A RARE "LINCOLN'S GREAT BAYONET CHARGE"
1914 STAR & BAR "BELLEWAARDE FARM CASUALTY" TRIO, WITH SCROLL.

To:
11945. Pte E.J. BACKLOG. 1st Bn LINCOLNSHIRE REGt.

(Three Times Court Marshalled for Absence Without Leave.)

KILLED IN ACTION 16th JUNE 1915.

[BIOGRAPHY]
Edward James Backlog was born in 1878, the son of John Edward & Sarah Anne Backlog of 30 Bury Road, Thetford, Norfolk. Having been a boiler maker, he initially joined the Royal Engineers on 3rd May 1902 aged 23 years 11 months but being discharged on 8th January 1903, his time in the R.E. was short at only seven months. During 1902 he had spent most of the time A.W.O.L. & under arrest & detention. He was court marshalled and imprisoned with hard labour no less than three times in 6 months!

He was finally flung out of the army on 8th January 1903 and upon discharge he was described as being: "incorrigible & worthless"

[THE BACKLOG FAMILY ....LIVING NEXT DOOR ! ]
Interestingly, next door at 32 Bury Road lived his brother, (or cousin) 17233, Pte Ernest John Backlog of "P" Coy, 3rd Bn Norfolk Regt. Ernest who was the husband of Mrs E.M. Backlog and Son (or Nephew) of Mrs T.A. Backlog died of wounds at home on 22nd March 1915 age 36 and is buried in Thetford Cemetery.

[LONDON DAILY NEWS 6th SEPTEMBER 1902]
"A discontented Sapper, Edward James Backlog aged 24 a Sapper in the Royal Engineers stationed at Chatham was charged at the same court for the second time within a fortnight with being an absentee. The prisoner looked very dirty and untidy and by no means a credit to his corps. P.C. Norris said he arrested the prisoner who told him he didn't like soldiering and was determined to get out of the army. Lance Corporal Dewhurst identified the prisoner as belonging to his company. The magistrate said: "what punishment did he get last time?" This witness said: "seven days imprisonment with hard labour". The magistrate said: "He stated to the constable who arrested him that he was determined to get out of the army, you had better report that to your commanding officer" Witness said: "Yes Sir". The prisoner was then handed over to the escort who's smart appearance contrasted strongly with his own bedraggled and unkempt condition.

[SERVICE IN THE GREAT WAR]
The next time we see Edward Backlog he's 36 and back in army service having re-mustered for WWI. His five figure service number 11945 was issued to him in September 1914 and points him out as an early K2 volunteer. (Numbers 108** -119** were August & September 1914). The pre-war regulars of the 1st Bn all had four figure numbers.

At the outbreak of war on 4th August 1914 the main body of "Old Contemptible" 1st Bn Lincolnshire's were in Portsmouth and at 06:30am on 13th August left their barracks and marched to the railway station for the journey to Southampton where they embarked on SS Norman for the overnight sailing to Le Havre with a landing on 14th August.

Serving with 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, they saw action in The Battle of Mons and fought during the mons retreat where they conducted a valiant rearguard action at Solesmes. They also fought at The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, at La Bassee, Messines and the First Battle of Ypres.

Edward Backlog's own slightly later arrival in France was clearly with the bulk of the other K2 volunteer men who after about 12 weeks training joined the main body of 1st Bn in France on 11th November 1914.

On 2nd & 3rd of June 1915 the battalion took part in the attack on the Hooge Chateau Stables.

[THE GREAT CHARGE OF THE LINCOLNS]
On the misty early morning on 16th June 1915 the Lincolns fixed their bayonets and were poised to attack the German lines at Bellewaarde Farm at Hooge. The attack did not go well with over 1,000 British troops killed and another 3,000 wounded and missing during the day. The 1st Lincolns lost 101 men in the attack, most of who's bodies were never recovered. All but three men are commemorated on Panel 21 in the Menin Gate. Edwards Medal Index Card records him as: "Officially Regarded as Dead 16.6.15"

The Gainsborough News, 2nd July 1915 carried a graphic account of the Battle of Bellewaarde in which Pte Backlog was killed. Sent by Pte W. Day, 1st Lincolns, to his wife:-

“Our Colonel told us that we had to give the enemy ‘beans’ and to make them retire. We got the order to fix bayonets and charge, and we went with a swing over the two hundred yards to the German trenches. The sights were terrible. Our shells had blown in their trenches and dug-outs, and had buried the Germans underneath. There were dying and dead everywhere: others were running wild and trying to escape, but none got away free. One tried to get away near me, but two of us headed him off, and we were just about to give him cold steel when he dropped back dead, and so saved us the trouble of killing him. We got the trenches all right, and we kept the enemy from re-taking them. Then they shelled us and blew the trenches in on top of us, but we stuck to it until the bastards started with the gas, and we gave up the third trench we had taken. The gas affected our eyes and I got a whiff of it. After that we made another bayonet charge and retrieved the third trench. We were sights, all black and bleeding and covered with blood. Our clothes were torn and in tatters. Mine were with getting through the barbed wire. I had 100 cuts on my hands and legs. While we were running across the open in the charges shells were bursting everywhere. In the trenches I was buried with earth and sandbags three times, and the last time I thought my end had come. I had to be dug out for only the top of my head was not buried. We found the Germans dead in the trenches in good numbers, and the stench was awful.

I used 200 rounds of ammunition, and I’ve seen 20 fall dead from my gun. The rifles were red hot. I never thought I should live to write this letter.”

[THE MENIN GATE]
Edward who has no known grave is commemorated with eternal honour on Panel 21 of the Menin Gate at Ypres.














A socially interesting & rare early Lincolns group to a man who although clearly not suited to the army life and having once been described as "incorrigible & worthless" still joined it twice and eventually made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of this country. His final army accounting papers see him leaving £5.1s. 3d between his mother and sister.

Rest In Peace Eddie.

The medals and ribbons are "Gem Mint State" with the 1914 Star being perhaps the brightest & most original medal we've ever seen....a totally astonishing example with full mint lustre. The scroll, having been previously framed has naturally oak darkened edges but is undamaged and re-framable. The original cabinet card photograph of the recipient (shown above) is included. Also with the trio are a good set of copy papers which include early census records, his 1902 attestation sheets and his WW1 M.I.C. and termination papers etc.

£695