GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 32
A good Great War 1917 ‘French theatre’ M.C. group of three awarded to Lieutenant A. Barroll, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), attached Machine Gun Corps, late Sergeant, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who engaged an enemy field artillery battery at close range with his section, and despite having been buried by shell fire early in proceedings, managed to successfully silence the German “heavies”
MILITARY CROSS, G.V.R., reverse engraved ‘Lieut. Amos Barroll. May 1917’; BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (Lieut. A. Barroll.), mounted for wear, generally very fine or better (3)
£700-900 M.C. London Gazette 26 May 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a machine gun section. He handled his section with great skill and was responsible for inflicting many casualties on the enemy. On one occasion he engaged an enemy field artillery battery at close range and prevented the enemy from manning their guns for over two hours.’
Amos Barroll was born in Crickhowell, Breconshire, Wales, in May 1882. He served with the 1st Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers prior to enlistment in the 13th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers in October 1914. Barroll advanced to Sergeant in February 1915, and was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 16th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), in October 1915. He was attached for service with the Machine Gun Corps, and served in the French theatre of war from 16 October 1916.
Barroll was awarded the Military Cross for operations during April 1917, with the following details provided in a letter from him to a friend, subsequently published in the Brecon and Radnor Express, 10 May 1917:
‘No doubt you will be pleased to learn that your friend has been honoured. It is wicked to see the damage done by the Germans during their retreat from... My section took part in an attack on a number of villages on April 2nd. We took them, and I got my guns in position and caught a party of Germans, who were a great nuisance to us.
We wiped them out, and then we were shelled for 48 hours without a break. Two of our guns were damaged, but we kept up the firing in an exposed position day and night in a fall of snow. We prevented the Huns from putting in a counter-attack more than once, and I am pleased to say we had the best of matters in the end.’
The Abergavenny Chronicle added more detail:
‘The deed which won Lieut. Barroll the Military Cross is a thrilling one. The young officer was given the difficult task of keeping in check a German “whizz-bang” battery which was shelling our infantry at a place about two miles from St. Quentin. He fired about 2,000 rounds and silenced it for a time, but later the battery again opened fire, and Lieut. Barroll got his guns into position and fired another couple of thousands of rounds, this time completely silencing the battery. Owing to the good effect of the fire of the machine guns, the German “heavies” attacked, smashing two guns and burying the teams. These Lieut. Barroll extricated himself, got the remaining two guns into position and opened fire. Later, while the Germans were massing for a counter attack Lieut. Barroll poured a hot fire into them and succeeded in suppressing the attack. Subsequently he was instrumental in staving off a German attack on a force of our infantry in another place, and was personally thanked by the commanding officer for his services. From April 2nd to the night of the 7th April Lieut. Barroll remained at his post, being in an exposed position night and day. It is considered to be the first time for machine guns to knock out a battery of “whizz-bangs”...’
After winning his Military Cross, Barroll was injured whilst serving with 14th Company, M.G.C., 11 July 1917:
‘In the early hours of 11th July 1917 Lieut. A. Barroll went out on a reconnaissance. It was dark at the time and on the return journey he slipped into a hole. When he got up he had great difficulty in walking and was evidently suffering from a sprained ankle.’ (Casualty Report refers)
Having recuperated Barroll returned to the front, only to be severely wounded the following year whilst serving with 265th Company on attachment to the Guards Division. On 4 April 1918, ‘I was wounded near Arras - a piece of shell taking my arm off below the elbow.’ (Medical Board report refers).
Barroll returned to the UK, and had an artificial arm fitted in the Prince of Wales Hospital, Cardiff. He relinquished his commission 20 February 1920, and returned to reside in Crickhowell. Barroll died at Rathbury Nursing Home, Newport, in December 1948.
Sold with comprehensive file of copied research, including several photographic images.
www.dnw.co.uk
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