Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

1914-15 Star (10203 Pte. C. Townsend, Som. L.I.) nearly extremely fine £20-30

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 13th Regiment and Somerset Light Infantry.

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Charles Townsend was born, lived and enlisted in Bath.

He was killed in action on the Somme on 1 July 1916, while serving in the 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry. The third of four sons of Mrs. Annie Townsend to lay down his life for king and country, he had earlier been invalided home with an ‘acute attack of trench feet’, but rejoined his unit at the front after receiving treatment at no less than eight hospitals. Townsend has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The “First Day of the Somme” was typically costly for the 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry - it had ten officers killed, one posted missing and another seven wounded, while the other ranks suffered over 400 killed, wounded or missing.

Sold with original Record Office, Exeter forwarding letter for the 1914-15 Star, dated 25 June 1920.