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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 455

Pair: Private W. H. Heath, 2/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, who would have served in Ireland during the Easter Rising, only to be killed in action on the Western Front on 24 September 1917

British War and Victory Medals (242447 Pte. W. H. Heath. S. Staff. R.), nearly extremely fine (2)

William Henry Heath served during the Great War with the 2/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. That unit, with the 2/5th Battalion, as part of the 176th (2/1st Staffordshire) Brigade of 59th (2nd North Midland) Division, were involved in hostilities in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising. Soldiers from the Regiment murdered 16 unarmed men and boys in the infamous North King Street Massacre.

On 27 April their actions are recalled by University College Cork:

'To the north, rebel outposts on North King Street and North Brunswick Street lay directly in the path of an intended linkup by the South Staffordshire Regiment’s 2/5th Battalion (advancing from the west) and 2/6th Battalion (advancing from the east). This led to fierce fighting all day Friday, as the British in Bolton Street tried to link up with troops in the Queen Street area. Attacks by the South Staffordshire 2/6th battalion were repeatedly repulsed assaulting Reilly’s ‘Fort’ and Langan’s Pub on North King Street. However, the troops used a homemade armoured car to safely carry scores of soldiers into the street, and ultimately forced the rebels to abandon the post that night.'

Heath served on the Western Front and was killed in action on 24 September 1917 and is commemorated upon the Tyne Cot Memorial. He was the son of Alfred and Minnie Heath of 1 Hastings Terrace, Conway Road, Tottenham.

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Estimate
£80 to £120

Starting price
£60