'Sergt. WM. Ewart Boulter, V.C.', cigarette card, 1916

Cigarette card, Number 161 of the 7th series of 'The Great War Victoria Cross Heroes', one of 8 sets of 25 cigarette cards, issued by Gallaher Limited, Belfast and London, 1915-1916.

ortrait of Sergeant (later Lieutenant) William Ewart Boulter (1892-1955), Northamptonshire Regiment, wearing his Victoria Cross, after a photograph by Central Press.

The caption on the reverse reads, 'Sergeant W.E. Boulter, V.C. (Northamptonshire Regt.) when one company and part of another were held up by a hostile machine gun, which was causing heavy casualties, with utter con-tempt of danger and in spite of being severely wounded in the shoulder, advanced alone over the open under heavy fire, in front of the gun, and bombed the gun team from their position.'.

Boulter was 23 years old when the action took place on 14 July 1916 at Trones Wood during the Battle of the Somme (1916).

Cigarette cards were produced from the mid 1870s until the end of World War Two (1939-1945). Used to strengthen thin cigarette packs the cards were quickly developed into advertising devices. Series of cards covering every conceivable subject, from sportsmen to flora and fauna, were produced to encourage collectors and potential smokers alike.

One of a collection of 103 cigarette cards.