GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
843
A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Serjeant J. W. Ryan, Royal Engineers, killed in action, 17 December 1917
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (46829 Sjt., 105/F. Coy. R.E.); 1914-15 STAR (46829 2 Cpl., R.E.) nearly extremely fine (3)
£260-300
M.M. London Gazette 18 October 1917.
John William Ryan was born in and enlisted at West Hartlepool, Co. Durham. Serving with the 105th Field Company, R.E., he was
awarded the Military Medal. He was killed in action on 17 December 1917 and was buried in the Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Pas de Calais,
France.
With cap badge.
844
A Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant H. Dufty, Gloucestershire Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (202042 Sjt. H. Dufty, 5/Glouc. R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (5714 Sjt. H. Dufty, Glouc. R.),
generally very fine (3) £300-350
M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1919.
Henry Dufty was a native of Bristol.
845
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of three awarded to Private J. Livingstone, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (S-17092 Pte., 1/Gord. Highrs.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (S-17092 Pte., Gordons) good very
fine (3) £280-320
M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1919.
James Livingstone came from Dundee, Scotland; he joined the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders in 1916 for his initial
training and was then posted to the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders in France.
The 1st Battalion having suffered terrible casualties in the battle of Le Cateau, had been brought up to strength and in 1916 were part of
the 76th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.
In 1918 the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders were struck by the immense power of the German attack Codenamed Operation Michael
when, following a devastating artillery bombardment, 23 German Divisions launched a last major offensive. Unlike the 5th Gordons
who were overrun in the initial attack, the 1st Gordons Highlanders, although suffering heavy casualties, held their ground and came to
notice for “ Stubborn and heroic actions by platoons, sections and even individuals.”
On 17 June 1919 Private James Livingstone and 23 other members of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders were awarded the Military
Medal. This was the last major issue of the Military Medal to the 1st Battalion, although on 20 August 1919 one further Military Medal
was awarded and on 30 January 1920 a further 10 Highlanders were honoured. These latter soldiers were all pre-war regulars many of
whom were reported as “Missing” after the Battle of Le Cateau on 26 August 1916.
846
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Sapper F. W. Sandy, Royal Engineers and Hampshire
Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (508598 Spr., R.E.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (508598 Spr., R.E.); TERRITORIAL FORCE EFFICIENCY
MEDAL, G.V.R. (745 Pte., 6/Hamps. R.) ‘7’ corrected, good very fine (4) £220-260
M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919. ‘11th Fd. Coy.’ The recipient came from Sawnwick. With copied research.
847
A Great War ‘Battle of Langemarck’ M.M. group of three awarded to Private George T. Preedy, 1/2nd Battalion
London Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (233310 Pte., 1/2 Lond. R.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (7522 Pte., 2-Lond. R.) mounted for
wear, slight edge bruising and contact marks, good very fine (3) £300-350
M.M. London Gazette 18 October 1917.
George T. Preedy came from Bermondsey, London and joined the 1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment. The Battalion
was initially posted to Malta on 4 September 1914 but was transferred to France in January 1915. Initially part of 6th Division and then
the 24th Division, on 9 February 1916 the battalion was transferred to 169 Brigade, 56th (London) Division.
As part of the 56th Division they fought at Gommecourt, the Somme, Neuve Chapelle and Arras but their hardest fight was the Battle of
Langemarck on 16 August 1917.
The objective of the 56th Division was Polygon Wood. On the night of 15 August in preparation for the attack, the 1/2nd London
Regiment were subjected to continuous and heavy bombardment and the Assembly Area became a swamp with shell holes brimful of
water, described in the Regimental History as a ‘Nightmare’. The attacking companies had to lie out in the wet mud until Zero Hour at
04.45 hrs and then, following an artillery bombardment, moved forward through heavy mud at a pace of 100 yards in 5 minutes. The
attack of the 1/2nd initially went well and four concrete dugouts were captured. The advance continued until the two leading
companies reached the edge of Polygon Wood, here they bumped into a line of strong posts from which came heavy and accurate
machine gun fire. Undeterred they pressed on into the wood and were never seen again - ‘No survivor returned’. The second and third
waves of the 1/2nd then encountered severe fire from parties of German machine gunners who had hidden in shell holes and now
emerged to enfilade the Londoners. It was a hand-to-hand battle that continued all day. At nightfall the remnants of the Battalion
formed a line of posts just 100 yards in front of the original Start Line before being relieved and taken by lorry to Patricia Camp near
Abeele. It had been a day of very heavy casualties. The 1/2nd Battalion London Regiment went into action slightly over 400 strong and
came out with barely 100. The total loses were 329.
In the Regimental History it is stated that Private G. T. Preedy was awarded the Military Medal ‘In connexion with the fighting of the
16th August’.
With copied m.i.c. and gazette extract.
www.dnw.co.uk
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