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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 851

(x) A Gallipoli casualty group of three and Memorial Plaque awarded to Private A. R. Coleman, Essex Regiment, who survived the initial landing on 'W' Beach, but was killed on the opening day of the First Battle of Krithia on 28 April 1915

1914-15 Star (8668 Pte. A. R. Coleman. Essex R.); British War and Victory Medals (8668 Pte. A. R. Coleman. Essex R.), with bronze Memorial Plaque 'Albert Robert Coleman', good very fine (4)


Albert Robert Coleman was born in March 1890 at West Ham, Essex, the son of John William Coleman of 96 Hooper Road, West Ham. His father served as an Able Seaman in the Royal Navy and his mother Ellen (nee Young) died during childbirth in September 1892. Rather than follow in his father's footsteps, Coleman attested for the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment, and landed with his Battalion at 'W' Beach on the morning of 24 April 1915. Arguably the most famous of the five beaches allocated to 29th Division, it was here that the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, came ashore and won 'six VC's before breakfast'.

Moving forward off the sandy beach as part of the second landing, Coleman likely took part in the attack on Hill 138 which lay to the south-east of the bay and half mile further along the coast. Within this feature lay two redoubts which had wrought havoc upon the Lancashire Fusiliers all morning and threatened to create a crisis. The first attempt by the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment, failed, and it was only when the Worcesters moved up at 2pm that a combined attack on the feature succeeded, the 40 or 50 Turkish defenders retreating to Guezji Baba (Gallipoli: The End of the Myth, by Robert Prior, refers).

The defence of Hills 114 and 138 proved an epic of Turkish tenacity; they were only ever defended by a few platoons from No. 10 Company, reinforced by men from the reserve, and yet it took the best part of three British battalions some seven hours to capture them. Certainly the British were hampered by a lack of accurate covering fire, but the defending force led by Sergeant Enizeli Yahya fought with skill and endurance, their dogged defence costing the Allies time which they could ill afford. The Essex Regiment attempted to advance inland towards Krithia, but continued strong Turkish opposition on the 28th forced a withdrawal and 123 casualties - including Coleman- who is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. In summing up the first few days of the landings, historian Robin Prior is quick to attribute the high casualty rates to two factors; weak leadership and a lack of initiative and dash:

'The higher command cast a baleful light on the battle. Hamilton's plan contained the germ of a good idea (the flank landings), but this opportunity was missed because he seemed determined to hit the Turks where they were strongest, at 'V' and 'W' beaches'.


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Sold for
£350

Starting price
£170