Lot 4772

Description

Pair to KIA: British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 3178 Pte. D.Newbutt. Midd'x R. Both medals impressed. Very fine.

Together with WWI Memorial Plaque named to Derrick Newbutt; hat badge for Middlesex Regt and Middlesex metal shoulder title.

Ex Alan McRae Collection and Noble Numismatics Sale 117 (lot 5083).

Derrick Newbutt was the son of James Arthur and Ann Maria Newbutt of Sudbury, Middlesex which is near Wembley Stadium. The 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, raised in London on 12 December 1914 was known affectionately as the 'First' Football Battalion. L/Cpl Derrick Newbutt was a member of the Territorial Force Battalion before the war and became a member of the 17th serving in B Company. L/Cpl Newbutt is mentioned on the battalion War Diary for bravery at Arras in France on 9-11 April 1917 when his unit along with other battalions in the Division captured the Blue Line. Derrick Newbutt, at the age of 26, was killed in action at Oppy Wood near Arras on 28 April 1917 while attacking the Germans. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France. The 17th Battalion was disbanded in France less than a year later on 10 February 1918 due to lack of men because of its high casualty rate. L/Cpl Derrick's medals show him as a Private which was his substantive rank but he was acting as L/Corporal at the time of his death. His number is shown as G/43857 compared to the number 3178 recorded on his medals. This disparity arose because 3178 was his pre-war number and the other came from a renumbering programme undertaken by the British Army in 1916-17.

With research.