A RARE & DESIRABLE
"1st DAY of THE SOMME" (Beaumont Hamel)
MILITARY MEDAL
& 1914 Star & Bar Trio:

To:
6583. Pte (Bandsman) E.J. BRIGHTMORE 1st Bn EAST LANCASHIRE Regt.
"For Gallant Conduct on 1 July 1916"

MILITARY MEDAL: 6583 Pte E.J. BRIGHTMORE 1/ E.LANC:R.
1914 Star: 6583 Pte R.J. BRIGHTMORE 1/ E.LAN:R.
PAIR: 6583 Pte E.J. BRIGHTMORE. E.LAN:R
* Brightmore has two MIC's which confirm the different initial "R" on the star. Numbers are identical "6583" throughout.

To France 30th November 1914

[BIOGRAPHY]
Extract From the Burnley Express of 4 October 1916:-

BANDSMAN'S MEDAL.
(LONDON GAZETTE 21st SEPTEMBER 1916)
In the official lists published in the Express a week ago as to Military Medals, appeared the name of 6583 Bandsman E.J. Brightmore, East Lancashire Regiment. We now learn that Bandsman Brightmore is a Burnley man and he is the son of the late Mr. W. Brightmore, of the old 59th Foot (afterwards the 2nd East Lancashire Regiment). Bandsman Brightmore, whose mother now resides in Portsmouth was awarded the medal for "gallant conduct on 1 July 1916".

He has two brothers serving, the eldest being W. Brightmore, Company-Sergeant-Major in the Leinster Regiment, and S. Brightmore, Drummer in the East Lancashire Regiment. A third brother, 8268 Private Sydney Brightmore, 6th East Lancashire Regiment, was killed in action in Mesopotamia on the 30 April 1917.

He was born at Lambeth, London and enlisted at Portsmouth, Hampshire. The family home is at 14, Buckingham Place, Lake Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, but for some time the family resided and were well known in the Burnley area. Edward is also mentioned on pages 66 and 71 of the Regimental History.

‘The First Day on the Somme. SATURDAY 1st JULY 1916.


1st EAST LANCS FORMING UP PRIOR TO THE ATTACK
At 0730 hours on 1st July 1916 the artillery lifted and the British infantry, including the 1st and 11th East Lancashires, advanced in extended lines towards the German trenches. For a few moments there was silence, and then suddenly machine guns opened up from behind largely unbroken wire and cut down the attackers in swathes. The casualties, some 57,470 men, were the worst ever suffered by the British Army on a single day.

On the far left of the British attack the 11th East Lancashires ( the famous ‘Accrington Pals’) assaulted the village of Serre, while a mile to their south the 1st Battalion ( the old 30th Foot) attacked to the north of Beaumont Hamel. Despite rapidly mounting casualties, the East Lancashires moved steadily forward, as if on parade, until they melted away under the fire. Small parties of both battalions entered the German trenches, but they were never seen again.


ROLL CALL OF 1/EAST LANCS ON THE AFTERNOON OF 1st JULY 1916. Within a few hours The East Lancashire Regiment suffered more casualties than on any other day in its long history. Out of 700 officers and men of the 1st Battalion who went into action, only 237 were present to answer their names when the roll was called, while the 11th Battalion lost 594 killed, wounded and missing out of the 720 in the attack.

This memorable devotion to duty is commemorated in the Regiment annually to this day, most notably by a Service in Blackburn Cathedral. .













A TRULY EXCELLENT "1st DAY" award, won during of THE most emotive actions of the day by a man serving in one of the classic northern regiments. Edward Brightmore was clearly a typically humble soldier who hardly wore his medals after the war which are still in EF condition. All are with original ribbons & clasp.

A SERIOUSLY GOOD GROUP TO AN "OLD CONTEMPTIBLE" REGULAR SOLDIER WHO NOT ONLY SURVIVED THE ENTIRE WAR BUT ALSO WON HIS GALLANTRY AWARD ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MOST FAMOUS BATTLE OF THE GREAT WAR..

THIS FINE GROUP HAS SURFACED IN THE 100th ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF THIS MOST FAMOUS OF BATTLES.

SOLD .