Original World War One Family Grouping, Hampshire Regt and Machine Gun Corps, Killed in Action Somme 4 July 1916 Online Sale

A nice, complete family grouping from two brothers. Comprises;

1. British War Medal, Victory Medal and Death Plaque to Henry William Coombs. Henry served with the Wiltshire Regiment before being re-assigned to 89th Company Machine Gun Corps, that was attached to the 30th Division.

CWGC shows that Henry was killed in action on 4 July 1916.  At this time the Company was providing machine gun support to the attacking troops at Maricourt, on the Somme as part of the Battle of the Somme.

The war diary confirms in a report at 9am that morning, 1 OR killed and one wounded in the Briqueterie.  This is the only report of a casualty on the 4th, so presumably this was Henry.  The Briqueterie was, predictably, a brick factory with associated chimney, making it a bit of a landmark.  It was taken by the 20th Kings Liverpool s on the morning of the 1st and subsequently held.  It can be found at the southern tip of Bernafay Wood (map reference 62C A 4b. The remains of the buildings can still be seen to this day.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Named as follows; 7243 PTE. H. W. COOMBS. M. G. C.

2. A World War One medal trio, comprising the 1914 15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, awarded to Richard Coombs, Hampshire Regiment. He later served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers (s n 43941). Named as follows;

15632 PTE. R. COOMBS. HAMPS. R.

Both groups obtained from a collector who was gifted them by a descendant of the family.