>CBH@<"!=A"<1=>;?"A?#BC!D1B=<"JBC">!;;!=DCP
638
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal A. W. Browne, alias Cooper, 42nd Battalion
Australian Infantry
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (2052 Pte. A. Cooper, 42/Aust. Inf.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (2052 Cpl. A. W. Browne, 42
Bn. A.I.F.) note different surname, nearly extremely fine (3) £1000-1200
M.M. London Gazette 16 August 1917.
Albert William Browne was born near Mildenhall, Suffolk. Later emigrating to Australia and being employed as a Labourer, he enlisted
at Rockhampton, Queensland, into the Australian Imperial Force on 24 May 1916, aged 30 years, 6 months. The name given at the
time of his enlistment was ‘Albert Cooper. Posted to the 3rd/42nd Battalion he embarked on the Clan MacGillivray at Brisbane on 7
September 1916 and arrived in Plymouth on 2 November. He entered France on 7 February 1917. Corporal ‘Cooper’ was awarded the
Military Medal for his brave service in France on 24 June 1917. He was wounded in action on 3 August 1917 - suffering a ‘mild’
gunshot wound to the left arm which resulted in a compound fracture. He was invalided to England and admitted to the V.A.D.
Hospital, Cheltenham. Recovering, he returned to France on 19 December 1917. On 12 March 1918 he officially declared that the
name he had enlisted under was incorrect and that his real name was ‘Albert William Browne’. In October 1918 as a Corporal he was
transferred to the 11th Field Ambulance. He was discharged and demobilised from that unit on 20 May 1919.
With a quantity of copied service papers.
639
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Serjeant Francis Leo Ryan, Auckland Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (14887 A.L. Cpl., 2/Auckland R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (14487 Sjt., N.Z.E.F.) very fine
and better (3) £400-500
M.M. London Gazette 17 April 1917.
Recommendation states: ‘Between Corner Fort and Le Brideaux east of Fleurbaix, during the raid by his battery on 21 February 1917 he
led a section throughout the operation and single handed attacked and silenced an enemy bombing post of eight men. He displayed
the greatest coolness and initiative and was a splendid example to his men’.
640
A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Private J. Ryan, Queen’s Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (G-21114 Pte., 6th/The Queen’s R.); VICTORY MEDAL 1914-19 (G21114 Pte., The Queen’s R.) very
fine (2) £200-240
M.M. London Gazette 19 March 1918. The recipient came from Hammersmith.
641
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. pair awarded to Private J. Ryan, Leinster Regiment, killed in action, 31 July 1917
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (5018 Pte., 2/Leins. R.); BRITISH WAR MEDAL 1914-20 (5018 Pte., Leins. R.) good very fine (2)
£400-500
M.M. London Gazette 9 July 1917.
John Ryan was born in Dublin, lived in Cardiff and enlisted at Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Serving with the 2nd battalion Leinster Fusiliers,
he was killed in action at the battle of Passchendaele, 31 July 1917. Having no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Ypres
(Menin Gate) Memorial.
642
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. / M.S.M. pair awarded to Serjeant Alfred O. Edwards, 10th Battalion Royal
Fusiliers (the Stockbroker’s Battalion), awarded the M.M. for a ‘V.C. action’ on 8/9 March 1918
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (Stk.-389 Sjt., 10/R. Fus.); ARMY MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL, G.V.R., 1st issue (Stk-389 Sjt., 10/R. Fus.)
good very fine (2) £340-380
M.M. London Gazette 25 April 1918.
M.S.M. London Gazette 17 June 1918. ‘... in recognition of valuable services rendered with the Forces in France during the present
war’.
On 12 August 1914 the Lord Mayor of London raised the first of many ‘Pals Battalions’ from the businessmen of the City of London. It
was the 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, known colloquially as the ‘Stockbrokers Battalion’.
One of those who joined at that time, reporting for duty at the Throgmorton Street Recruiting Centre was Mr Alfred O. Edwards who
came from Balham. Alfred Edwards was accepted and given the early 10th Battalion number –STK/389.
On 22 July 1915 after an inspection by King George, the Battalion landed at Boulogne and concentrated near Tilques; Private Edwards
landed on 30 July 1915. The 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers became part of 111 Brigade, 37th Division. The battalion remained in
France and Flanders for the whole of the war. From 9 July to 17 November 1916 they took part in the Battle of the Somme, fighting at
Poizieres, High Wood and Mametz Wood. In 1917 they fought in the Third Battle of the Somme, at the Menin Road, Polygon Wood
and Passchendaele.
On the night of the 8/9th March 1918 the Battalion was heavily involved in the intense fighting following the launch of the last major
German assault. In this battle Lance-Corporal Charles G. Robertson earned an immediate Victoria Cross “For most conspicuous bravery
and devotion to duty in repelling a strong attack by the enemy - although severely wounded he mounted his gun on the parapet of a
shell hole and although alone, put up the most determined resistance and undoubtedly prevented the enemy from making a more rapid
advance”.
Twelve days later on 21 March, the Corps Commander Lieutenant-General Sir A. J. Godley inspected the Battalion and presented
Sergeant A. O. Edwards with the ‘Medal Ribbon of the Military Medal’ and congratulated the battalion on its fine work on the night of
the 8th/9th March. He went on to say that he was proud to have such a battalion under his command and that he felt that wherever the
battalion was, the line would be safe.
In 1923 Quarter Master Sergeant Alfred O. Edwards retired from the Army. He was one of 219 soldiers awarded both the M.M. and M.
S.M. for the Great War. With copied m.i.c. and roll and war diary extracts.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176