Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private R. E. Bunting, 14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish), London Regiment, who was wounded in action during the attack on Hill 70 on 25 September 1915

1914-15 Star (3580. Pte. R. E. Bunting, 14-Lond. R.); British War and Victory Medals (3580 Pte. R. E. Bunting. 14-Lond. R.) good very fine (3) £70-£90

Robert Esmond Bunting was born in Swaffham, Norfolk, on 15 January 1895, the second son of draper George Harry Bunting. He enlisted for the 14th London Regiment on 6 November 1914 and served in France from 14 July 1915 as part of Green’s Force at Loos. According to author Mark Lloyd in Chapter Four of The London Scottish in the Great War: ‘They returned to the line at Cambrin on 25 July, and on 5 August became the subject of a German barrage when their pipers played ‘God Save the King’ to celebrate the opening of the second year of the war.’

Detailed to storm Loos and capture Hill 70, Bunting joined the Battalion in going ‘over the top’ at 8 a.m. on 25 September 1915. Advancing in full view of the enemy and into pockets of their own chlorine gas, the attack soon broke down. A contemporary account by Private Mabbs, notes: ‘Our poor fellows dropped all round, as the rifle fire and machine-gun fire were pretty heavy. Being in reserve, we advanced from behind our front line, but I am sorry to say many of our boys went down before we reached our objective.’ To add to their misery, any possible inroads towards Lone Tree were soon recognised as hopeless owing to the uncut state of the German wire. Seeking shelter in Loos Chalk Pit, the stragglers finally withdrew to billets at Les Brebis, with losses amounting to approximately 5 officers and 260 men.

Listed as wounded in action in the Regimental Chronicle during this engagement, Bunting was later discharged due to wounds on 31 January 1916 and was awarded Silver War Badge ‘49682’ on 2 February 1917. He died on 28 July 1976, his last address recorded as 10 Mill View Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.