Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. Monger, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who was killed in action near Ypres on 23 October 1914

1914 Star, with copy clasp (10648 Pte. J. Monger. 2/R. Sc: Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (10648 Pte. J. Monger. R. S. Fus.) good very fine or better (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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Joseph Monger was born in 1891 at Wolverhampton and attested for the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1912. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 6 October 1914 and was killed in action on 23 October 1914. His battalion had arrived at Ypres on 14 October and and four days later found itself in a battle for its existence:
‘Moved forward to Tirhand (18th) and engaged enemy. Major Ian Forbes wrote that the battalion was now constantly under fire and it was difficult to tell the difference between night and day. The enemy were persistent in their attacks, he recalls, and came on time after time; 4 or 5 to one as -”...rows and rows of canon fodder.” A ditch in front of the Battalion’s line, roughly 6 feet deep, 10 feet across and about 100 yards long, became filled with German dead. Withdrew during evening (19th) and dug in on line between Reutel and Poezelhoek. Held line under constant bombardment and attack. War Diary records (21st) that “D” Company were enfiladed by machine-gun fire and the enemy broke through between them and 2nd Yorkshire, forcing a withdrawal. “A” Company led counter-attack (22nd) but although the houses in Poezelhoek were cleared - was unable to regain lost ground. Major Forbes recalls the death of Captain F. Fairlie and that for days he could see the bodies of his men lying in front of the trenches. War Diary records enemy attacking “C” Company’s position 5.30am (24th). Some 40 German prisoners were taken, but the company was eventually forced to retire having been reduced to a strength of 2 officers and 75 men.’ (British Battalions in France and Belgium 1914 by Ray Westlake refers)

Monger has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.