WW1 DIED WOUNDS BATTLE SOMME MEDAL GROUP 7542 MONTAGNON ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT

Offered is a 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named 7542 P^TE E.vMONTAGNON. R. IR: REGT: British War and Victory Medal impressed named 7542 PTE. E. MONTAGNON. R. IR. REGT. Swing mounted for display. Comes with copies Commonwealth War Graves Certificate, M.I.C., medal rolls, casualty sheet, 1901 census.

Ernest Angelo Montagnon was born in 1886/7 at St Pancras, Middlesex. The 1901 census records him as a builder’s apprentice.

It is unknown when Private Montagnon enlisted but it was in Cork and he landed in France 31/5/1915 to serve with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. The Battalion had taken heavy losses in 1914 and Pte Montagnon was one of the re-enforcement drafts that re-built the Battalion. He was with the Battalion when it went into action for the 2^nd battle of Ypres. Montagnon died of wounds on the 18^th July 1916 at the 36th Casualty Clearing Station (36^th C.C.S.) at Heilly. It is unknown when he was wounded in the preceding days. He is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'abbe. His mother was refused a pension for his death.

Battle of the Somme

1^st July 1916. The 1st day Somme.  The Battalion was in reserve for the attack at Mametz however A & D Coy was sent forward to re-enforce 22nd Manchester’s.

4^th July:  Attacked Strip trench, in front of Mametz Wood under heavy machine gun fire and forced to withdraw.

5^th July: Assault on Trench Wood and south corner of Mametz Wood, company assaulting Wood Trench, shot down in uncut wire. Enemy counterattack and forced to withdraw.

Relieved 6^th July,  227 casualties since 1st.

14^th July: Attack on Bazentin- le – Petit and into the village. Heavily shelled and German counterattack was beaten off. Relieved during the evening. Casualties 326.