The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals

Three: Private W. Willoughby, 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who was killed in action 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, with clasp (7975 Pte. W. Willoughby. 1/R. Sc: Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (7975 Pte. W. Willoughby R.S. Fus.) 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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William Charles Willoughby was born in 1887 at Reading, Berkshire. He first attested for the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1904 and served during the Great War with the 1st Battalion, disembarking at Havre in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 14 August 1914.

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). In a more sanguinary version of events, Private James Hoskins, 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, describes being one of a company of 224 men who, in their efforts to guard a bridge at Mons on 23 August, were engaged by an overwhelming force of Germans for over seven hours, and saw their Company reduced to nine men (copy of related newspaper cutting with lot).

Under increasing pressure, the Battalion withdrew at 3pm via Flenu to the northern edge of Frameries. The 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 Willoughby was reported missing, presumed dead after the fighting at Mons on 23 August 1914 and subsequently assumed killed in action on that date. He was the husband of Florence Hannah Willoughby, of Excelsior Villa, Church Road., Crowthorne, Berkshire and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, France.