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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 472

Three: Lance-Corporal L. E. Marter, 1/4th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, who was killed in action at the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917

1914-15 Star (4-2695 Pte. L. E. Marter, R. Suss. R.); British War and Victory Medals (4-2695 Pte. L. E. Marter, R. Suss. R.), together with original Record Office forwarding letter for the first, and notification of the recipient being posted 'missing in action', dated 7 May 1917, good very fine (3)

Lawrence Edward Marter, who was born in Pulborough, Sussex, first saw action in Gallipoli, landing with the 1/4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Territorials) at 'C' Beach, Suvla Bay at midnight on 8 August 1915; the following day, Marter and his comrades supported a costly attack on Scimitar Hill. By early October, the Battalion's strength had been reduced to about 200 officers and men, as a result of which it was temporarily amalgamated with the 2/4th Queen's.

Marter next served in Egypt and Palestine and was killed in action at the First Battle of Gaza on 26 March 1917, when the Battalion lost six officers and 25 men killed; a further seven officers and 153 men were wounded. As part of the 53rd (Welsh) Division, the 4/Sussex left bivouac at Deir el Belah and marched all night to reach the es Sire Ridge at 08.30 a.m.; patrols were then pushed forward before the attack against The Labyrinth started at 11.50 a.m. Heavy fire of all types met them and continued all afternoon:

'at 1600 … reported a considerable number of wounded men were streaming back from the front line, men of the 4/Sussex. Being shelled the whole time.'

Marter has no known grave and is commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial; the above Record Office forwarding letter is addressed to 'Mr. J. Marter' of Easebourne, Midhurst.


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Estimate
£120 to £150