Medals to the Liverpool Regiment from the Collection of Hal Giblin

Pair: Private A. Cannell, 10th (Scottish) Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, a Manxman who was wounded during the charge at Hooge on 16 June 1915

British War and Victory Medals (3235 Pte., L’pool. R.) extremely fine (2) £60-80

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the Liverpool Regiment from the Collection of Hal Giblin.

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Arthur Cannell joined the Liverpool Scottish on 31 August 1914, proceeding to France on 20 January 1915. He is therefore entitled to the 1914-15 Star.

The following is extracted from the Isle of Man Times, 28 August 1915: ‘Private Arthur Cannell of the 1st Battalion, Liverpool Scottish, son of the late Police-Inspector John Cannell, of Ramsey, has just arrived home, after having been in the Victoria Military Hospital, Belfast, recovering from a shrapnel wound in the back of the right shoulder, which he received in the never-to-be-forgotten charge at Hooge, when the British carried the enemy’s position at the point of the bayonet, capturing three lines of German trenches. The valiant performance of the Liverpool Scottish and other regiments of the British line engaged in that memorable day, forms a story which will endure for the ages, and though it is by now fairly well known by the public, the following extracts from the diary of a Ramsey young man who took part will read with interest.

... March 14 [1915] Sent to Ypres during the week, and saw the famous Cloth Hall and Cathedral, the former ruined absolutely and reduced to a crumbling mass. Saw what a bombardment really is. In an area holding 7,000 people at the famous brick fields, there was not twenty houses left standing. The trenches are the best we have ever been in, and very rightly so as the enemy are active and very strongly dug in, in front of the famous Hill 60.

... April 4 [1915] On the Slaughter Hill for two days. It is a small hill at one time thickly wooded, and the enemy were about 250-300 yards away. Spent the first night in the advanced trench at the bottom of the hill, and this trench eight of us were ordered to hold at all cost. Had to cross open space of 30 yards to get into this trench. Plenty of “whizz-bangs” came through, but we succeeded in surviving the two days. Later we went in the “International” trench, so called because it has changed hands so often. Spent Good Friday there and came out on Easter Sunday.

... June 16 [1915] Moved to Reminghouse for a few days rest, but surprised to find that instead of rest it was to be a preparation for a charge. Speculation rife as to our part, but finally ended in being placed in the second line. The first line was to take the first trench, and we were to wait until the artillery bombarded the second line, 250 yards off. We were then to charge and hold it, the Fusiliers to come on and take the third. When the charge came off we all went through to the third trench. I was hit by shrapnel and got away to a dressing station...’