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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 294

'He died gallantly doing splendid work, and his courage impressed all who were with him, and showed a magnificent example.

He died after having done most splendid work in a perfect hell of shells and bullets.

He was a good and conscientious soldier, very cool and brave under fire, showing a good example at all times.

His loss will be felt by all ranks, as the men were very fond of him, and knew him to be a good sportsman and a fearless soldier'

Extracts from letters to the brother of 2nd Lieutenant A. W. Sewill

The campaign group of three awarded to 2nd Lieutenant A. W. Sewill, 12th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), whose injured foot led him to ride behind the firing line on horseback at the Battle of Loos, later fighting on foot at the St. Eloi craters and Bazentin, only to be killed in action during a night attack on the Sunken Road before Delville Wood on the night of 22-23 July 1916

1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. A. W. Sweill. W. York. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. A. W. Sewill.), very fine (3)

Arnold Waterlow Sewill was born at Marylebone, London on 31 October 1889, the son of Gertrude and Henry Sewill M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., a prominent dentist of The Old Rosery, Earlswood Common, Surrey. Sewill was born one of twins with his younger brother John attending Clare College, Cambridge and going to serve with the Special (Gas) Brigade during the war. Sewill attended Tonbridge School, being placed in Park House from 1903-7 and was noted as a keen member of the Officer Training Corps. Studying at the Institute of Surveyors in 1911 he was still there when the war broke out. Sewill was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant on 23 November 1914 with 12th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, the Battalion joined the war in France in September 1915.

Upon their arrival the 12th Battalion was force marched into position for the Battle of Loos and Sewill, who had suffered an injury to his foot asked to be allowed to take part in the battle on horseback. Somehow despite his exposed position and the heavy losses to his Battalion he survived the battle and was immediately sent back to Britain to convalesce. After several months he returned to his unit and took part in a number of actions including fighting at the St. Eloi craters and at Bazentin early in the Somme offensive. Of a bayonet charge during the latter engagement he wrote home:

'I went absolutely mad and at the time quite enjoyed it. We were absolutely irresistible.'

Sewill was very lucky on this occasion, twice bullets passed through his clothing but missed him and twice his steel helmet saved him from shrapnel. The following night he received the congratulations the General Commanding his unit after leading a night patrol which returned with useful intelligence. It was widely believed that he would receive an award of some kind for his actions however the death of the CO and the resultant confusion prevented this. During the battle the Captain commanding Sewill's Company was injured and he was temporarily placed in command.

On the night of 22-23 July, the 12th Battalion was one of those which assembled to assault German positions before Delville Wood. They moved off at 03:40hrs and almost immediately suffered from heavy machine gun fire and soon were forced to fall back upon Piccadilly and later their start place at Pont Street were they were heavily shelled. It was in this attack that Sewill was killed, reportedly by machine-gun fire, on 23 July. His body was not recovered immediately and it was fourteen months before his parents were informed of his burial, in a site west of Longueval. Sewill is buried at Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt. He was survived by his twin and another brother, Roger Waterlow Sewill, who served in France as a member of the Army Service Corps from May 1915 and was promoted Captain April 1916; sold together with copied research including service records, a War Diary extract, M.I.C. and casualty lists as well as copied and original photographs of the recipient's grave and memorial, a copied memorial cross and original letter of issue for the recipient's medals along with copied extracts from several histories, the O.T. Magazine and an original West Yorkshire Regiment cap badge.

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Sold for
£650

Starting price
£240