Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant H. Bunyan, 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), who was killed in action at Hooge on 9 August 1915

1914 Star (11446 L. Cpl. H. Bunyan. 2/ Notts: & Derby: R); British War and Victory Medals (11446 Sjt. H. Bunyan. Notts. & Derby. R.) good very fine (3) £120-£160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Recipients of the 1914 Star.

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Herbert Bunyan was born in Luton, Bedfordshire and attested there for the Sherwood Foresters in 1910. He served with the 2nd Battalion, initially as a Lance Corporal, during the Great War on the Western Front from 8 September 1914 and was killed in action at Hooge on 9 August 1915.

On 9 August 1915, the 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters took part in the ‘Action at Hooge’. At 3:30 a.m. the battalion moved forward from Sanctuary Wood towards the trenches to the right of Hooge and shortly after 3:45 a.m. “B” Company, 2nd Battalion reported that they had gained touch with the right of the assaulting line; their main objective being to guard against German counter attacks in this area by holding and wiring the line. At 5:00 a.m., as the German artillery was causing considerable damage to the Forester’s trenches and inflicting many casualties, the battalion was ordered to reinforce the Durham Light Infantry at Hooge Crater. By midday, the line was being held by small groups of men with limited cover under continued heavy shelling which made communication by runners extremely hazardous. Later, in the afternoon, attempts to send reinforcements were prevented by accurate German artillery fire and at around 9:30 p.m. the battalion was relieved and retired to dugouts at Ypres. The battalion lost 114 officers and men killed and another 227 wounded during the day.

Bunyan was amongst those killed; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.