Description
1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medal Trio, Memorial Plaque, 24816 Private William Spencer, 2nd Bn South Wales Borderers, Killed in Action on 1st Day of the Somme, 1st July 1916.
1914-15 Star Trio officially impressed: “24816 Pte W. Spencer. S. Wales Bord.”
Memorial Plaque embossed: “WILLIAM SPENCER”
The medals and plaque have been mounted for display and placed into a large Frame by a previous owner, and can be posted by Courier, if you prefer they can be removed from the frame.
A day that was both infamous and famous for being the deadliest day of the war for the British Army, on the First Day of the Battle of the Somme, Pte Spencer was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the South Wales Borderers, who were part of the 87th Brigade, 29th Division.
On that day, 1st July 1916, the regiment was instructed to launch an attack on “Y Ravine”.
Alongside the, the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were ordered to attack down the slope towards the Y Ravine, they continued under heavy fire until they were held up by uncut wire.
Meanwhile Pte Spencer was on the left of the brigade advancing towards the left edge of the Y Ravine, however they were cut down by the German Machine Gunners, in barely 5 minutes the leading companies were annihilated.
William was one of 8 officers and 121 Men who were killed from the battalion on the day.
The day was a disaster as detailed in the extensive entries of the Battalion’s War Diary.
It writes that:
“The actual strength of the Battn as it moved forward to the attack was 21 Officers, 578 Other Ranks.
The casualties were, Officers: 2 Killed, 4 wounded, 5 missing, 4 missing believed killed, 15 total.
Other Ranks; 21 Killed, 160 wounded, 203 missing, 384 total.”
It adds that:
“None reached the enemy’s trenches, it was impossible to bring the bodies in, practically all those who were reported missing were probably killed.
A few wounded and others managed to get back to our trenches during the day and several returned after dark.”
