Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Victory Medal 1914-19 (10) (37949 Pte. W. Marshall. Lan. Fus.; 200941 Pte. W. Dolby. Lan. Fus.; 202686 Pte. A. Fenton. Lan. Fus.; 37727 Pte. T. Mc Mullen. Lan. Fus.; 5264 Pte. J. H. Roberts. Lan. Fus.; 41448 Pte. W. H. Williamson. Lan. Fus.; 10018 Pte. H. Hayton. Lan. Fus.; 30282 Pte. J. T. Hodson. Lan. Fus.; 204518 Pte. G. Clarke. Lan. Fus.; 35209 Pte. J. K. Crossley. Lan. Fus.) very fine or better (10) £80-120

William Marshall, a native of Salford, enlisted around September 1915 and in 1916 landed in France with the 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. In December 1916 he was admitted to No. 34 Casualty Clearing Station with trench foot. He was later posted to the 10th (Service) Battalion and then again to the 2/7th Battalion. He was killed in action on 21 March 1918 at Templeux-le-Guérard, Somme, France.
‘On the opening day of the German Spring Offensive [21 March 1918], two and a half companies of the 2/7th Lancashire Fusiliers and two companies of the divisional pioneer battalion (1/5th Border Regiment) were defending a heavily fortified quarry outside the village of Templeux-le-Guérard. This strongpoint was quickly surrounded and bypassed by the attackers, who began a furious attack on the rest of the brigade in Templeux-le-Guérard. At 3.00 p.m. the Germans brought up some heavy Minenwerfers, which destroyed the positions in the quarry, and at the same time they entered the quarry tunnels. Of 450 men in the quarry garrison only approximately 60 were left on their feet when they surrendered two hours later.’
He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.

William Dolby, a native of Bury, served on the Western Front with the 2/5th & the 1/5th Battalions, Lancashire Fusiliers. He is recorded as wounded in the 16 October 1917 Casualty List.

Arthur Fenton served on the Western Front with the 3/5th & 2/8th Battalions, Lancashire Fusiliers. He was Mentioned in Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of the 16 March 1919 (London Gazette 8 July 1919) while serving with the 1/8th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. He was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal in May 1922.

Thomas McMullen served with the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers and was later posted to the 1st Battalion.

John Henry Roberts served in the First World War with the 1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers and landed at Gallipoli on 20 August 1915. He was disembodied on 3 March 1919.

William Henry Williamson, a native of Liverpool, served on the Western Front with the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers and was later posted to the 1st Battalion. He is recorded as wounded in the 10 December 1918 Casualty List.

Henry Hayton served on the Western Front with the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers, landing in France on 22 November 1915. He later transferred to the Labour Corps.

John Taylor Hodson, a native of Oldham, enlisted into the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers on 4 May 1917 and landed in France with the 9th (Service) Battalion on 2 September 1917. He was invalided home on 27 October 1917 and discharged from the army on 2 January 1918, due to deafness, being no longer physically fit for war service.

George Clarke enlisted on 3 August 1915 and served with the Lancashire Fusiliers. He later transferred to the Labour Corps and was discharged on 23 February 1919 due to sickness.

James Kenyon Crossley, a native of Bury, first served on the Western Front with the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, later being posted to the 11th (Service) Battalion. Around June 1918 he transferred to the 1st (Garrison) Battalion Hampshire Regiment.