Auction Catalogue

17 August 2021

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 55

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17 August 2021

Hammer Price:
£200

Three: Lance-Corporal A. Whitehouse, 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Houplines, near Armentières, on 3 November 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (7623 L. Cpl. A. Whitehouse. R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7623 Pte. A. Whitehouse. R. War. R.) 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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Alfred Whitehouse was born in Aston, Warwickshire and attested for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Birmingham in January 1901. He served as a Lance-Corporal with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 19 September 1914. The 1st Royal Warwickshire participated in the capture of Méteren on 13 October 1914, suffering suffered Major Christie killed, Lieutenant Gilliat mortally wounded, 3 officers wounded and 45 other ranks killed, 85 wounded. Notable among the wounded officers was Lieutenant (later Field Marshal) B. L. Montgomery.

The battalion moved forward to trenches in the firing line at Houplines on 18 October:
‘The Warwicks remained in their positions for the next month, during which they were regularly subjected to heavy shellfire. They also experienced machine-gun fire and constant enemy sniping. Casualties included Captain Bentley, who was mortally wounded... as winter arrived the earlier war of mobility ground to a halt. It was to be replaced by deadlocked trench warfare. Whereas earlier shallow trenches were generally termed mere fox-holes, these soon gave place to well-constructed and sophisticated systems of passageways... November saw heavy rainfall, frost and snow which caused another serious problem. Mud, besides adding to the already unbearable trench life, further hindered communications. The Battalion’s diary comments that the “discomfort was indescribable.”’ (
Seek Glory, Now Keep Glory - The Story of the 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire 1914-1918 by John Ashby refers)

Lance-Corporal Ashby was killed in action at Houplines on 3 November 1914. He was the husband of Annie Louise Whitehouse and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Ploeegsteert Memorial, Belgium.