (8436 Pte. A. E. Webb. 2/Linc: R.); British War and Victory Medals (8436 Pte. A. E. Webb. Linc. R.); Memorial Plaque (Alfred Edward Webb) reverse of plaque bearing scars from metal fixtures, since removed; Memorial Scroll ‘Pte. Alfred Edward Webb, Lincolnshire Regt.’, nearly extremely fine (10)
£400-£500
Robert David Webb was born around 1885 at Ipswich, Suffolk and attested there for the Essex Regiment in 1904. He served with D Company of the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 22 August 1914 as part of the 12th Brigade in the 4th Division. Having participated in the battles of Le Cateau and the Aisne, his battalion moved north to Hazebrouck and was then involved in a series of actions near Armentières and Messines in October 1914.
Private Webb was killed in action on 3 November 1914 during a period when his battalion successfully repulsed enemy attacks on the firing line south of Pont Edal Farm railway crossing, near Chapelle d’Armentières. He was the son of Robert and Sarah Webb of 54 Wykes Bishop St., Ipswich and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Meemorial, Belgium.
Alfred Edward Webb was born around 1890 at Ipswich, Suffolk and attested there for the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1908. He served with the 2nd battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 5 November 1914 as part of the 25th Brigade, 8th Division and was killed in action on 12 March 1914 - two days after his battalion’s attack on Neuve Chapelle.
The regimental history describes how a shrapnel shell was the likely cause of his death: ‘On the 12th the Germans launched their counter-attack but similarly they gained little. The Lincolnshire Diary records that the battalion remained in its trenches “all day and all night (12th/13th)”; forward Battalion Headquarters were with C Company. That night, at about 8pm, Captain C. G. V. Wellesley rejoined the Battalion (he had been ill and away from it). He was coming up with the ration party when a shrapnel shell pitched into it, mortally wounding the officer and twelve other ranks about thirty yards from Battalion headquarters.’ (The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 edited by Major-General C. R. Simpson, C.B.)
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