POIGNANT FIRST DAY OF THE SOMME CASUALTY GROUP TO MAJOR WILLIAM TAIT SEWELL

POIGNANT FIRST DAY OF THE SOMME CASUALTY GROUP TO MAJOR WILLIAM TAIT SEWELL 11TH BN ROYAL INNISKILLINGS FUSILIERS, 1914/15 Star Capt, Pair - Major 1911 Coronation Medal, Plaque - William Tait Sewell, Medals correctly impressed. Condition - EF William Tait Sewell was born Coxhoe, County Durham in 1883. The son of William and Elizabeth Sewell, his father was a Civil Engineer. Sewell attended the University of St Andrews and was awarded an M.D and BSC in 1904. He completed his D.P.H at the College of Medicine in of Newcastle in 1908. During his time at the College, he was a Captain in the OTC and was President of the Medical Society. In the pre-war years after he achieved his qualifications, William worked at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle as Assistant Pathologist, and as the resident doctor at Flemming Memorial Hospital. In the weeks before the war was declared, Sewell was undertaking research work at the University of Freiburg in Germany. According to newspapers articles of the time, he only arrived home a week before war was declared. Upon his return, he served as Captain /Adjutant in the Durham OTC for the summer months of 1914. He could have gained a commission in the Royal Amy Medical Corps; however, it seems he was eager to serve on the front line. He was commissioned as a Captain in the 11th Battalion (Donegal and Fermanagh) of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. He arrived on the Western Front in the Autumn of 1915. The following is taken from the 'The Wellingburian Roll of Honour.' 'He was offered a staff appointment, which he refused on the grounds of single men should bear the brunt of the fighting. When Lord Leitrim was wounded, he was made temporary Major and finally gazetted Major a few days before his death. When the Inniskillings were ordered to lead the attack, he changed places with his junior officer and placed himself at the head of his men, where he fell, cheering them on'. Sewell was sadly killed in action on the First Day of the Somme, 1st July 1916 as a Major. The 11th battalion was part of the 109th Brigade, 36th Ulster Division. On the 1st of July, the battalion moved forward from Thiepval Wood in support of the attack; they suffered a great number of casualties from machine-gun fire attempting to cross no man's land. Williams body was recovered, and he was laid to rest in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval. Present with the group is a cased William Tait Sewell Memorial Medal for Clinical Pathology. An awarded which was created in his honour. Please set Lot 148 for his brother's pair.