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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 121

(x) Four: Corporal A. R. Baldwin, King's Royal Rifle Corps, who was captured during the First Battle of Ypres on 2 November 1914 - he was fortunate to remain uninjured when a German machine-gun crew infiltrated between the his unit and the Berkshires and 'opened up' at less than 100 metres

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (2859 Corpl: A. R. Baldwyn. K.R.R.C.); 1914 Star, clasp (2859 Pte. A. R. Baldwin. 1/K.R. Rif: C.); British War and Victory Medals (2859 Pte. A. R. Baldwin. K.R. Rif. C.), nearly very fine (4)

Arthur R. Baldwin was born in 1881 at Gloucester, and served with the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, during the Boer War. He remained with the Battalion during the Great War and served in France from 13 August 1914.

The morning of 2 November 1914 was not a successful one for the Allies. A planned French attack at 10.00 a.m. to recapture Messines by General d'Urbal had failed dismally when the Germans under von Fabeck made a strong assault at 8.30 a.m. near Wijtschate, forcing what remained of the Belgian village to be relinquished.

In the area of Gheluveldt, ten French battalions under General Vidal were to advance between Polygon Wood and the Menin Road, but this meant passing through the British 1st Division, including men of the 1st Berkshire Regiment, three companies of the King's Royal Rifle Corps including Baldwin, and the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Although the British had a barricade across the Menin Road, this was soon blown apart by the German artillery and a house was taken over by the Germans and used as a machine-gun post. At about 11 a.m., just as the British ceased their own bombardment in preparation for the French assault, the Germans launched their own sudden attack; within minutes the Rifles were overwhelmed and a gap was created in the British front line. Fortunately for the Allies, Vidal's force arrived just in time to attack the advancing Germans in the flank, stemming any further inroads, however for Baldwin it was too late and he became a prisoner of war, spending the remainder of the war at Lager Güstrow camp in northern Germany; sold with copied roll confirming clasps to the first, private research, copied MIC and P.O.W. details.

Source:
http://www.webmatters.net/txtpat/index.php?id=1003


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Sold for
£160