Orders, Decorations and Medals

1914 Star Trio (1968 Pte. / W.O.Cl.2. J. L. Hamilton, 14-Lond.R.) good very fine (3)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the London Regiment and Related Units.

View
Collection

James Leckie Hamilton was killed in action, 1.7.1916, in the attack on Gommecourt, first day of the Battle of the Somme. “My Company Sergeant Major Matt Hamilton was only nineteen years of age, one of the best men I ever met. He was shot through the knee within a few yards of leaving our own trench but he apparently crawled all the way over ‘No Man’s Land’ and three German trenches, because he finally arrived at our objective where he was hit again and killed.” (Major C. J. Low quoted from The First Day of the Somme by Martin Middlebrook).
Hamilton served with the London Scottish in France from 15 September, 1914, and must have fought at the battles of Messines 1914 and Loos 1915. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.