Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Memorial Plaque (2) (Robert Belcher; John Oswald Thornhill) good very fine (2) £60-£80

Robert Belcher was born in Sleaburn, co. Durham, and attested for the Durham Light Infantry at Sunderland. He served with the 10th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 21 May 1915, and was killed in action on 16 September 1916, on which date the battalion was involved in the attack on Gird Lines at Gueudecourt, near Delville Wood. The attack commenced at 9:25 a.m., but the leading waves were soon checked by strong machine gun fire. In his book The Durham Forces in the Field, Captain W. Miles records just 3 officers and 100 men being available for the renewed attack at 6:55 p.m.- total casualties that day were 397. Belcher has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

John Oswald Thornhill was born in Georgetown, British Guiana, and attested there as a British Guiana Contingency Soldier with the British West Indies Regiment. Arriving in England, he was posted to the Gloucestershire Regiment, and served with the 11th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, before transferring to the 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 25 April 1917, and having no know grave is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.

Thornhill was one of only eleven British Guiana Contingency Soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment who died during the Great War.