The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment

Three: Private Thomas Tutt, East Kent Regiment, who was wounded and gassed in June 1915, and was killed in action at Morval in September 1916

1914-15 Star (SR-10403 Pte. T. Tutt. E. Kent R.); British War and Victory Medals (SR-10403 Pte. T. Tutt. E. Kent R.) extremely fine (3) £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment.

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Thomas Tutt served in France with the 1st Battalion from 12 March 1915. He was wounded and gassed at Dichy-bush in June 1915, and killed in action at Morval on 15 September 1916, the first occasion that tanks were used.

Sold with a copied news cutting with photograph announcing his death which states: ‘Deep regret was felt in Great Chart when it became known that Private Thomas Tutt, the Buffs, had been killed in action in France on September 15th. Previous to the war he had been employed at the Great Chart Post Office for five years and was highly esteemed. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs J. Tutt, of Great Chart, and was born at Kingsnorth twenty-three years ago. He attended the British School, Ashford, and the Great Chart School. He served in the Special Reserve and was called up on August 9th, 1914. In January, 1915, he went to France. On June 6th following he was wounded and gassed at Dichy-bush and sent home, but returned willingly to France to his work of bomb throwing. The officer commanding the battalion sent his sympathy to Private Tutt’s parents and wrote that “he was shot through the heart soon after our advance had begun, being killed instantaneously. He was carried away that night by stretcher bearers and buried somewhere behind the line. B Company suffered severely in officers on that day, three being killed and one wounded. A temporary wooden monument I have had erected to mark the place where we lost so many officers and men on that day.” One of his comrades wrote that he was greatly beloved by the all and that he died “like a soldier.” In this photograph of him, which was taken at the Front shortly before he was killed, it will be seen that he is wearing a trophy, a German helmet. Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs J. Tutt, as their eldest son fell in action in France, on July 1st.’

See the previous lot for the medals awarded to his brother who was killed in action on 1 July 1916.