A rare Third Afghan War M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal C. Bryant, Yorkshire Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R. (9745 Cpl. C. Bryant, 1/York. R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (9745 T. Cpl. C. Bryant, York. R.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (9745 Cpl. C. Bryant, 1-York. R.), very fine or better (3) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The collection of Medals formed by the Late Clive Nowell.

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M.M. London Gazette 15 January 1920. The original recommendation states:

‘During an attack on a position, Corporal Bryant was ordered to send a message to the attacking troops. His endeavours to obtain communication exposed him to very heavy fire. Ultimately he dashed across a space of about 100 yards swept by heavy fire and delivered his message by hand. His conduct throughout the attack, which necessitated his continual exposure, was one of fearless bravery and devotion to duty.’

Bryant won his M.M. for the above related deeds in the vicinity of Dakka on 23 July 1919, when the 1st Yorkshires and 2-1st Gurkha Rifles got far more heavily engaged than usual as, under cover of darkness, tribesmen had occupied the hills they were due to piquet.

In the ensuing action, in which the enemy were finally evicted from their hilltop position after four separate charges, many gallant deeds were enacted, one attached officer being awarded a posthumous “mention” and a Gurkha officer, ‘who brought back a trophy in the shape of a murderous-looking Afghan knife with which one of these beauties tried to behead him’, the M.C.; equally prominent was Corporal Bryant, who had already been brought to the notice of his seniors for earlier brave deeds enacted on 17 May 1919 (regimental sources refer). Enemy casualties amounted to 120, 30 of them killed.