WW1 DESERTER KILLED IN ACTION PASSCHENDAELE 1917 BOER WAR MEDAL 5560 WALLINGER
$175.00
SOLD
Offered is a Queens South Africa Medal (1899 -1902), with 2 clasps CAPE COLONY, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 5560 PTE?B. WALLENGER. NORTHAMPTON: REGT. comes with copies of: Service records, M.I.C., medal rolls, Battalion War Diary extracts 31st?July 1917, National Roll of the Great War, Commonwealth War Graves certificate, soldiers effects extract and newspaper articles.
Benjamin Wallinger?was born in January 1880 at Olney, Buckinghamshire, a ?finisher? by trade (shoe industry) he enlisted into the 4th?Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (Militia) on the 19/12/1898 (service number 5560).
He was embodied on the 4/1/1900 for the Boer War and disembodied 5/12/1900, embodied 17/3/1902 and disembodied 20/9/1902. Discharged time expired 18/12/1902. He served in South Africa with the 2nd?Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment.
He appears on the Q.S.A medal rolls as Wallenger & Wallinger, earning the clasps Cape Colony and South Africa 1902.
The 1901 census records him as living with his widowed mother in Spring Lane, Olney, Buckinghamshire and was working as a shoe finisher. The 1911 census records the same address but he is now an unemployed boot riveter.
Newspaper articles from the period record several Police charges including: Fighting 21/6/1901. His widowed mother (68 years old) on the 1911 census is recorded as living on ?Parish Relief? and there were several charges against Benjamin and his brother for failing to pay maintenance for this.
Poaching: There are several articles in relation to poaching over several years from 1903 ? 1913.
His WW1 service records have not been located as of yet, however what is known is that he enlisted into the Special Reserve at Rushden, (service number 3/11131) and landed in France 12/11/1914 with the 1st?Battalion Northamptonshire Battalion. The entry in the National Roll of the Great War states that he was mobilized in August 1914 and immediately drafted to the Western Front. He fought at Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, St Eloi, Festubert, Loos, Vimy Ridge and the Somme.
SOMME: The 1st?Battalion attacked on the 1st?day (1/7/2016) at Redan Ridge, this was into intense machine gun fire and most of the Battalion did not even reach the German wire. The Battalion suffered 500+ casualties on the day (320 killed).
Deserted: At some stage he deserted, was apprehended and on the 17/3/1917 was tried by Court Martial at Bedford and convicted of Desertion. He received 112 days imprisonment with hard labour. Note: Desertion carried the death penalty and it is supposed that as Boer War Veteran, and having been in action since 1914, he received his sentence and immediately after completing, it was sent to a different Battalion to meet his death shortly after.
Killed in Action 31/7/1917: The National Roll of the Great War states that he was killed in the Battle of the Dunes (Nieuport) this was the location of the 1st?Battalion at the time. However he is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as killed 31/7/1917 with the?2nd?Battalion?(no known grave and commemorated on the Ypres Memorial).
30th?? 31st?July 1917 (Start of the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele) At the time the 1st?Battalion the battalion conducted a text book attack ?The barrage came down with a tremendous roar and the Battalion advanced under its cover, perfect order prevailed, the Battalion keeping its formation as if on the picture trenches back at Bomy?.
As a result of the successful attack the Battalion lost Officers: killed 1, wounded 2. Other ranks: Killed 7, wounded 113, missing 35. + 1 Officer killed and 4 wounded, 74 Other ranks casualties before the assault.
Benjamins soldiers effects records: Death presumed on or since 31/7/1917.
Highly recommended that further research with the Court Martial records of his trial may reveal as to why he received the 112 days with hard labour rather than the ultimate penalty.?
