Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. S. Hawkins, 1st Battalion, Prince Albert’s (Somersetshire Light Infantry), who was captured and taken Prisoner of War at Ligny, during the Battle of Le Cateau, on 26 August 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (9373 Pte. J. S. Hawkins. 1/Som: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (9373 Pte. J. S. Hawkins. Som. L.I.) good very fine (3) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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John Stanton Hawkins was born in 1893 in Devon and attested for the Somerset Light Infantry in 1912. Following the outbreak of the Great War he sailed for France with the 1st Battalion on 21 August 1914 and three days later, as part of Hunter-Weston’s 11th Brigade in General Snow’s 4th Division, arrived at Le Cateau. After marching forward 7 miles towards Briastre, the 1st Somersets occupied high ground towards Solesmes where they engaged a German Cavalry patrol and together with 11th Brigade assisted in covering the retreat of II Corps and 19th Brigade following the Battle of Mons. Withdrawn overnight, the 4th Division then took up new positions on the left flank of the 3rd Division coming under the command of II Corps just as General Smith-Dorrien decided to make his stand in the rolling country around Le Caudry, to the west of Le Cateau - Smith Dorrien declaring, ‘Very well, gentlemen, we will fight, and I will ask General Snow to act under me as well.’ Smith-Dorrien’s decision to fight this important delaying rearguard action may well have saved the British from destruction by the massive German onslaught during the general Allied retreat following sustained German successes at the four Battles of the Frontiers.

The location, a long ridge running west-east with Le Cateau at its eastern end, was far from ideal. The ground was soft, so easy for the troops to dig in, but it lacked cover, was dominated by a German-held ridge to the north and, worst of all, both flanks were open. The situation on the right flank, the hills around the Le Cateau valley, was perilous from the start, as the Germans infiltrated during the night. The west, held by 4th Division, was absolutely vulnerable to flanking movements designed to encircle II Corps.

Hunter-Weston’s 11th Brigade spent most of the 26 August desperately holding the position in front of Ligny while coming under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. A feature of the fighting being the greater respect shown by the Germans for British rifle prowess than at Mons where they had suffered heavy casualties. New positions were established at the eastern end of Ligny in the afternoon and a first-aid post was set up at Haucourt Church where the wounded were taken. The 1st Somersets held the village of Ligny until about 4pm when they came under renewed heavy shell fire and were attacked by several enemy battalions. Although accurate rapid rifle fire, machine gun fire and artillery stopped this attack occasioning large numbers of German casualties, the 11th Brigade began to evacuate Ligny shortly afterwards and retired towards Maincourt with little further incident. The Somerset Light Infantry had suffered heavy casualties during the battle however: approximately 9 officers wounded, 19 other ranks killed, 150 wounded and 100 missing.

Private Hawkins was amongst those reported missing in action. Having been captured by the Germans at Ligny on 26 August 1914 he was transported to Senne prisoner of war camp where he remained for most of the war. He was discharged on 1 May 1919 and died at Paignton, Devon in 1965.

Sold with a copied portrait photograph of Hawkins in uniform taken at Senne prisoner of war camp on 3 January 1918.