A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Three: Lieutenant H. d’E. Head, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, died from the effects of gas poisoning, 1 June 1915

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut., R. Dub. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); together with transmission slip and boxes of issue for medals, extremely fine (3) £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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Henry d’Esterre Head was born at Heidelberg, Transvaal, South Africa on 20 March 1895, the eldest son of d’Esterre Prittie Head, of the South African Railways, and a relation of General George Shakespear, and Colonel Henry Shakespear, of the famous ‘fighting Shakespear’s’. He was educated at Monkstown Park School, Dublin, and at Bromsgrove, where he distinguished himself as a fine all round athlete. He received his commission in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 1 October 1914, and went to France from Cork in the following month, being promoted Lieutenant in April 1915.

Towards the end of May, while he was in the trenches near Ypres, the Germans attacked with poisonous gas. Lieutenant Head, overcome with the fumes, was taken to a clearing hospital at Bailleul, and after lingering for a week he died there on 1 June 1915. He is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France.