Description
General Service Medal, GV, bar Iraq, 89062 Private William Coombes, Manchester Regiment. The Manchesters were decimated at the Battle of Hillah during this war.
Officially impressed: “89062 Pte W. Coombes. Manch. R.”
Confirmed on the medal roll.
William Coombes was a Manchester Man, from Newton Heath, east of the city centre.
He first came into World War 1, as a Private in the South Wales Borderers, Service Number 38657.
With them he earned the British War & Victory Medal pair, before joining the Manchester Regiment with Service No 89062, later being renumbered 3513753.
During World War 1, he served with the 5th Bn South Wales Borderers, enlisting on 28th August 1916.
He was wounded in action on 12th April 1918 having received a Gun Shot wound to the penis.
At the time of his wound, the 5th SWB were on the back foot having been forced into a fighting withdrawal due to the launching of the German Spring Offensive.
When he was wounded the regiment was fighting in the area of the Wytschaete-Messines Road in the Ypres Sector, taking numerous casualties.
The day before, on the 11th April, Haig had issued to the men his famous “Backs to the Wall” order due to the desperate position the Army had been placed in due to the highly effective German Spring Offensive.
He was discharged on 3rd February 1919 with disability and awarded the Silver War Badge.
This however did not seem to stop him from re-enlisting into the Manchester Regiment, seeing active service in the war in the “Iraqi Revolt”.
A good article on their services in the campaign can be read below at “Away From the Western Front”:
The campaign would be the scene of great horrors for many of his comrades, who were either Killed, Wounded or taken Prisoner by the Arabs in the disastrous Battle of Hillah fought on 24th July 1920.
During the war, the confident “Manchester Column marched towards Hillah, but upon reaching their destination were forced into a retreat.
The battle was a scene of many Honours and Awards, including a Victoria Cross, two bars to the Military Cross, Two Military Crosses, a bar to the Distinguished Conduct Medal, two Distinguished Conduct medals, Five Military Medals, Two Indian Orders of Merit and two Indian Distinguished Service Medals.
Captain George Stuart Henderson VC, DSO, MC & Bar, 2nd Manchesters was awarded the posthumous VC for the desperate fighting to push back the Arabs;
“Shortly after the company under his command was ordered to retire near Hillah, Mesopotamia, a large party of Arabs opened fire form the flanks causing the company to split up and waver, he at once led a charge which drove the enemy off. He led two further bayonet charges, during the second of which he fell wounded but struggles on until he was wounded again. “I’m done now. Don’t let them beat you!” he said to an NCO, he died fighting”
Due to the disorder generally prevailing on the battlefield a portion of the Manchesters had lost their way in the darkness, being captured by the Arabs. Some were immediately killed, some taken prisoner, whether they lived or died was at the choice of their captor.
During the night Charles Mutters had gathered a group of 79 soldiers around him, they were not able to get back to Hillah so at dawn Charles decided he had to surrender.
The party was held by the Arabs for three months. They were released on the 19th October at Najaf. They had been forced to make long marches across the desert with little food or medical attention.
The Manchester Regiment lost 3 Officers and 131 NCOs and men Killed. Out of all the prisoners only 79 British Prisoners lived to be released, most of them were executed, some reportedly taken to Najaf and were killed there.
