A Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties

Pair: Private A. P. Eglintine, 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916 - the tremendous casualties suffered by the four Tyneside Scottish battalions that day were among the worst ever recorded on the Somme: of the 80 officers that went into action only 10 returned, and of the the men some 80 per cent became casualties, with 940 other ranks killed and some 1,500 wounded

British War and Victory Medals (22-134 Pte. A. P. Eglintine, North’d Fus); Memorial Plaque (Alfred Peacock Eglintine) in card envelope; together with a Durham Miners Association oak mounted copper presentation Memorial Plaque, inscribed ‘Durham Miners Association, Boldon Lodge, In honour of the memory of A. Eglintine who made the supreme sacrifice for his country in the Great War 1914-1919’, nearly extremely fine (4) £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties.

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Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, September 2000.

Alfred Peacock Eglintine was born in South Shields and attested there for the Northumberland Fusiliers. He served with the 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1916, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, on which date the Battalion, alongside the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Tyneside Scottish Battalion, as part of the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, was tasked with attacking the German positions at La Boisselle. They attacked south of the village at 7:30 a.m. and were met with heavy machine gun and shell fire. The tremendous casualties suffered by the four Tyneside Scottish battalions were among the worst ever recorded on the Somme, with losses including all 4 Commanding Officers killed and all second in commands and adjutants. Of the 80 officers that went into action only 10 returned, and of the the men some 80 per cent became casualties, with 940 other ranks killed and some 1,500 wounded.

Eglintine was amongst those killed, aged just 19. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery, France.

Sold with copied research.