German bugle, Wurttenberg Infantry Regiment 127 : Sergeant W G Lawrence, Royal Welch Fusiliers

Standard brass bugle with silver bell and nickle plated tube joints. Fitted with a pair of sling mounts at bell and mouthpiece, mounted on soldered base plates. Nickle-plated mouthpiece is present. A circular brass plaque, crudely soldered to the upper bell of the bugle, bears the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg - a king's crown surmounting a shield bearing the arms of Wurttemberg (three antlers) and Swarbia (three lions), supported by a crowned lion and a deer; a scroll below bears the motto' Furchtlos und trew' (fearless and loyal)).

The silver bell portion is engraved at both upper and lower points. The upper engraving has been applied by the military and reads 'J.R 127 1 R 4K I', while the lower engraving reads 'C.F. Letsche Sohne Fruh: C & P Hemmesaat / Berlin-Charlottenburg'.

Standard pattern German regimental bugle captured by Sergeant W G Lawrence from Cardigan, Wales, who enlisted with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and later emigrated to Western Australia. His account of the capture of this bugle comes from an unnamed British newspaper clipping, dated 17 July 1918.

'Private Lawrence of the Royal Welch Fusiliers forgot the pain of his shrapnel splintered foot. He dived under his pillow and, opening a much worn pocket wallet, produced a real genuine Iron Cross of the First Class.

'This little scene - rather, let it be described as a comedy - took place at Woodsfold (?) War Hospital, where Private Lawrence has just arrived with a limp, a German bugle and an Iron Cross.

'Among those who surround the new white hospital cot in which reposed the cheerful Cardigan lad was the matron, who gazed for the first time upon these interesting trophies of war. The Iron Cross, of the 1914 Order, edged with silver and suspended from a black and white ribbon, inspired the matron to ask the reason for its half mourning.

"Bless you Matron, that thing was won in 1914," commented the wounded lad, "but after the pills we gave 'em, I reckon they'll be in full mourning now."

And you want to hear the story of how Private Lawrence won the Iron Cross? "Well, you see, I didn't exactly win it, more - deserve it, as the poets say."

"Never mind the poets - get on with your story," interrupted the matron with a smile.

"It was daybreak. We had given the Germans a terrible bombardment and our first lines made an advance into the woods. we were lucky, not getting many hit. We were skirmishing, and I saw in front of me a German officer and another bloke carrying a bugle. Well, thought I, that's my target, but almost before I could think this, the officer shot at me with his revolver. He missed, and had the taste of my bayonet."

Here the newspaper extract unfortunately ends, but Lawrence's son provided the remainder of the story: The German position was on a hillside. After he had killed the German officer, he killed the bugler, then used the bugle to blow the German retreat, and thus enabled his battalion to capture the position.

Lawrence then souvenired both the bugle and the Iron Cross, First Class, which the German officer wore. This action is said to have taken place in 1915, however, the engraved details on the bugle reveal that the German officer served with 127 Infantry (Wurttemberg) Regiment, 4 Kompanie. This unit was part of 242 Brigade, 242 Division (Wurttemberg). The Division comprised the 127 IR (9 Wurttemberg Reg), 475 IR and 476 IR, as well as 281 Field Artillery Regiment (Wurttemberg), 375 and 376 Pioneer Companies, 442 Minenwerfer Company and 32 (Wurttemberg) Field Hospital.

The 242nd Division (Wurttemburg) was formed on January 16, 1917 and initialy served in the quiet Lorraine sector. It saw action in the Second Battle of the Aisne then spent the rest of 1917 and the first part of 1918 in positional warfare near Reims and in a defensive fight near Verdun. None of these actions involved the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

However in March 1918, the division participated in the German Spring Offensive, in the region of Montdidier-Noyon and was on the defensive in the Soissons and Reims region during the build up and during the Allied August 8 Offensive. Given the date of the newspaper article (July 1918), it is most likely Lawrence met his German officer in the Reims area.

No details can be found for the bugle maker, C. F. Letsche and Sons of Charlottenburg.