Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Lieutenant W. F. R. Dobie, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, who was killed in action on 14 December 1914 and posthumously mentioned in despatches

1914 Star, with clasp (Lieut., Gord. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut.) nearly extremely fine (3) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Fine Collection of Medals to 'Old Contemptibles' formed by Major Bob Keay.

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M.I.D. London Gazette 22 June 1915.

William Findlay Robertson Dobie was born in 1887 and was educated at George Watson’s College. He was killed in action in France and Flanders on 14 December 1914 and is buried in Irish House Cemetery, Kemmel, Belgium.

The following in relation to the action in which Dobie was killed is extracted from The Life of a Regiment, The Gordon Highlanders in The First World War 1914-1919, by Cyril Falls:

‘The 8th Brigade attacked with the 1st Gordon Highlanders on the right against Maedelstede Farm, on the Kemmel-Wytschaete Road. The artillery of three divisions took part in the preliminary bombardment, but, for lack of ammunition, it lasted only three-quarters of an hour. The advance begun at 7:45am, was at once met by heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. Some men of one of the leading companies of the 1st Gordons were seen to jump into a trench 300 yards from the British line. Then followed an eclipse of vision common in the operations of that war.

No one returned with news; no one could get forward to obtain any. It wasn’t until 3:55pm that the report came through that a line of men was lying fifty yards short of the German trench.’

The losses of the 1st Gordon Highlanders in this action were heavy with three officers, including Lieutenant Dobie missing believed killed, four officers wounded, 51 other ranks killed, 123 wounded and 69 missing.