Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private A. B. Orsman, Middlesex Regiment, who was killed in action at the Battle of Arras, 28 April 1917, on which date the Battalion suffered over 450 casualties

British War and Victory Medals (G-26406 Pte. A. B. Orsman. Midd’x R.) both in named card boxes of issue; Memorial Plaque (Archibald Bernard Orsman); Memorial Scroll ‘Pte. Archibald Bernard Orsman, Middlesex Regiment, last with small tear at bottom and slightly frayed at extremities, otherwise nearly extremely fine (3) £140-£180

Archibald Bernard Orsman was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in Bedford in April 1915. He served with the 17th (1st Football) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from April 1916, and was killed in action on 28 April 1917, on which date the Battalion was ordered to attack the enemy positions at Oppy, not far from Arras. A Captain in the battalion gave the following account:
‘I was in command of “A” Company on 28 April. We went out to attack Oppy Wood and village at 4:25 a.m. All four Companies were engaged. We got through the wood and “A” Company got through the village as well. The other three Companies found the opposition in the village very heavy and did not get through except in odd parties. The majority of our officers were killed before reaching the German line. We had to retire under extremely heavy fire, the Germans being on both flanks. There was no cover, and it was impossible to bring in the badly wounded. We could only muster 1 Officer and 42 men on 30 April.’

The Battalion lost 11 Officers and 451 men on that one day. Orsman was among those killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.

Sold with original British Red Cross and Order of St. John letter; Record Office letter; Memorial certificate; copied Medal Index Card and other research, including a photograph of the recipient’s name on the Arras Memorial.