A Christmas Day 1914 truce related pair and Plaque awarded to Private E.S. Barrington, 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment, who was killed in action on 18th December 1914 and was likely one of those buried as a result of the Christmas Truce of 1914, having no known grave he is now remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial.
Pair and Plaque: British War Medal and Victory Medal (7064 PTE. E.S. BARRINGTON. BORD. R.) Great War Memorial Plaque (ERNEST SIDNEY BARRINGTON)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with forwarding letter and original silk ribbons for British War Medal and Victory Medal card folder and forwarding letter for Memorial Plaque.
Ernest Sidney Barrington saw service as a Private (No. 7064) with the 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment on the Western Front from 25th November 1914.
The War Diary states that at about 11am on 18th December 1914 Major Warren received orders from 20th Brigade for 2 Companies, 2nd Border Regiment, to attack enemys trenches at 6.30pm, 2 companies of Scots Guards attacking their front at 6pm. In the trenches at about 2.30pm Captain C. Lamb DSO was informed by Lieut. Sampson B Company that B and D Companies would attack at 6.30pm. At about 3pm Major G.E. Warren arrived at the trenches with Captain H.A. Askew, and B and D Companies. Major Warren gave orders that A and C Companies were to make attack not B & D Companies. The left was to the road running SE of La Cordonniere Farm, and the right to the Scots Guards whose left was the Sailly-Framelles Road. This necessitated the moving of the whole of C Company to the right A Company also moving their position. B and D Companies were to get behind each man of A and C Companies and help them out of their trenches. The companies were not in position until well after dark and consequently no one knew exactly their correct front or point of attack. At 6.15pm the companies advanced strength about 300 men. Both A and C Companies reached the enemys trenches about 150 yards. Many casualties occurred in this advance. Some of our men being hit by our own artillery, which opened fire at the same time. Owing to our artillery fire , the companies withdrew about 50 yards, lay down and waited for orders. The order came after about 1 hour to advance again. The Companies did so but the attack failed and they retired to our own trenches and lay down in front of them. Major Warren then collected the remnants of A & C Companies and brought up 2 platoons of B Company under Captain N.F. Jenkins. Again they advanced to the enemys trenches but halted in a ditch near the enemys barbed wire more cutters being required. Major Warren went back and obtained 3. On his return he said he would go and see the General who was a La Cordonneire Farm. He did so and was away 1 hours. When he returned he found that Captain Jenkins had brough the Companies back to our trenches as the General had ordered no further attack unless it could be done without heavy loss, further operations ceased and collected of dead and wounded was carried on. It was for the purposes of burying the dead from this attack that the Battalion engaged with a truce with the Germans on Christmas Day 1914. There being no firing from either side on this date.
Barrington now having no known grave is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He is noted as the son of William and Mary Ann Barrington of 57 Ruckholt Road, Leyton, London and as the husband of Sophia Barrington of 33 Wilmot Street, Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green, London. Additionally entitled to a 1914-1915 Star.
