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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 371

Four: Private W. Towle, 10th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who survived the costly Battalion attack on 25 September 1916, only to be killed in action on 6 October 1916

1914-15 Star (19853 Pte W. Towle. North'd Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (19853 Pte. W. Towle. North'd Fus.); Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Walter Towle), minor contact wear, very fine (4)

Walter Towle was born at Basford, Nottingham in 1894, the son of Walter and Elizabeth Towle of 81 Zulu Road, New Basford. Working as a bricklayer by 1911, he was married to Minnie Summers in Nottingham at some stage between July-September 1912. Enlisting with 10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, Towle joined the war in France on 25 August 1915 and entered the line on 14 December. They joined the battle of Albert and were in action for the rest of the Battle of the Somme. After several weeks in the trenches they went north to the trenches around Armentieres, above Lille. Here on the night of 30-31 August the Battalion conducted a successful trench raid with fifteen men mention in the report for their bravery.

In mid-September they returned to Albert, taking up positions at Peake Wood, Contalmaison were Lieutenants Lawrence and Lorains, who had led the August 30-31 raid were both awarded the M.C. A Battalion attack occurred at Martinpuich on 25 September; starting at 12:15 they moved off with the support of a tank. Unfortunately the tank alerted the enemy to the attack and as a result the Battalion came under intense artillery fire. The tank moved into action around 12:35 but was soon forced to withdraw, leaving the infantry to face heavy artillery and machine gun fire. 2nd Lieutenants Calder and Lock, leading the 1st and 2nd waves respectively, were both killed having each been wounded three times during the advance. Later Captains Constable and Ellis were both killed at the head of their men and Lieutenant Turner wounded. The heavy losses meant that the Battalion was relieved on 26 October by 8th Battalion, Yorkshire and Lancshire Regiment and sent to a reserve position in Scotts Redoubt.

The 10th Battalion remained in reserve until 3 October, moving to 'A' position, Le Sars and remaining there for several days, coming under heavy bombardment on 5 October. They were relieved by the 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on 6 October however this was too late for Towle, who was killed that same day. He is commemorated upon the Thiepval Memorial; sold together with copied Commonwealth War Graves details, M.I.C. and extracts from the war diary of 10th Battalion covering the period of August-November 1916 and reports on the raid of 30-31 August and Battalion attack of 25 September.

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Sold for
£190

Starting price
£130