Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 8010 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 266

A Great War Group of Three to Corporal T.A. Rowe, Devonshire Regiment, Killed in Action ´On the First Day of the Somme´, 1.7.1916 1914 Star (7000 Pte. T. Rowe. 2/Devon:R.); British War and Victory Medals (7000 Pte. T. Rowe. Devon. R.), nearly extremely fine (3) Estimate £ 400-450 7000 Corporal Thomas Albert Rowe, born Birmingham, 1873; served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment on the Western Front from 6.11.1914; he was killed in action 1.7.1916; the 2nd Battalion as part of the 23rd Brigade were involved in the attack at Orvillers Spur, Somme, on the 1st July, advancing along Mash Valley towards Pozieres; the Battalion War Diary entry gives, ´´At 6.30am our artillery which consisted of guns of all calibre´´s opened an intense bombardment which lasted one hour... During the last 7 to 10 minutes of the intense bombardment A and B coys left the New Trench and advanced in open order to within 100 yards of the enemy´´s trenches, closely followed by C and D coys... immediately the troops advanced the enemy opened a terrific machine gun fire from the front and from both flanks, which mowed down our troops, this fire did not deter our men from continuing to advance, but only a very few reached the German lines alive. Some of these managed to effect an entry into the German lines where they put up a determined fight against enormous odds and were soon killed. At first and for some little time owing to the mist and dust caused by our shell fire, it was difficult to realise exactly what had happened, although the heavy machine gun fire told its own tale. The lines at first appeared to be intact, but it was soon made clear that the lines consisted of only dead and wounded and that no one was there to support the few that had got in and to carry on the advance... the enemy began to snipe the wounded... The 2nd Devonshires lost 17 officers and 433 other ranks´´; Rowe is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme.

Sold for
£720