Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private A. W. G. Ratty, 4th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), who was taken prisoner of war at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first full day of fighting on the Western Front

1914 Star (L-13798 Pte. A. W. G. Ratty. 4/Midd’x R.); British War and Victory Medals (L-13798 Pte. A. W. G. Ratty. Midd’x R.) nearly extremely fine (3) £240-£280

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

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Alfred William George Ratty was born in 1894 in London and attested for the Middlesex Regiment in 1912. Following the outbreak of the Great War, he embarked from Southampton with the 4th Battalion as part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division, arriving in France on 14 August 1914, and was captured at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force’s first main day of action. On this day the Battalion was charged with the defence of Oburg Railway Station, a key point on the Mons-Conde canal. Two Companies were placed along the canal, with “D” Company in the railway station area, and another Company in reserve in the woods. The Germans pressed hard against these positions, inflicting heavy losses with artillery from the higher positions on the opposite side of the canal. One account recalls:
‘To the right of Nimy Bridge the 4th Middlesex were in the meanwhile putting up a no less stubborn defence, and against equally desperate odds. Major Davey, whose company was on the left, in touch with the right of the Royal Fusiliers, had fallen early in the day, and the position at that point finally became so serious that Major Abell’s company was rushed up from the reserve to support it. During this advance Major Abell himself, Captain Knoles and Second Lieutenant Henstock were killed, and a third of the rank and file fell, but the balance succeeded in reaching the firing line trenches and, with this stiffening added, the position was successfully held for the time being.’

However, later in the day the line faltered and the enemy began to outflank the battalion which began a withdrawal through the Bois d’Harve, the wood to the south of Obourg Railway Station. A rear-guard was fought at the railway station, with an unknown private firing from the station roof until he was finally hit and killed. Total casualties for the battalion on this day were 9 Officers and 453 other ranks killed, wounded, or taken Prisoner of War.

Ratty was amongst those captured, and he was held at prisoner of war for the remainder of the Great War at camps in Hammerstein and Senne in Germany.