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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 322

A 'First Day of the Battle of the Somme' casualty pair awarded to Private W. Jenkinson, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), who served as a Signaller and was killed in support of the main attack at Fricourt on which occasion his commanding officer, Major S. W. Loudoun-Shand won the Victoria Cross

British War and Victory Medals (19119 Pte. W. Jenkinson. York. R.), very fine (2)

Wilfred Jenkinson was born in 1893 at York, the son of George and Mary Jenkinson of 3 Gladstone Street, Scarborough. Educated at Scarborough Municipal School, the 1911 census for England lists him as a retail draper's assistant, his father no longer present in the household. This was most likely the Leeds Grand Pygmalion (The Yorkshire Evening Post, 18 July 1916, refers), which was advertised as 'the most complete general drapers and house furnishers in Yorkshire'.

Enlisting at Leeds upon the outbreak of hostilities, Jenkinson remained in England and married Elizabeth Atha in December 1915. Together the couple briefly set up home at East Thorpe House, Halton, Leeds, before Wilfred was transferred to France in 1916 with the 10th (Service Battalion), Yorkshire Regiment, which formed part of 62nd Brigade, 21st Division.

Tasked with following the men of the Middlesex Regiment in the attack on Fricourt and on towards Crucifix Trench, Loudon-Shand's company was part of a second-wave which followed the initial assault at 7.30am. In the face of murderous fire, the men of the Green Howards were initially reluctant to advance from their trenches and to encourage them forward, Loudon-Shand leapt on the parapet and began 'helping them' over it (Citation for the V.C., refers). Encouraging them in every way, he finally fell mortally wounded and was propped up in his trench still encouraging his men until the end. Amidst this scene, Jenkinson also lost his life, being one of 94 men from his Battalion who were killed or wounded in the attack (Somme 1916: VCs of the First World War by G. Gliddon, refers). Aged just 23 years, he is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial; sold with copied newspaper obituary and research including an extract from British Battalions on the Somme, 1916, by Roy Westlake.


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Sold for
£900

Starting price
£180