Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The 1914 Star awarded to Private C. Starkie, 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who was captured by the enemy at Mons on 23 August 1914 - the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front - and was held prisoner of war in Germany until after the armistice

1914 Star (9256 Pte. C. Starkie. 1/R. Scots: R.) good very fine £100-£140

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

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Charles Starkie was born in 1888 at Bethnal Green, London and attested for the Royal Scots Fusiliers in London in 1906. Transferring to the Reserve in 1913, he was mobilized following the outbreak of the Great War and served with the 1st Battalion overseas from 14 August 1914, disembarking at Havre in France as part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division in the British Expeditionary Force.

Entrenched at Jemappes on the south bank of the Mons-Conde Canal on 23 August, his battalion held off enemy attacks until 3pm, suffering 52 casualties (wounded or killed) before withdrawing via Flenu to the northern edge of Frameries. The battalion war diary describes how the Germans then attacked once more, opening fire from the coal dumps south of Frameries. Having had no time to entrench, a further 2 officers were killed and 100 other ranks killed or wounded.

Private Starkie was reported missing after the fighting on 23 August 1914 and was later confirmed to be a prisoner of war at Senne, Germany. He was wounded in the leg whilst incarcerated (ill-treatment) on 12 August 1918 and treated in Dormunde Hospital, Westphalia. Following the cessation of hostilities, he was repatriated on 27 November 1918 and was discharged Class Z on 29 March 1919.