Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private C. Chamberlain, 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Leeds) West Yorkshire Regiment ‘Leeds Pals’, wounded in action

British War and Victory Medals (15-1859 Pte., W. York. R.); Silver War Badge (177892) this lacking pin, good very fine (lot) £100-140

Charles Chamberlain, a Hairdresser, from 2 Northcote Terrace, Leeds, enlisted into the West Yorkshire Regiment at Colsterdale, on 5 July 1915, aged 19 years, 7 months. He was posted to the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Leeds) West Yorkshire Regiment - the ‘Leeds Pals’. He went to France in May 1916. There he suffered a gunshot wound to his right hand and wrist. Invalided home and transferred to the Depot, he was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service and discharged on 7 May 1917. He was awarded the Silver War Badge number 177892.

It is almost certain that Private Chamberlain was wounded when his battalion advanced towards the village of Serre, on 1 July 1916 - the first day of the battle of the Somme. Advancing into a hail of shell and machine-gun fire, the battalion got no further than the German wire, suffering battle casualties numbering 24 officers and 504 other ranks, of which 15 officers and 233 other ranks were killed in action.

A survivor said of the ‘Pals’, ‘The name of Serre and the date of 1st July is engraved deep in our hearts, along with the faces of our 'Pals', a grand crowd of chaps. We were two years in the making and ten minutes in the destroying’.

With identity disk; ‘Leeds W. York’ shoulder titles (2); other insignia (3); pierced coins (2) and copied service papers and m.i.c.