Beschreibung:

An emotive WWI ‘First Day of the Somme’ KIA Pair awarded to Private Thomas Frederick Baldwin, 10th (Service) Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment, comprising: British War & Victory Medals, 1914-19 (22352 Pte. T. F. Baldwin. Y.& L. R.); medals officially impressed, group loose. Lightly toned, extremely fine. (2) Private Thomas Baldwin of 49 Talbot Street, Park, Sheffield, served in WWI with the 10th (Service) Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment. This battalion was raised at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third Army, and fought as part of the 63rd Brigade in 21st Division. After an initial period of training they proceeded to France on the 11th of September, arriving at Boulogne. The Division embarked on lengthy marches and were involved in the assault at Loos on the 26th of September, where the Division suffered over 3,800 casualties. On the 1st of July, 1916 they were also present at the very earliest stages of the First Battle of Albert, now known as the ‘First Day of the Somme’. It was here that Private Thomas Baldwin was killed in action, at the age of 19. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. A noteworthy diary written by Pte Walter Hutchinson of the 10th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment illustrates how soldiers of this battalion were subjected to gas very early on Saturday the 1st of July, 1916, along with continued shelling, gunfire, hand-to-hand combat and the horrific realities of trench warfare. The diary entry reads as follows: ‘ As soon as we got on the road we saw an awful sight, for there was wounded men by hundreds coming from the line…then the order came down…fix bayonets, you have got to fight for it lads. We obeyed the order like men.” Sold with small contemporary photo ‘postcard’, original box of issue, copy MIC and casualty certificate, a quantity of research including full extract relating to Private Walter Hutchinson, and original memorial scroll.