Great War Battle of Mons participant’s 1914 Star and bar trio and Silver War Badge group awarded to Private A.E. Dawes, 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who saw service on the Western Front from 13th August 1914 and would have been present when two members of the battalion would be awarded the Victoria Cross for the defence of the Nimy Bridge at Mons on 23rd August 1914. Dawes would have been wounded later in 1914, and was returned to the UK on 10th December 1914 before later being discharged unfit for further military service on 2nd October 1917.
Group of 4: 1914 Star and bar 5th Aug-22nd Nov; (L-11273 PTE. A.E. DAWES. 4/R.FUS.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (L-11273 PTE. A.E. DAWES. R. FUS.) Silver War Badge, the reverse numbered ‘127585’ with its original small card box of issue.
Condition: loose-mounted for wear, Good Very Fine
Along with:
Soldiers’ Small Book Discharge certificate dated 2nd October 1917
Wound Stripe
Cloth Corporal’s stripe.
Royal Fusiliers – City of London cap badge
Old Contemptibles Association numbered 2610D to the reverse
Photograph of Church Parade 2nd January 1910
5 x Postcards
Photograph of Dawes as part of a group photograph related to a sports team.
Postcard of Dawes in later life.
Arthur Ernest Dawes was a pre-war regular soldier who enlisted on 23rd March 1905, he would complete his training at home, remaining in the UK until 14th March 1906 before travelling to South Africa on 15th March 1906 where he would remain until 20th November 1909, whilst there serving with the Mounted Infantry. From South Africa he would travel to Mauritius where he would be present from 21st November 1909 until 19th December 1911, then travelling to India where he would remain until 27th December 1912 before returning home to the UK.
He would still be in the UK upon the outbreak of war, travelling to France on 13th August 1914 with the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
The 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers would see action at Mons on 23rd August 1914, the first major battle of the Great War for the British Expeditionary Force, during which two members of the battalion, Lieutenant Dease and Private Godley would win the Victoria Cross for their extraordinary bravery at the Nimy Railway Bridge.
During the attack at Mons eight battalions of Germans in close columns attacked the two British battalions, 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers at about 9am. The Germans would be cut down in a hail of fire from the defenders. One British soldier writing to his wife that they went down like a regular bunch of Charlie Chaplins, every bullet hitting hime, sometimes taking two men at a time.
Column after column advanced to be met by the same withering fire, finally the German attack shivered to a halt and the survivors retreated to the cover of the tree line. Artillery fire continued and after 30 minutes a new attack was launched, this time the Germans would come in extended order over a wider frontage, they were joined by the infantry of the 17th Division, and their attacks were pressed home with great courage but once again the Germans were thrown back with heavy losses.
Eventually the German troops were over the Canal in reasonable strength and the enemy artillery was making life extremely unpleasant for the British Infantry. The withdrawal from the salient began at about 2pm the Royal Fusiliers retired slowly, stubbornly and reluctantly from the bridges, task made more difficult because they were in full view of the enemy at Nimy.
Lieutenant Maurice Dease, the machine gun officer of the Royal Fusiliers held back two battalions of German infantry as they tried to capture the bridge at Nimy, although wounded time and again Dease fought until he died, he would be awarded the first Victoria Cross of the Great War.
Lieutenant Godley won the second, remaining on the bridge to cover the withdrawal of the remaining Royal Fusiliers, although badly wounded he held his position until everyone else has got away,.
Dawes would survive the action at Mons but would be wounded later in 1914, being sent home to the UK on 10th December 1914 suffering gunshot wounds to the leg. He would see home service until the 2nd October 1917 when he was discharged no longer fit for military service.
