British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private Harry Trinder, 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, killed in action on the first day of the battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916

British War and Victory Medals (2014 Pte., R. War. R.) very fine (2) £180-220

Harry Trinder was born in St. George’s, Birmingham, lived in Birmingham and enlisted at Hockley, Birmingham. Serving with his local regiment, the 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 22 March 1915. The battalion saw action as part of 143 Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division, before being transferred to 11 Brigade, 4th Division prior to the battle of the Somme.

The task of the 4th Division was to ‘Take out the Quadrilateral Redoubt’ an old trench system built prior to the French attack in 1915. In the first wave, the 1/8th Royal Warwicks by passed the Quadrilateral and advanced some 1500 metres. In the next wave, the 1/6th Royal Warwicks went ‘over the top’ and struggled through no-mans land. In spite of a very heavy British artillery bombardment the German machine gunners on the Redan Ridge emerged from their shelters and began ‘reaping havoc in the lines of the assaulting troops’. A German counter bombardment also began which turned no-mans land into a quagmire. The 1/6th were ‘cut off from reinforcements to push forward and hindered from going back’. As the Regimental History explains, the Battalion was soon reduced to two weak platoons and although the capture of the Quadrilateral was the only gain made that day, it could not be held against determined German counter attacks and the troops were withdrawn.

The 4th Division had suffered 5,752 casualties including 1,883 killed. One of those killed was Private Harry Trinder of the 1/6 Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. With copied m.i.c. and research.