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An Excellent & Scarce MILITARY MEDAL & 1914-15 Trio.

To: 19797. Pte. H. MARKLAND 1st Bn BORDER REGt.

London Gazette.18th October 1917.Page 10723.
(HERBERT M WAS FROM INCE, NEAR WIGAN, LANCASHIRE.)

His MILITARY MEDAL BEING ALMOST CERTAINLY FOR BRAVERY at 'BELLEWARDE RIDGE or WESTHOEK RIDGE in AUGUST 1917

[HISTORY of 1st Battalion, BORDER REGT]

The Border Regiment were in Maymyo, Burma when war broke out in August 1914. As soon as a territorial unit arrived to take over the garrison, they departed for England, landing at Avonmouth on the 10th of January 1915. They joined 87th Brigade in 29th Division at Rugby. They were training for France when orders arrived to prepare to depart for Gallipoli. They embarked from Avonmouth on the 17th of March 1915 sailing via Malta to Alexandria then on to Mudros in April. They landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli on the 25 April 1915 (Herbert joined the unit later on 24th August 1915) The 1st were involved in heavy fighting until the evacuation on the nights of the 7th and 8th of January 1916 when they returned to Egypt.
In March they were sent to France, sailing to Marseilles and travelling by train to concentrate in the area east of Pont Remy by the end of March.In July they went into action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were in action in the The First, Second and Third Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive, then moved to Flanders and fought in the The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of Broodseinde and The Battle of Poelcapelle. Before moving south for The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 they were in action in The Battle of Estaires, at Messines and The Battle of Hazebrouck including the defence of Nieppe Forest and The Battle of Bailleul. They were involved in The Action of Outtersteene Ridge, The capture of Ploegsteert and Hill 63 during the Advance in Flanders. At the Armistice the 29th Division was selected to march into Germany to occupy the Rhine bridgehead, they crossed the Belgian-German border at Malmedy on the 4th of December 1918. Demobilisation began in December.

Herbert was the Brother of 1146. Pte James Markland (1 William Street) and of 11 Branch Street, Ince, near WIGAN, LANCASHIRE, who was Killed in Action, aged 22, on 10th August 1915 at Gallipoli while serving with 1/5th Manchesters. James is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. The two boys were the sons of the late James Markland and Mrs Louisa Markland. (* Branch Street, Ince, still exists just off the A577 Manchester Road, but the original terraced houses have now been replaced with modern dwellings. )

MEDALS VF on ORIGINAL RIBBONS, MM SUSPENDER NEATLY RE-FITTED

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