Baldwin & Sons
Auction 75 26 September 2012
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MILITARY MEDALS. Gallantry Groups. An Excellent 'First Day of the Somme' MC & French Croix de Guerre Group of 5 awarded to Lieutenant Harry Strong, 14th (2nd Barnsley Pals) Battalion The York & Lancaster Regiment, MID, thrice wounded on that day and awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry whilst in command of a bombing party, Military Cross G V R, 1914-15 Star (2660 Pte H. Strong. R. War. R.), British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. Strong), the latter with MID oak leaves, France, Croix de Guerre, 1914-1917, with star riband fitment, Great War Trio officially impressed, MC and Croix de Guerre unnamed as issued, sold loose mounted for display in a small wooden case. Group toned, pleasing good very fine and desirable. (5)
MC London Gazette 20.10.1916
Croix de Guerre, LG 01.05.1917
Temporary Lieutenant Harry Strong, of 52 the High Street, Wem, Shropshire, was born 9 May 1890 and had previously worked as a Bank Cashier. He enlisted for Great War service into the 1/8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, before quickly being granted a commission in the 14th (2nd Barnsley Pals) Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment. Present with 'B' Company at Serre under the command of Captain Houston, on 30 July they marched all night with very heavy kit towards the front lines by Nairne Trench and Copse Trench, and virtually upon arrival and without sleep they were called upon to take part in the massive assault of 'The First Day of the Somme', with B company given orders to bomb, take and hold their three nearest German trenches.
Owing to the severity of the German shelling and some short falling Allied artillery shells designed to cut the enemy wire, the state of the aforementioned trenches in this area was so deplorable that much of it appeared to form part of 'No Man's Land'. Furthermore, the 2nd Barnsley Pals War Diary states that as many as 30% of the units amassed there had been made casualties before even having reached their own 'parapet' ready for 'Zero Hour' at 7.30am, due to the shocking lack of trench cover, accurate enemy shelling and heavy sniper and machine-gun fire.
At 8.09am the two companies of the 14th York & Lancasters went over the top, advancing into 'No Man's Land' towards the largely undamaged enemy wire. Temporary Lieutenant Strong was Reserve Bombing Officer with 'B' Company 1 July 1916 at Serre, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry. He and the other members of his company were soon met with heavy and accurate machine-gun fire near the gaps in the wire and suffered very heavy casualties. Only a handful of soldiers from B company under the other officer, Lieutenant Forsdike, were able to reach and enter the first German trench. Lieutenant Strong's citation reads:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a bombing party. Although severely wounded he refused assistance and ordered his men to push on. He then crawled towards the enemy line, endeavouring to join his party, and was again twice wounded."
Strong suffered severe multiple wounds during this attack - to the head by the eye, hip and shoulder, and was evacuated to the UK for treatment and recovery, where he remained serving with the 3rd Reserve Battalion and later the 5th Training Reserve Battalion, before being demobilised in 1919.
Sold with a small folder of documentation including copy MIC, copy London Gazette citations, and a quantity of useful research taken from the War Diary of the 2nd Barnsely Pals.
Estimate: £2500-3000
MC London Gazette 20.10.1916
Croix de Guerre, LG 01.05.1917
Temporary Lieutenant Harry Strong, of 52 the High Street, Wem, Shropshire, was born 9 May 1890 and had previously worked as a Bank Cashier. He enlisted for Great War service into the 1/8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, before quickly being granted a commission in the 14th (2nd Barnsley Pals) Battalion, York & Lancaster Regiment. Present with 'B' Company at Serre under the command of Captain Houston, on 30 July they marched all night with very heavy kit towards the front lines by Nairne Trench and Copse Trench, and virtually upon arrival and without sleep they were called upon to take part in the massive assault of 'The First Day of the Somme', with B company given orders to bomb, take and hold their three nearest German trenches.
Owing to the severity of the German shelling and some short falling Allied artillery shells designed to cut the enemy wire, the state of the aforementioned trenches in this area was so deplorable that much of it appeared to form part of 'No Man's Land'. Furthermore, the 2nd Barnsley Pals War Diary states that as many as 30% of the units amassed there had been made casualties before even having reached their own 'parapet' ready for 'Zero Hour' at 7.30am, due to the shocking lack of trench cover, accurate enemy shelling and heavy sniper and machine-gun fire.
At 8.09am the two companies of the 14th York & Lancasters went over the top, advancing into 'No Man's Land' towards the largely undamaged enemy wire. Temporary Lieutenant Strong was Reserve Bombing Officer with 'B' Company 1 July 1916 at Serre, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry. He and the other members of his company were soon met with heavy and accurate machine-gun fire near the gaps in the wire and suffered very heavy casualties. Only a handful of soldiers from B company under the other officer, Lieutenant Forsdike, were able to reach and enter the first German trench. Lieutenant Strong's citation reads:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a bombing party. Although severely wounded he refused assistance and ordered his men to push on. He then crawled towards the enemy line, endeavouring to join his party, and was again twice wounded."
Strong suffered severe multiple wounds during this attack - to the head by the eye, hip and shoulder, and was evacuated to the UK for treatment and recovery, where he remained serving with the 3rd Reserve Battalion and later the 5th Training Reserve Battalion, before being demobilised in 1919.
Sold with a small folder of documentation including copy MIC, copy London Gazette citations, and a quantity of useful research taken from the War Diary of the 2nd Barnsely Pals.
Estimate: £2500-3000