WW1 Victory Medal Simmonds Essex Reg - Killed Gallipoli.

A single Victory medal correctly named to 16643 Private William Simmonds of the 1st Battalion the Essex Regiment.
William Simmonds was born in Ilford Essex 1881. In the 1911 census he is married to Nellie with two children. At this time, he was employed as a Farm labourer living at 9 Ward Road West Ilford.
When war broke out the 1st battalion were already serving abroad half were stationed in Mauritius and the remainder in Durban in South Africa. William’s service number of 16643 tells us that he didn’t enlist until 1914, so he probably joined the battalion on its return to England in December 1914. On the 18th of January 1915, the battalion moved to Banbury for training and came under orders of 88th Brigade in 29th Division. On the 21st of March 1915 they sailed from Avonmouth for Gallipoli, going via Egypt and Mudros, Landed at Cape Helles on 25th April 1915 under very heavy fire.
By 2pm they had managed to make a small foothold by taking Hill 138 and the first enemy defensive fortification at the cost of 3 officers and 15 other ranks killed with 8 officers and 87 other ranks injured. After that initial success it was slow going with only small gains under heavy fire.
On 2 May 1915 another small advance saw the taking of another defensive redoubt at the cost of 31 wounded, 5 missing and 14 killed which included their CO Lt Colonel Faussett.
The 5th May 1915 saw another attack on Fir Tree Wood that was fiercely resisted and beaten back. The Division lost nearly half its strength in this attack although 1st Essex were comparatively lucky with 15 men killed and 142 wounded. After a period of rest and reorganisation on 18th May 1915 the 1st Essex were back on the attack and this time took Fir Tree Wood at the cost of 6 dead, 20 wounded and 3 missing.
On 4th June 1915 a further attack was planned during which 9 men were killed, 36 wounded and 9 missing. The fatalities included Lieutenant Liebenthal and Lieutenant Wolfe while 2nd Lieutenant Pegler and 2nd Lieutenant Hellen were amongst the wounded.
The advance made some ground which was lost during a counter attack on 6th June 1915 during which C Company led by Captain Shepheard lost 65 of its 70 men when it was hit by a surprise attack from the rear. By this stage only four officers who had embarked from England with the 1st Essex were still serving on active duty. This entailed borrowing some Officers and men from other Battalions.
A slight lull in the fighting followed although snipers were very active claiming the lives of men in the line , including Lieutenant N A de Vere Beauclerk on 17th June 1915.
On 28th June 1915 another advance saw some success with gains of up to half a mile although a second push was less successful. Once again casualties were felt with 11 killed, 49 wounded and 12 missing. The dead included Captain E O Warden, 2nd Lieutenant C A B Wood and 2nd Lieutenant H F Grantham.
On 5 August 1915 the last offensive before they were to move to Sulva Bay saw the 1st Essex into an offensive to take the Turkish defensive line of trenches.
The Battalion performed well to take the first two lines of trench but by then they had lost so many men that they were vulnerable to a counterattack by the Turks and forced to surrender some of the gains. By cruel luck the Turks had more men than normal in this area as they were planning an assault of their own later in the day. There was a very heavy toll for the gains with 50 men killed, 202 wounded and 180 missing. It was in this gallant offensive that William Simmonds was reported as missing but was not confirmed as killed until sometime later.
He is now remembered with honour at the Helles Memorial, Turkey, along with over 20,800 Commonwealth service personnel who have no known graves from the Gallipoli Campaign.
William is entitled to a memorial Plaque a 1914/15 star and British war medal apart form this victory medal. It comes in very good condition and on its original ribbon with an original Essex Regiment cap badge.

Code: 31052