WW1 1914/15 Star Trio & Silver War Badge Grenadier Guards.

WW1 1914/15 Star Trio & Silver War Badge. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Silver War Badge no : 190175.
Issued to 18567 Gdsm William John Coles. 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards. Medals on original ribbons in good condition.

William John Coles was born in 1891 in Lewisham, London. He enlisted on the 7th September 1914 and was discharged on the 19th October 1916 due to sickness, after continuous active service with the 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards in France.

The 3rd Bn Grenadier Guards were in action in the front line and participated in the two major offensives at Loos and the Somme. During this period William Coles saw active service. At Loos in September 1915 the 3rd Bn Grenadiers advanced to contact under terrible shell fire and heavy machine gun fire, which mowed down on two companies of Grenadiers and the Scots Guards, only a dozen Grenadiers and a few Scots guards made one objective. 

Later the 1st Bn Coldstream Guards made a gallant attempt to take an objective in support of the Grenadiers but failed, such was the ferocity of fire directed at the guards division. After 3 days of constant fighting the 3rd Bn Grenadiers were relieved by the Berkshire Regiment. Total casualties were eight Officers killed, wounded and missing, and 229 Other Ranks lost.

In the first phase of the Somme offensive of September 1916 attack at Ginchy, the 3rd Bn Grenadiers was formed up in four waves. All  the men in single rank, and companies in columns of half - companies, with fifty yards distance between platoons. As soon as they crossed Ginchy Ridge they came under extremely heavy machine gun fire, Tanks that should have flattened the wire never turned up. The whole  2nd Guards Brigade was committed to hard continuous fighting in a position of much difficulty. The percentage of Officers killed and wounded in the 3rd Bn Grenadiers was exceptionally high.Out of the 22 officers, 17 were killed or wounded. Amongst the Other Ranks casualties were 395 killed and wounded.

Having survived this period William Coles was discharged “Sick” on 19th October 1916. And his SWB was issued  31st May 1917 to his address at 22 Ilfracombe Road, Bromley, Kent.

In 1918 William married Gertrude Annie Phillips. And in 1939 he was employed at the Explosives factory on War work. In WW2  Williams' son 10817 Pte Sydney Coles, 5th Royal Berkshire Regiment was killed in action. William died on 14th August 1954.