Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The 1914 Star awarded to Private J. Burke, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, who was captured at Ypres on 12 November 1914

1914 Star (2967 Pte. J. Burke. Ir: Gds.) final digit of number officially corrected, good very fine £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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James Burke was born in 1883 at Tipperary, Ireland. He attested for the Irish Guards on 18 February 1908 and served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 13 September 1914. His battalion was involved in fighting throughout the First Battle of Ypres taking part in all the major actions, including Langemarck and Gheluvelt and suffering huge casualties while defending Klein Zillebeke, 1-8 November. Burke was captured at Ypres on 12 November - a day on which the Irish Guards left the fighting around Chateau Hooge and moved to woods on the Gheluvelt Road to dig in just west of Veldhoek. He was held prisoner of war initially at Limburg, Netherlands and later at Giessen, Germany.

Private Burke was discharged on 15 March 1919, surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service) and he was awarded a Silver War Badge.