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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 58

The poignant early officer's casualty group of four awarded to Lieutenant A. W. Herdman, 'B' Company, 1st Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry, who was killed in action at the First Battle of the Ypres 1914, one of the first Officer casualties of the Great War

1914 Star, clasp (Lieut: A. W. Herdman. Shrops: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. A. W. Herdman.); Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Arthur Widdrington Herdman), sold in an attractive frame together with the original Buckingham Palace Condolence slip, nearly extremely fine (4)

Arthur Widdrington Herdman was born at Holy Trinity Vicarage, North Shields on 31 January 1886, the son of Reverand R. M. Herdman. Educated at Trent College he matriculated to Corpus Christi College, Oxford and joined the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment on 2 January 1907.

Transferred to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry as a University Candidate on 18 September 1909 he was advanced Lieutenant on 30 October 1913. Stationed in Ireland on the outbreak of war the Regiment was posted to France in September with Herdman entering the war on 10 September. They went into action for the first time at the Battle of the Aisne were they saw limited action, however it was here that Lieutenant J.A.S. Mitchell of 'A' Company was mortally wounded, dying on 28 September.

Pushing north with the rest of the 6th Division they were posted to Ypres, there to see action at the First Battle of Ypres. They were on the frontline on 20 October when the German's launched their offensive and just managed to dig in before Le Quesne and enduring heavy shelling for several days. They threw back several major attacks on 23 October with heavy losses to the advancing Germans and casualties including their commanding officer who was wounded in action.

The Battalion again came under heavy attack on 25 October but held firm. Unfortunately, the 1st Battalion of the Leicesters were unable to maintain their position on the Shropshire's flank and withdrew, leaving Herdman's 'B' Company open to attack. They were caught in a withering enfilading fire and suffered bombardment by howitzers but held on until nightfall after which they withdrew under cover of a rainstorm.

Tragically, Herman was declared missing that same evening, it is a measure of the respect his orderly, Griffiths, held him in that he braved the frontline to find his officer. Despite being wounded in the arm during the attempt he managed to locate Herdman's body and confirmed that he was indeed killed. Sadly his body could not be recovered and he is commemorated upon the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

He is further commemorated upon the Ewhurst Green War Memorial, likely as a result of his generous grant of land to the village for use as a recreation ground and the creation of a fund to provide Christmas presents to the children of the local school. Herman's memory seems to have been cherished for some time by the village and until the school's closure in 1962 each child received a Christmas present provided by the Herdman Trust. He was likewise remembered by his comrades, Griffith noted: 'When I told the men he was dead they all took it very hard, because he was the best friend we every had'. Additionally Major Luard, commanding the Battalion at the time, stated:

'He is indeed a great loss to the regiment, and was very popular. The men of his platoon would have done anything he asked of them.'

A tribute in The Hastings and St. Leonards Observer adds:

'Lieut. Herdman used to go out with a few men chasing snipers, and at night he would be fixing up wire entanglements, which is a rather risky sort of a job. To go out after snipers is a particularly dangerous task, for a sniper with his rifle is concealed no-one knows where, and from his hiding place picks off anyone within range.'

A portrait of Herdman hangs in the Shropshire Regimental Museum, Shrewsbury Castle; sold together with several original newspaper extracts and a large amount of copied research.

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Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£550