The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals 163
Three: Private E. J. Simmonds, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), who was killed in action at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front
1914 Star, with clasp (L-9431 Pte. E. J. Simmonds. 4/Midd’x R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-9431 Pte. E. J. Simmonds. Midd’x R.); Memorial Plaque (Edward James Simmonds) all mounted within a contemporary frame, good very fine or better (4)
£300-£400
Edward James Simmonds was born in 1884, at Islington, Middlesex and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in London in 1904. Following the outbreak of the Great War he was mobilized from the reserve at Mill Hill on 5 August 1914 and served with the 4th Battalion on the Western Front from 14 August 1914. He was killed in action at the Battle of Mons, 23 August 1914, on the British Expeditionary Force’s first main day of action. On this day the Battalion was charged with the defence of Oburg Railway Station, a key point on the Mons-Conde canal. Two Companies were placed along the canal, with “D” Company in the railway station area, and another Company in reserve in the woods.
Like many men of the B.E.F. killed at Mons, Private Simmonds was initially reported only as being missing on 23 August 1914. His presumptive death ‘on or about’ that date was confirmed the following year however, on the evidence of Private W. Greenhill, an exchanged prisoner of war. He was the husband of Margaret Mary Ann Simmonds of 27 Tiber Road, Caledonian Road, London, and is buried in St. Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Sold together with an enlarged painted oval photograph of the recipient in a card mount.
164
Three: Private H. E. Speller, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), who was killed in action at the Battle of Mons, 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front
1914 Star, with copy clasp (L-14083 Pte. H. E. Speller. 4/Midd’x R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-14083 Pte. H. E. Speller. Midd’x R.) good very fine (3)
£240-£280
Horace Edward Speller was born in 1895 at Enfield Wash, Middlesex and attested for the Middlesex Regiment at Ponders End, Middlesex in 1912. He served with B Company in the 4th Battalion on the Western Front from 14 August 1914 and was killed in action at the Battle of Mons, 23 August 1914, on the British Expeditionary Force’s first main day of action. On this day the Battalion was charged with the defence of Oburg Railway Station, a key point on the Mons-Conde canal. Speller’s “B” Company covering Lock No. 5 to Nimy on the left, was one of two Companies placed along the canal, with “D” Company in the railway station area, and another Company in reserve in the woods.
Private Speller was the son of Mrs. Annie Speller, of 13, King Edward's Road, Ponders End, Middlesex and is buried in St. Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium.
165
The 1914 Star awarded to Private C. Lurie, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), who was killed in action at Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front
1914 Star (L-8687 Pte. C. Lurie. 4/Midd’x R.) good very fine £120-£160
Charles Lurie was born in 1885 at Shoreditch, Middlesex and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in London on 7 March 1903. Following the outbreak of the Great War, he embarked from Southampton with the 4th Battalion as part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division, arriving in France on 14 August 1914 and was killed in action at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first main day of action.On this day the Battalion was charged with the defence of Oburg Railway Station, a key point on the Mons-Conde canal. Two Companies were placed along the canal, with “D” Company in the railway station area, and another Company in reserve in the woods.
Private Lurie was the husband of Jane Lurie and is buried at Mons (Bergen) Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Note: The CWGC, De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, Soldiers Died in the Great War and the British Jewry Book of Honour 1914-1920 all state Laurie’s date of death to be 23 August 1914, however, the Register of Soldier’s Effects gives Lurie’s place and date of death to be Mons, 28 August 1914. It is therefore possible that Lurie was wounded at Mons on 23 August and died as a Prisoner of War five days later.
166
Three: Private A. W. G. Ratty, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), who was taken prisoner of war at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front
1914 Star (L-13798 Pte. A. W. G. Ratty. 4/Midd’x R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-13798 Pte. A. W. G. Ratty. Midd’x R.) nearly extremely fine (3)
£240-£280
Alfred William George Ratty was born in 1894 in London and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in 1912. Following the outbreak of the Great War, he embarked from Southampton with the 4th Battalion as part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division, arriving in France on 14 August 1914, and was captured at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first main day of action. On this day the Battalion was charged with the defence of Oburg Railway Station, a key point on the Mons-Conde canal. Two Companies were placed along the canal, with “D” Company in the railway station area, and another Company in reserve in the woods.
Ratty was amongst those captured, and he was held at prisoner of war for the remainder of the Great War at camps in Hammerstein and Senne in Germany.
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