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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 485

Pair: Private G. Underwood, 25th (2nd Tyneside Irish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 31 May 1917

British War and Victory Medals (47963 Pte. G. Underwood, North'd Fus.), nearly very fine (2)


George Underwood was born in East Grinstead, West Sussex, and lived with his wife at 33 Durkins Road, East Grinstead. He served with the 25th Battalion which was a Pals Battalion, raised at Newcastle on 9 November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City. They proceeded to France in January 1916 and were in action during the Battle of the Somme, including the capture of Scots and Sausage redoubts, and the battles of Bazentin Ridge and Pozieres Ridge.

In 1917 the Battalion fought in the first and second battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux during the Arras offensive. These attacks exhausted the men and led to heavy casualties on both sides; at the same time, French morale was at such a low point that many of the units of the 2nd Division were described as going on 'strike,' or more simply, mutinying.

At the start of May the British launched an attack east from Monchy to try to break through the Boiry Riegel and reach the Wotanstellung, a major German defensive fortification. This was scheduled to coincide with the Australian attack at Bullecourt to present the Germans with a two-pronged assault; neither was able to make significant advances and the attack incurred heavy casualties. The British learned important lessons about the need for close liaison between tanks, infantry and artillery which they would use at the Battle of Cambrai in November.

George was killed as his Battalion attempted to consolidate the minor gains from these attacks. He was 41 years old and is buried at Bailleul Road East Cemetery, St. Laurent-Blagny, a few miles to the north-east of Arras. The cemetery was used extensively for fighting units of the Northumberland Fusiliers from April to July 1917.


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Sold for
£110