WW1 OFFICER KIA MEDALS & PLAQUE W G PRATT 23RD ROYAL FUSILIERS 5 DRAGOON GUARDS

Offered is a fine medal & plaque group to Second Lieutenant W. G. J. Pratt, 23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, late 5th Dragoon Guards, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 28 September 1917

1914 - 15 Star, impressed named D-9461 PTE. W.G.J. PRATT. 5^TH. D. GDS. British War and Victory Medals (1914 -19), impressed named 2.LIEUT. W.G.J. PRATT. Court mounted as worn. Memorial Plaque named WILLIAM GEORGE JAMES PRATT. Comes with copies of service records, medal rolls, Commonwealth War Graves certificate and war diary extract.

2^nd Lieutenant William George James Pratt was born on the 26/1/1897 in Hackney, London. Pre war he was working as a shop assistant. He enlisted on the 13/8/1914 at Walthamstow into the 5^thDragoon Guards.

He landed in France 14/10/1915 and served with the Regiment until 14/2/1917, when he was accepted for officer training. He returned to England 15/2/17, and was posted to the No 50^th Cadet Battalion in Cambridge. He was discharged to commission 31/7/1917. London Gazette 29/8/1917).

It is believed he joined the 23^rd?Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in late August or early September.

He was killed in action on the 28/9/1917 whilst serving with the Battalion near Cambrin. The war diary scant details for that day and does not name casualties or losses day by day.

The war diary for the 28^th?September states the Battalion holding CAMBRIN left inf sect. Enemy artillery more active during the day. 2 Patrols reconnoitering the enemy wire.

Battalion losses for the month September:?Reinforcements Officers 3. Casualties during Sept (Killed, wounded) 4.

It is possible that Pratt was killed by shell fire, whilst on patrol. He is buried in the Cambrin cemetery which was the ?Front line cemetery? as at times it was only 800 meters from the front-line trenches. He?is listed in the history of the 23^rd?(Service Battalion) Royal Fusiliers.

The life of a junior officer in WW1 was brutally short. It would appear that he was killed within a month of joining his final unit.