Pair: Second Lieutenant T. W. Doyle, Rifle Brigade, an Ypres Salient casualty

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.) extremely fine (2) £120-150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of of Great War Medals to the Rifle Brigade.

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Thomas Walter Doyle was educated at St. John’s College, Durham University, from where he planned to enter the Ministry of the Church. He was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade in January 1916 and served with the 17th Battalion at Wimbledon until crossing to France on 8 July 1916. Then he was at the 4th Army School and joined the 1st Battalion on 6 or 7 August. On the evening of 8 August the battalion moved into the trenches near Boesinghe: as soon as the relief was complete the Germans discharged gas, causing nearly 200 casualties in the 1st R.B., among them 2nd Lieutenant Doyle. His time in the line could be measured in hours, and he Died of Wounds the following day in the Casualty Clearing Station. A brother officer wrote: “He behaved very gallantly, running up and down the trench telling the men to get their helmets on and getting them to open fire.” He is buried in Lijssenhoek Cemetery.

Sold with copy portrait photo. & research.