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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 369

Seven: Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant B. C. Pratt, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, later Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was wounded in action during August 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (10140 Pte B. Pratt. R.Ir:Regt.); British War and Victory Medals (10140 A.W.O. Cl. 2. B. C. Pratt. R.Ir.Regt.); India General Service 1908-1935, 1 clasp, Waziristan 1921-24 (7109233 C.Sjt. B. C. Pratt. R. W. Fus.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (7109233 W. O. Cl.II. B. C. Pratt. R. W. Fus.), pitting, light contact marks, minor polishing, overall very fine (7)

Benjamin Charles Pratt was born at Manchester on 31 July 1891, the son of Frederick and Marion Pratt. Life was hard for the young Pratt, his father disappears from the historical record early in his life and his mother took the family to a workhouse in Wandsworth, he was educated at the Intermediate School Swaffield Road. Attesting in London on 29 November 1910 he appears on the 1911 census serving in the Channel Islands.

Entering the war on 13 August 1914 he was present with the Regiment during their involvement in the Battle of Mons where they formed a reserve behind the Middlesex Regiment, to the right of the Royal Fusiliers. The main hammer blow of the German attack fell upon the Fusiliers, however the Middlesex and Gordons were both hard pressed and the Royal Irish advanced to relieve them.

They held their ground before Bois la Haut and Hill 62 alongside the Middlesex Regiment and were steadily driven back throughout the day, fighting step by step but keeping the Germans from the feature. The Royal Irish suffered around 300 casualties that day, going on to see action at Le Cateau two days later as well.

Pratt was wounded in action at some stage before 28 August 1914, it is unclear when but likely in one of these early engagements, the Belfast Weekly News reported on 10 September 1914 while he was in Netley Hospital. He was stationed in Ireland in 1915, marrying in Dublin, likely with the rest of the Battalion which had been all but wiped out at La Bassee. Transferring to the 6th Battalion at some stage he was advanced Warrant Officer Class II by the end of the war.

Transferring to the Royal Welch Regiment on 31 May 1922, he served on the North-West Frontier not long later. Pratt was discharged with the rank of Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant on 28 November 1932 but re-enlisted with the King's Shropshire Light Infantry on 9 July 1940, seeing home service only. Settling in Headingly, Leeds, he died there on 1 February 1970; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£280

Starting price
£140