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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 203

Three: Private D. T. Guilar, 5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), who took part in the 1914 Christmas Truce and was later killed in action on 20 July 1916 during the attack on High Wood

1914 Star (6676 Pte D. Guilar. 5. Sco: Rif.); British War and Victory Medals (6676 Pte. D. T. Guilar. Sco. Rif.), minor pitting, very fine (3)

David Thomson Guilar was born at Port Dundas, Glasgow on 15 December 1893, the son of James and Williamina Guilar of 91 Balcary Road, Halfway Houses, Glasgow. Enlisting in Glasgow with 5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Guilar entered the war in France on 5 November 1914. They entered the frontlines in the Houplines sector in mid-November, facing a heavy attack on 9 December. Despite this Guilar and the rest of the Battalion were part of the 1914 Christmas truce. They did face fire at one point when a Corporal was mortally wounded, however the Saxon Battalion facing them made it clear that the fatal shot had been fired by nearby Prussian troops.

The Battalion continued to see service on the Western Front where they saw action in the Second Battle of Ypres. They formed part of 33rd Division by the time of the Battle of the Somme, seeing action going into action from 13 July and mostly being concentrated between Mametz and High Wood. Moving into positions on 20 July opposite High Wood they rushed the German line at 03:25 coming under heavy fire from the Switch Line. They managed to force their way into the Wood and by 15:00 had taken it, digging in they held off repeated counter attacks before relief. Guilar was one of the 407 casualties for the attack, he is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial; sold together with copied research including Commonwealth War Graves details, M.I.C. and extracts relating to the Christmas Truce and the attack upon High Wood along with Battalion War Diary extracts covering December 1914.

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Sold for
£220

Starting price
£110