An emotive Great War Battle of Cuinchy Officer Casualty 1914-1915 Star trio and Memorial Plaque awarded to 2nd Lieutenant S.A.N.S. Barthropp, 3rd Battalion attached 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment who was killed in action during a German attack on his section of the line at Cuinchy on 29th January 1915, his company putting up a very gallant defence and beat off a very determined attack, he died at the very front of the fight. He had been educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Cambridge and was the son of Major Alfred Shafto Barthropp of Newport House, Essex.
Trio and Plaque; 1914-1915 Star; (2. LIEUT. S.A.N.S. BARTHROPP. R. SUSS. R.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2. LIEUT. S.A.N.S. BARTHROPP.) Memorial Plaque; (SIDNEY ALFRED NATHANIEL SHAFTO BARTHROPP) The trio and the plaque housed in their own fitted cases with his initials ‘S.A.N.S.B.’ embossed on the lid.
Condition: some ear to the cases, especially that of the plaque, Nearly Extremely Fine
Sidney Alfred Nathaniel Shafto Barthropp was born on 25th March 1892, the only son of Major Alfred Shafto Barthropp and Ellen Ada Wentworth Barthropp of Newport House, Essex. His uncle, Philip George Barthropp was for many years Master of the Essex and Suffolk Foxhounds.
He came to Winchester College in January 1905 from Mr Snowden’s school at Broadstairs. He was in E House, Morshead’s and was a house prefect. He came 12th in Steeplechase in 1905 and in Commoner XV in 1909.
Sidney left Winchester in December 1909 and went up to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1910. He took his degree in 1913 and went on to Bishop’s Hostel at Farnham with the intention of studying for the Church. He was devoted to field sports and a keen student of natural life; he would sometimes stay out all night observing the habits of badgers and foxes. In June 1914 he was chosen to be Master of the Eastern Counties Otter Hounds.
Upon the outbreak of war, Sidney he was appointed to the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve) Royal Sussex regiment, and early in 1915 joined the 2nd Battalion in France. He fell at Cuinchy, near Bethune, on 29th January 1915, while defending the section of the line held by his platoon against an enemy attack. His Commanding Officer wrote to his father: ‘He was killed on 29th January during an attack by the Germans upon a portion of the line which we were holding, and in which the company with which your son was serving put up a very gallant defence and beat off a very determined attack. He died a soldier’s death in the very front of the fight. In him, we feel we have lost a comrade who was bound to do well, and who during the short time he had been with us, had endeared himself to all.’
He is buried at Cuinchy Communal Cemetery.
