C & T Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd
Lot 360
A Rare and Emotive Battle of Delville Wood, Brothers-in-Law Casualty Medal Groups Awarded to Riflemen Edward Coleman and Henry Barker, Both Served with the 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade on the Western Front. Both Fought in the Battle of the Somme, Henry Being Killed in the Trenches Outside of Delville Wood on the 17th August 1916 and Edward Being Killed Less Than a Month Later on the 15th September 1916, During the Battalion’s Attack on Switch Trench Outside of Delville Wood. The Bullet which Killed Edward Coleman Passed Through His Cigarette Case Which is Accompanying the Medals, the groups consist of 1914-15 Star, named to “Z-984 PTE E. COLEMAN. RIF:BRIG:” British War & Victory medal, named to “Z-984 PTE E. COLEMAN. RIF.BRIG.” Bronze memorial plaque, named to “EDWARD COLEMAN”. Metal Cigarette case, engraved with the following “RIFLEMAN. E. COLEMAN. Z.g84. R.B.C. COY. NO. 11 PLATOON 8TH BATT. 41ST BGDE. 14. DIVISION. 1916”, the cigarette case is battle damaged by the bullet which killed Edward Coleman. British War and Victory Medals, named to “S-13738. PTE. H.F. BAKER.” All remain in good condition and mounted on display boards. Edward Coleman and Henry Barker were both born in Birmingham, becoming Brothers-in-law when Henry married Edward’s sister, where they all lived in the same house in Highgate, Birmingham. Edward Coleman enlisted into the 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade in 1915 and served in the Western Front with the battalion from the 9th August 1915 as a Sniper. Henry Barker arrived in France in early 1916 being assigned to the same battalion. Henry Barker was killed in action on the 17th August 1916 in the trenches outside of Delville wood at the height of the Battle. The following day, Edward Coleman and the rest of the Battalion went ‘Over the Top’ and attacked Orchard and Wood lane Trenches outside of the Wood. Just under a month Later, Edward Coleman was killed in action during the Battalion’s attack on Switch Trench outside of Delville wood, where the battalion suffered over 400 casualties. His cigarette case failing to save his life when a bullet ricocheted off it into his chest. The cigarette case was returned to his mother by the Commanding Officer of the battalion after the Battle. The Battle of Delville Wood was fought from July to September 1916, and was a vital strategic defensive point around the Town of Flers, which was a point of great importance for the British army. After two long months of fighting and many failed attacks, the British army finally took the wood, thus being one step closer to taking the Somme battlefield. Henry Barker is buried in Delville Wood cemetery, where as Edward Coleman’s Original grave was lost following heavy fighting in the area and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
