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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 257

Pair: 2nd Lieutenant K. Silver, 8th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, who was killed in action on 18 November 1916, he would surely have previously been witness to his CO, the legendary Lieutenant-Colonel (later Lieutenant-General) Carton de Wiart, winning his famous Victoria Cross at La Boiselle on 3 July 1916

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. K. Silver.), good very fine (2)

Keith Silver was born at Houston, Texas, son of Burnett and Harriette Silver of 64 St George's Square, London. He served in France with the 8th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment and was killed in action at Grandcourt on 18 November 1916.

The Battalion saw heavy action on 3 July 1916 at Boiselle, when their legendary CO, Lieutenant-Colonel Adrian Carton de Wiart, assumed command of three other Battalions in the 57th Brigade. de Wiart won a superb Victoria Cross in the actions; during the battle the men saw the man they called 'Nelson' - for he had lost a hand earlier in the War - tearing out the safety-pins of bombs with his teeth, and hurling the bombs at the enemy with his one hand. He had also lost an eye in battle, and wore a black patch. Such was the devotion to the men of the 8th Gloucesters, the gallant de Wiart credited that '...every man in the Battalion has done as much as I have.'

Silver's mother wrote to the Imperial War Museum in 1919, whilst he is buried in Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£160