British War Medal (World War One) to Gallipoli/Somme and Delville Wood Casualty

Description

British War Medal (World War One) to Gallipoli/Somme and Delville Wood Casualty (likely wounded several times) – Private Albert Campbell, Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Albert Campbell volunteered for service in the 1
st
Battalion of the Kings Own Scottish (KOSB)Borderers on 29 January 1915 (service number 18114) at the age of 35 (born in1880).
He was discharged on 15 February1917 due to wounds received. He is entitled to the Victory Medal, British War Medal and Silver Wound Badge (#23,639).
He is listed as a Private and Lance Corporal in records.
He participated in several significant campaigns to include Gallipoli, where his Battalion suffered a 100 percent casualty rate.
At the conclusion of the Gallipoli campaign, the KOSB were re-deployed on the Western Front in March1916 and participated in heavy fighting to include the Somme Offensive and Deville Wood. Albert Campbell wound badge indicates his wounds were received on21st August 1916 on the Western Front. He was likely wounded at Deville Wood, where the South African 1st Infantry Brigade saw their debut in the war.
He was subsequently discharged medically unfit for service, with his pension documents indicating a gunshot wound / shrapnel to the left knee.
A staggering 40percent of soldiers that participated in the Battle of the Somme suffered from shell shock.
Records indicate he moved to China after the war.
The King’s Own Scottish Borderers saw extensive action within World War I.
In all the King’s Own Scottish Borderers totaled fourteen battalions, with eight seeing action both on the Western Front, Gallipoli and in the Egypt/Palestine campaign. Altogether some 7,000 died, 66 Battle Honors and four VCs were awarded.
Gallipoli Campaign
On 25 April 1915 the first Allied troops landed at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula, but the initial assaults against the Turkish defenses made little ground. Among the battalions of the British 29th Division that took heavy casualties were 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers, a regular battalion, and 1/5th Royal Scots, a Territorial unit. A week after the landing, the British force had suffered a staggering8,500 casualties among other ranks, and about 400 officers.
In order to break the ensuing stalemate,it was decided to deploy among other reinforcements the 42nd (East Lancashire)Division and the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The 52nd comprised twelve Territorialbattalions from six Scottish regiments grouped in three brigades, the 155th,156th and 157th. At the start of their journey to Gallipoli, many men of the1/7th Royal Scots battalion were killed or injured in the rail disaster atQuintinshill near Gretna, on 22 May.
With reinforcements in place,a major attack by the allies was mounted on 28 June. 156th Brigade, including1/5th and 1/7th Royal Scots, suffered very heavy casualties from the Turkishmachine guns, which were not suppressed by British artillery fire. The stronglocal ties of these two battalions meant that the loss of 337 men, and thewounding of 300 more, dealt particularly heavy blows to families in Leith andEdinburgh.
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was fought between 1 July and 18November 1916.
The Somme was one of thedeadliest battles in history, with over one million killed or wounded.
The Allies were initially so confident invictory, that film cameras were allowed to film many of the offensives withinthe campaign.
The Somme offensive was abattle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire andthe French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the river Sommein France.
Albert Campbell was wounded on 21st August1916, potentially during the Battle of Deville Wood (14 July to 15 September1916).  The Battle of Delville Wood wasan operation to secure the British right flank, while the center advanced tocapture the higher-lying areas of High Wood and Pozières. After the Battle of Albert,the offensive had evolved to the capture of fortified villages, woods, andother terrain that offered observation for artillery fire, jumping-off pointsfor more attacks, and other tactical advantages. The mutually costly fightingat Delville Wood eventually secured the British right flank and marked theWestern Front debut of the South African 1st Infantry Brigade (incorporating aSouthern Rhodesian contingent), which held the wood from 15 to 20 July. Whenrelieved, the brigade had lost 2,536 men, similar to the casualties of manybrigades on 1 July.  The Kings Own ScottishBorderers (6 Bn) formed part of the 9
th
(Scottish) Division.
This medal deserves additional research.  Please view the pictures carefully for condition.  No refunds.