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Auction: 22133 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 926

Three: Private W. Roberts, 13th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 1 August 1917, during which a comrade won the Victoria Cross

British War and Victory Medals (16069 Pte. W. Roberts. R. W. Fus.); Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (William Roberts), good very fine (3)

William Roberts served in France with the 13th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers in France and was killed in action on 1 August 1917, being commemorated upon the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

As the Battle of Passchendaele began, the 13th Battalion were attacking south of the Ypres-Staden Railway. The ground leading up to Pilckem was already churned up. The outline of a road was ahead running from the railway, north of Pilckem, across the Steenbeck to Langemark, one of the first days’ objectives. They took their first objective by 0450hrs, but then the Welshmen found themselves amongst a huge number of enemy strongpoints. Corner House, lay at a crossroads near Pilckem and each time the pillbox was attacked, men were shot down.

A Battalion comrade, Corporal James Llewellyn Davies led a group to capture a German machine-gun position. He was wounded and some of his men killed. As he continued moving forward he shot one enemy soldier, bayoneted a second and captured a third. Corporal Davies, although wounded, then led a bombing party to the assault of a defended house, and killed a sniper who was harassing his platoon. He was duly rewarded with a Victoria Cross but he died of wounds received during the attack.

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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£70