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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 777

(x) Pair: Rifleman R. H. Fretwell, King's Royal Rifle Corps, who died in the 'quagmire of stinking mud that swallowed up men, horses and tanks' at Passchendaele on 16 October 1917

British War and Victory Medals (A-201577 Pte. R. H. Fretwell, K.R.Rif.C.), together with the recipient's Memorial Plaque 1914-18 (Robert Harold Fretwell), good very fine (3)

Robert Harold Fretwell was the son of Robert John and Agnes Ann Fretwell of Waxholme Road, Withernsea, Yorkshire, and the husband of Mary Lilian Fretwell of 370 Essex Road, Islington. He served with the 20th (British Empire League Pioneers) Battalion, K.R.R.C., which were raised in London on 20 August 1915 and proceeded to France in late March 1916 in preparation for the Battle of the Somme. From late September to early October 1917, the Battalion participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood, where our casualties amounted to 15,375 men, before continuing the fight in the waterlogged trenches and shell-holes around Ypres. It was at this time that Robert died, aged 34. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. For further details, see:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/happened-battle-passchendaele/


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Sold for
£140