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Auction: 14003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 54

A Great War 1917 Mesopotamia 'Battle of Sannaiyat' M.C. Group of Four to Second Lieutenant E.L. Hall, Leicestershire Regiment, Killed in Action, 22.4.1917, During the Battle of Samarra
a) Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued
b) 1914-15 Star (1530 Pte. E.L. Hall Leic. R.)
c) British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. E.L. Hall), BWM officially renamed, good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 11.5.1917 2nd Lt. Edwin Lincoln Hall, Leic. R., Spec. Res.
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He organised a party under very heavy fire and succeeded in repelling repeated enemy attacks.'

Second Lieutenant Edwin Lincoln Hall, M.C., joined the Army on 1.3.1915, and was posted to B Coy 18th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (1st Public Schools Bn) at Epsom; he initially served with 3rd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, before being posted to the 2nd Battalion in Mesopotamia, 3.6.1916; he was invalided to Nasik, India, to recuperate after a blood infection, 5.7.1916; after a further period of recuperation in India he returned for service with the 2nd Battalion, in Mesopotamia, 20.1.1917; he was awarded the M.C. for his actions as a bombing officer in C Coy at Sannaiyat on 22.2.1917; a number of his letters home survived and the complete transcript was lodged with the Record Office for Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland at Wigston Magna; it offers the following details for the battle and the aftermath:

"22nd Feb. Slept at about 1 - 6 a.m. Our Company moved to the 2nd line at 8.30. Artillery bombardment started at 10. and the Brigade on our left took the Turkish trenches in front of them after a hard fight. We rushed over at about 3.15 p.m. Our Co were first over and on the way across no-mans-land, I got a bullet through the collar of my tunic. Capt. Hasted got one through his helmet and Vincent (a Norfolk officer attached) was wounded. When I got in their first line I started bombing along to the right with a small party of men and killed about 20 Turks with bombs and got one right through the head with my revolver. I was not at all happy till I got a block made in the trench and a bombing party behind it, as I was on the extreme right flank. Just before I had started to block I must admit I was a bit frightened that they would turn the flank as I saw a line of bayonets coming up towards us on the right, about 50 yds. from where I decided to block. I rushed a party of bombers down towards them, however they cleared off when we started bombing. We had a very busy night then consolidating the first line. Not a wink of sleep that night of course.

23rd Feb. During the day other Companies worked down communicating trenches bombing etc until we had their 3rd & 4th lines. At 7p.m. our Co moved to 3rd line and held it all night. No sleep.

24th. At daybreak Turks had retired and we were moved back to our own trenches. Rations issued and we then followed Turks at 10a.m. Marched 13 miles and rested at 8.30p.m. Then off, - no time to fill water bottles and eventually at 7.30 we did so from a stream running with river. 'I was dead beat'

25th. Off at 6.10 a.m. - 4 miles and encamped at 9.30.

26th Stayed here till 8p.m. and off again till 7.30 next a.m. having covered 10 miles in 11 1/2 hours 'I have never done anything so tiring as that march'.

27th Off again at 6p.m. covering 15 miles. Icy cold but got 1/2 mug of Rum and got into my valise & slept.

28th Another 8 miles encamped at 4p.m. and were then about 60 miles from Baghdad.

2nd March Off at 7a.m. no time for breakfast. Marched 5 miles. Got a bath and shave.

3rd Mar. Are getting as much rest here as possible but it has been a trying time. No tents only two blankets, waterproof sheet, washing and shaving stuff and a spare shirt and socks. Unable to send letters, it is difficult even to feed us but we have done wonderfully well as this is the biggest advance since the beginning of the war. Shall be glad to receive cigs and chocolate also toffee. Will write whenever I have a chance."

Two months later (and before his M.C. was gazetted) Hall was Killed in Action at Samarrah, 22.4.1917; the Leicesters were heavily involved as The Long Road To Baghdad by E. Candler (the official reporter for the Mesopotamian Campaign) gives in his battle report:

"Soon after mid-day our infantry were in touch with the main body of Turks in an entrenched position between the River and the Railway. The position was too extended to be bombarded and assaulted on the whole front with the guns and infantry at our disposal. It was therefore decided to force back the Turkish left from the River while the Cavalry worked round on the right flank preceded by a Battery of light armoured cars.

It was afternoon when the 28th Brigade began the advance. The Leicesters led the attack. They soon came in for enfiladed fire from the left. Here the 51st Sikhs who were in support swung left to cover the flanks. The 51st lost heavily, but their steady advance enabled the Leicesters to proceed, although crossfire was troublesome.

By 1.30 they advanced 1200 yds. and were near a ridge held by the Turks. At 4p.m. our guns opened up a tremendous fire on their trenches. As soon as the guns lifted the Leicesters swept forward up the slope. An Officer on the spot told me it was the most inspiring charge he had ever seen, The leading Coy. got to the top, crossed the Turkish trenches, the enemy surrendered or bolted and Tommy Atkins pressed on in hot pursuit. They soon reached the guns and raced on to a surprised enemy. This was at 5p.m. The Leicesters were now beyond their intended advance and the ground behind them was swept by guns. The Turks counter-attacked in very great force and at the time threatened to roll up the flank of the Brigade. This wave was held by the 56th Rifles and a machine-gun Coy. The 56th advanced against the counter-attack with a steadiness and coolness that was memorable.

Two Coys. of the 53rd Sikhs who had been in reserve with them lost their C.O. (Grattan), Secd. in Command (Adams), Adjutant (Blewitt) and Q.M. (Scarth). The 56th and 53rd lost heavily but they and the machine-gun Coy. saved what might have been a very critical situation. Two V.C.'s were awarded - Lt Graham, Machine-gun Coy., and Lt.Col. Pressick, 56th Rifles.

Samarrah eventually became the Army's H.Q.. The heat was 119 degrees in the shade".

The Battle For Sammara gives, 'But with these, and before some of them, came very heavy news. By that fatal wall and on the bullet-swept space before it died many of our bravest. Hall, M.C., aged nineteen, who looked like Kipling's Afridi:

He trod the ling like a buck in spring, and he looked like a lance in rest.

Hall fell, facing the finish of our journey and those bright domes of Samarra, already gilded from the sloping sun. His death was merciful, a bullet through the heart.'

Hall is commemorated on Basra Memorial, Iraq.

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