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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 739

(x) Three: Lance-Corporal H. G. Jalland, King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was killed in action on 15 September 1916, the first day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, when British tanks first went into action

1914-15 Star (Y-1585 L. Cpl. H. G. Jalland, K.R. Rif: C.); British War and Victory Medals (Y-1585 Pte. H. G. Jalland, K.R. Rif. C.), good very fine (3)

Henry "Harry" Gardner Jalland was born at Radford, Nottingham in 1895, the son of Ann and Albert Joseph Jalland. He served with the 9th Battalion, K.R.R.C., and was killed in the attempt to break through the main German defences along a 3.5 mile front on the Somme. A Brief History of The King's Royal Rifle Corps describes the events of that day thus:

'The 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions were all engaged in 11 Corps attack, in which British tanks were used for the first time. Of forty tanks engaged, only twenty-four passed our front line. Their morale effect was great and they were invaluable in destroying machine-gun nests. The loss of surprise by their use on such a small scale was unfortunate. Enfilade machine-gun fire caused many casualties to our 9th Battalion. The first and second objectives were successfully captured and held. Lieutenant-Colonel E. W. Benson, M.C., 9th Battalion, was killed. Losses of the three Battalion - officers: killed 7, wounded 27; other ranks: 782.'

High numbers of casualties, exhaustion and disorganisation amongst the infantry, meant that early gains could not be exploited. The tanks had largely broken down, bogged down, got lost or knocked out, and in some places, their non-appearance had led to the infantry being shot down by German machine-gunners in the un-protected tank lanes; Henry is commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.


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