Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private C. J. White, South Staffordshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Givenchy on 10 March 1915

1914 Star (7116 Pte., 2/S. Staff. R.); British War and Victory Medals (7116 Pte., 2/S. Staff. R.), with related Memorial Plaque (Charles John White), extremely fine (4) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties formed by Tim Parsons.

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Charles John White, who was born at Aston, Warwickshire and enlisted at Lichfield, Staffordshire, was killed in action at Givenchy on 10 March 1915, while serving in the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. The following biographical entry appears in The National Roll of the Great War:

‘Mobilised from the Reserve at the outbreak of war, he was drafted to the Western Front in August 1914 and took part in the Battle of Mons. He was also present at many other engagements, including the Battles of the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassee and Ypres, and was unfortunately killed in action at Givenchy on 10 March 1915. He was entitled to the Mons Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. 265, Watery Lane, Deritend, Birmingham.’

A Battalion comrade afterwards wrote to White’s parents with the following account of his death (local newspaper sources refer):

‘Our regiment was called to attack the Germans, and Charles was one of the unfortunate of a good many to be in the front line. While advancing a comrade near him had a bomb thrown at him, and like the brave chap he was he at once went to his assistance, only to meet his end from a machine-gun.’

White is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial; sold with relevant panel photographs.