Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private R. McArdle, 20th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish), killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916

British War and Victory Medals (20-1327 Pte. R. McArdle North’d Fus.) extremely fine (2) £300-400

Provenance: DNW, September 2006.

Robert McArdle was born in and enlisted at Sunderland. He served during the Great War with the 20th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish) on the Western Front, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. On this date the Battalion served as part of the 102 Brigade, 34th Division, and they ‘moved forward with 23rd Northumberland Fusiliers up Mash Valley north of La Boisselle 7.30 am (1/7) - advance being across widest part of No Man’s Land saw Battalion almost completely destroyed within minutes of leaving start positions. In his history of The Tyneside Scottish (102nd Brigade) Brigadier-General Trevor Ternan records situation at night - 20th and 23rd lying dead in Non-Man’s Land - remnants holding short length of our front trench north of La Boisselle. The tremendous casualties suffered by the Tyneside Scottish were among the worst ever recorded on the Somme. The following details are taken from Brigadier-General Ternan’s history - of the 80 officers that went into action only 10 returned, losses including all 4 commanding officers (killed) and all second in commands and adjutants. Of the men, some 80 per cent became casualties. There were 940 all ranks killed and some 1,500 wounded, the 20th Battalion losing every officer and sergeant. Brigadier-General Ternan notes that not one man was taken prisoner and expresses the opinion that losses in killed were unnecessarily high owing to the fact that the Germans deliberately fired at and killed any wounded lying helpless in front of their trenches that made the slightest movement or showed any sign of life.’ (British Battalions on the Somme by R. Westlake refers)

McArdle has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.