Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 71
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant W. H. Royals, 27th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, for his gallantry in and around Bayonet Trench, Flers-Guedecourt, 5 November 1916. Royals was killed in action during the Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October 1917
Military Medal, G.V.R. (1767 Pte W. H. Royals. 27/Aust: Inf: Bn:); 1914-15 Star (1787 Pte W. H. Royals. 27/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (1787 Sgt. W. H. Royals. 27-Bn. A.I.F.) very fine (4)
£700-£900 M.M. London Gazette 22 January 1917. The original recommendation (for a D.C.M.) states:
‘During the attack on German position north of Flers on morning of 5th November 1916, this man returned 3 times across ‘no man’s land’ with messages, bombs and ammunition. This required great determination and resolve and he was mainly instrumental in enabling B Company, who captured the trench, to hang on. ‘No man’s land’ was being very heavily shelled and swept with machine gun fire during this period.’
William Henry Royals was born in 1897, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, 12 May 1915. He served with the 27th Australian Infantry Battalion in Gallipoli prior to serving in the French theatre of war from 1916. Royals distinguished himself in and around Bayonet Trench, Flers-Guedecourt, when Captain J. Elder’s company briefly captured and held a section of the trench. During the general action the Battalion suffered casualties of 5 officers and 72 other ranks killed, and 5 officers and 136 other ranks wounded, with 75 men recorded as missing.
Royals advanced to Sergeant, and was killed in action on the Western Front, 4 October 1917. Sergeant Royals is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
72
A Great War 1918 ‘Somme’ M.M. group of four awarded to Private F. Whitehead, 29th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, a veteran of Gallipoli, he went on to distinguish himself at Morlancourt - going out in the night to rescue a wounded N.C.O. from no man’s land, despite seeing three men attempt the same thing and all become casualties
Military Medal, G.V.R. (454 Pte. F. Whitehead. 29/Aust: Inf:); 1914-15 Star (454 Dvr. F. Whithead 1/A.S.C. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (454 Dvr. F. Whithead. A.S.C. A.I.F.) mounted for display, remnants of verdigris and rust spots, very fine (4)
£700-£900 M.M. London Gazette 11 December 1918. The original recommendation states:
‘Morlancourt, on the night of 28th/29th July 1918. This soldier was a Coy. stretcher bearer. A Sergeant was lying wounded in ‘no man’s land’ and after three men had become casualties in the attempt to get the wounded N.C.O. in, Pte. Whitehead immediately volunteered and was successful in bringing the wounded N.C.O. in under heavy shell and M.G. fire. All through the attack and afterwards he worked on in ‘no man’s land’, brining in wounded under heavy enemy shell fire.’
Fred Whitehead was born in Mirboo North, Victoria, Australia in 1894. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, 27 August 1914, and was posted to the Australian Army Service Corps. Whitehead served with the Corps in Gallipoli prior to serving in the French theatre of war from 1916. He transferred to the 29th Australian Infantry Battalion in February 1918, and distinguished himself whilst serving with the Battalion on the Somme in July 1918. The incident is recorded in Black and Gold - History of the 29th Battalion, 1915 -1918, by R. J. Slaugh.
Whitehead returned to Australia in November 1918, and was discharged in March of the following year. He died in December 1961.
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