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Auction: 8010 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 243

A Great War Group of Three to R.A. Woodroffe, Wiltshire Regiment, Killed in Action, 12.3.1915 1914 Star, with Bar (3-387 Pte. R. Woodroffe. 2/Wilts:R.); British War and Victory Medals (3-387 Pte. R. Woodroffe. Wilts.R.), extremely fine (3) Estimate £ 180-220 3/387 Private Robert Woodroffe, born Devizes, Wiltshire; served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment on the Western Front from 11.11.1914; he was attached to the 1st Battalion when he was killed in action 12.3.1915; on the latter date the 1st Battalion took part in an attack near Spanbroekmolen on the Ypres Salient - the assault was launched to tie down German troops who were thought to be reinforcements being sent to Neuve Chapelle, the intelligence proved to be incorrect and they were in fact well and truly bedded in, but the attack was carried out nonetheless, the Battalion War Diary entry gives, ´´left billets at Lochre at 2.45am and moved, via Kemmel to a section of trench known as "F" in front of Spanbroekmolen.... at 1pm the mist began to clear by 2.30pm it was clear and the artillery bombardment began and continued with a slight pause til 4.10pm..... it consisted of field guns firing shrapnel to cut the hostile wire and a large quantity of heavy HE to break down the enemy parapets and blow in his trenches. In this it appeared to be fairly successful but it was afterwards observed that the enemies front line trenches were almost intact... at 4.10pm the infantry assault was launched by two companies of the 1st Wilts and two companies of the Worcs accompanied by a party of R.E.... the front company "A" rushed forward crossing trench F by means of flying bridges which had been placed in position earlier that morning.... as soon as "A" company had got across the bridge the enemy opened a very heavy rifle and machine gun fire on them only a few small isolated parites succeeded in getting up to the enemy wire, a distance of about 200 yards. "B" company also came under heavy fire and were unable to get more than 50 yards from F trench. Most survivors of "A" company, who were in advance of "B" company, got back under cover of darkness. At 7pm the battalion withdrew. It was observed that the enemy was holding this position very strongly and did not seem unduly shaken by our artillery fire..... Casualties: officers killed 4, wounded 3.... other ranks killed 29, wounded 45 and missing 25´´; Woodroffe is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

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