Old Contemptibles POW 1914 Star trio. Hunter. Royal Scots Fusiliers. Captured Polygon Wood. 1st Battle of Ypres 1914

Correctly named 14 Star 7010 Pte R Hunter 2/R Sc Fus
Correctly named Pair 7010 Pte R Hunter R S Fus

Robert was born in St Cuthberts, Edinburgh in 1866.

He enlisted into the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1904 aged 19.

He was posted overseas to France on the 6th of October 1914, arriving at Zeebrugge.

The 2nd Battalion were present at the 1st Battle of Ypres and it was here, just 18 days later on the 24th of October that Robert is reported missing.

The battalion were in the vicinity of Polygon Wood.

Polygon Wood was on the northern side of a small salient held by the British. On the morning of October 24th, the German XXVII Reserve Corps launched an attack to reduce the salient using four regiments of their 54th Reserve Division, supported by artillery, attacking the British 21st Brigade. The line south of Zonnebeke had been thinned due to movement of units of the 2nd Division to support a French counterattack to the west. This left just the 21st Brigade to defend Polygon Wood, just over two miles due east of Ypres and a few hundred yards south of Zonnebeke, and the only geographical barrier to a German assault on Ypres itself.

On the Reutel Spur, which runs parallel to the eastern face of Polygon Wood, the 2nd Wiltshire Regiment (recently arrived from garrison duty in Gibraltar), was holding the 21st Brigade line, at its junction with the 22nd Brigade — a point which had been heavily shelled on the previous day. Early that morning a company of the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, some 200 yards away on the right of the Wiltshires, was forced to give ground, and two companies of the 2nd Scots Guards (of 20th Brigade), who filled the gap on the other flank, were also driven back, but no word of this had reached either brigade headquarters or the Wiltshires.

The two platoons forming the right of the Wiltshires defending the southern edge of Reutel were overwhelmed by attacks in their front, flank, and rear at about 8 a.m. Germans in the village of Reutel, on the right flank and even behind the Wiltshires, attacked in force, while the rest of the Wiltshires were fully engaged at the front, and shot their way down the trenches from right to left, capturing what remained of the companies, the casualties exceeding 450 men. Only the quartermaster, the sergeant-major, and 172 other ranks answered the roll call next morning, and over half of these men had not been in the line on the 24th. Before this disaster occurred, however, Brig. Gen. Watts, commanding the 21st Brigade, had reported to the 7th Division headquarters the desperate straits of the Wiltshires and the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers (who had already fallen back).

Robert was repatriated in December 1918.
He is listed as a recipient of a Princess Mary Christmas tin.

Addresses found for him are:
30 Arthur Street, Pilrig, Edinburgh and 8 Roxburgh Street, Edinburgh.

The medals are mounted on card for display with original silk ribbons.

A very nice early example of an early ‘Old Contemptible’ POW group.