A VERY UNUSUAL "SHOEING SMITH" (CAVALRY)
"Old Contemptible's" 1914 Star & Bar Trio:
To:
4035. S.STH. P.A. WARREN 9th LANCERS.



An Extremely Early Entrant on 15th August 1914.
Percy Warren is entitled to a silver war badge.
Discharged on 20th January 1915 as physically unfit.
(Probably as a result of the cavalry charge at Audregnies. )

[13th Aug 1914]
On 13th August, Lt-Col, D. Campbell held a parade and reminded the men of the great deeds done during of the history of the regiment. During the Indian Mutiny the 9th Lancers won more Victoria Crosses than any other regiment. Also during the Boer War, Lt MacDonald & his brave soldiers had defended their position to the last man.
Campbell told them:
"You are going forth to war, with the greatest traditions to uphold."

[15th Aug 1914. 9th Lancers to France]
The 9th left Tidworth Camp and foot slogged it to Amesbury station. They arrived at Southampton by train, but due to problems with the somewhat unsuitable transport ships SS Armenian and the SS Welshman there was a delay before they were ready to leave for Boulogne. The unit comprised of 30 officers, 588 other ranks and 613 horses.

[9th Lancers in France: 16th Aug 1914]
The overnight crossing was uneventful and in the mid afternoon of 16th August the 9th Lancers began to come ashore at Boulogne. The two ships SS Welshman and SS. Armenian were hardy ideal for cavalry transport and the very narrow gangway on SS Armenian was so badly suited to horse movements that it greatly slowed the animals' disembarkation. Finally, when all were assembled on the quay the unit set off to their first camp at Pont de Bricques. The troops were well received by the local French population who during their march along the route gave them garlands of flowers. On arrival at the camp it was discovered that there were problems with various tack & equipment and that no horse restraints were available and it became very late before the unit bedded down for the night.

[The Charge at Audregnies: 24th Aug 1914]
The 9th Lancers & 4th Dragoon Guards were assembled to assist the 5th Division who were facing the massed ranks of thousands of German troops. The 5th had sustained very heavy losses from local enemy guns. The Lancers initially dismounted and fought alongside the infantry, but as the situation became hopeless it was decided while still under heavy fire that the Lancers would remount and charge the offending enemy battery of eleven guns which were positioned in a wood at Compiegne.

The charge was a near disaster as it was hit by a hail of machine-gun fire, shelling and rifle fire, casualties were heavy, especially when the cavalry became tangled in two layers of thick German defensive wire, with men and horses entrapped and helpless. When they reassembled on the outskirts of Elouges they discovered that the cavalry had suffered over 80 casualties with many men taken prisoner. It was almost a re-run of Balaklava and of almost 400 men and horses who rode in the Audregnies charge only about 275 answered the roll call at the end of the day. We think it's almost certain that Warren took part in the charge and probably sustained wounds which were still giving him trouble early the following year, and which led to his medical discharge on 20th January 1915.



The medals are in superb condition and having clearly never been worn are in practically 'mint state'. A bit of obvious detective work would perhaps suggest that as Percy Warren never wore his medals that he died in the early 1920's. I'm pretty sure that further research will confirm.

The 1914 Star is particularly attractive as it retains 99% of its original red mint lustre.
All medals are on their original silk ribbons.
A lovely specimen display group.

An excellent early cavalry item to a crack lancer unit.

£495