WW1 Medal Pair, Badges & Fobs to Hamilton DLI

A lovely group of items all relating to one man. The British war and Victory medals are correctly named to 73842 Private James Hamilton of the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
The 15th (Service) Battalion was Formed at Newcastle in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s new Army’s K3 and came under orders of 64th Brigade in 21st Division. They moved to Halton Park, going on to billets in Maidenhead in December 1914 and then back to Halton Park in April 1915. Finally they moved to Witley in July. On 11th September 1915 they landed at Boulogne.
James Hamilton was probably drafted into the army in 1916 and posted first with the 2nd battalion and then the 15th battalion of 21st division to replace the massive amount of men lost at the battle of Loos in 1915. During 1916 the battalion was no stranger to action seeing much of it during the battle of the Somme.
During 1917 they were engaged in the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line 14th March – 5th April. The First Battle of the Scarpe, 9th – 14th April. The Third Battle of the Scarpe, 3rd – 4th May. The actions on the Hindenburg Line, 20th May – 16th June. Ypres, the Battle of Polygon Wood, 26th September – 3rd October, the Battle of Broodseinde, 4th October, and the Second Battle of Passchendaele, 26th October – 10th November 1917.
During 1918, with the Russians now out of the war, Germany was able to transfer forces and at last outnumber the Allies on the Western Front before the arrival of the Americans in force. Large numbers of Stormtroopers were to be used, together with new artillery tactics. The Allies knew what was in store and began to prepare a defence in depth with varying degrees of effectiveness. As a result of manpower shortages, in February the British Army was reorganised from a four battalion to a three battalion infantry brigade structure, with many infantry battalions being disbanded to strengthen remaining battalions. At this point Hamilton was transferred to the 15th battalion still with the 21st division, 64th brigade.
On 21 March 1918, when the German Army attacked on the Somme, the 21st Division was in reserve. Rushed forwards to the front, 15 DLI counter attacked, only to be driven back. In four days of fighting, 15 DLI lost almost 500 men killed, wounded or missing, including the commanding officer killed in action. Further fighting in April caused yet more casualties. In late April, the 21st Division was sent to recover near Rheims, but on 27 May it once more faced a massive German attack and was forced to retreat. In two days of fighting, 15 DLI lost over 450 men killed, wounded or missing.
Drafts of conscripts arrived during the summer of 1918, as 15 DLI rebuilt and retrained, and in late August the battalion joined the British advance across the old Somme battlefield that pushed the German Army back towards Maubeuge. This fighting, however, cost the life of yet another commanding officer and Captain Lascelles VC, late of 14 DLI, who died in the battalion’s last fight of the war on 7 November 1918.
I have mostly followed the history of the 21st division and the 15th Battalion in 1918, but the Durham Record office have a fantastic archive so it will be worth getting in touch with them to shed more light on this man’s history.
Both medals are in very good condition and come on original ribbons. They come with his original cap badge, what looks like a silver cap badge which has been made into a sweetheart brooch. Also a hallmarked silver football fob and a bronze DLI sports medallion are in included in his things. Copies of his medal index card and medal roll are included. Avery interesting lot well worth further research.

Code: 24530