Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private H. Burgess, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, a stretcher-bearer who was killed in action at Delville Wood on 20 July 1916: the V.C. was won by two members of his Battalion on the same day, one of whom came from his home town

1914-15 Star (15342 Pte., R.W. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (15342 Pte., R.W. Fus.), with related Memorial Plaque (Harry Burgess), good extremely fine (4) £350-400

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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Harry Burgess, who was born at Denton, Lancashire and enlisted at Hyde, Cheshire, was killed in action at Delville Wood on 20 July 1916, while serving in the 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

As part of 76th Brigade of the 3rd Division, the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers were allocated to the attack on Delville Wood on 20 July 1916. Misled by directions provided by another Brigade, the Battalion found itself sandwiched between two enemy lines and ‘suddenly the whole wood seemed full of Germans’. As a result, 180 men quickly became casualties, the unfortunate Private Burgess among them. Two of his comrades in the 10th R.W.F. were awarded V.Cs for their gallantry that day, Corporal J. J. Davies and Private Albert Hill. Interestingly, the latter came from Denton, Burgess’ own home town, so the two men most surely knew each other. In the circumstances, it is worth speculating whether Burgess was one of the two men who assisted Hill in bringing in the wounded officer and scout referred to in his V.C. citation, especially since he was a stretcher-bearer (see VCs of the First World War: The Somme, by Gerald Gliddon, for further details).

Burgess was interred in the Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval.

Sold with two original “In Memoriam” silk ribands, each with applied portrait photograph and printed text:

‘For King and Country / In Everlasting Remembrance / of Private Stretcher-Bearer / Henry (Harry) Burgess / Aged 20 Years / Who was killed in action in / Delville Wood, July 20th, 1916 / in the great European War / “Roses may wither, Violets may die / Friends may forget him but never shall I / Anchored by love, Death cannot sever / Sadly I miss him, and will for ever” / From his loving Father / and Mother / 4 Hyde Road / Denton.’

Also sold with a small portrait photograph of the recipient in civilian attire and Record Office forwarding letter for his 1914-15 Star.