A fine 1940 ‘Fort Capuzzo’ M.M. awarded to Corporal L. F. Edmonds, 6th Royal Tank Regiment, later drowned in the Mediterranean when his P.O.W. transport was torpedoed by H.M. Submarine Porpoise

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (7886393 Cpl., R. Tank R.) mounted on its original investiture pin, nearly extremely fine £450-550

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the Royal Tank Regiment from the Collection of Bill Green.

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M.M. London Gazette 29 November 1940.

“On the night of 29th June, 1940, this N.C.O. was in command of a Light tank attached to “B” Squadron, 7th Hussars for a night attack on Capuzzo. He used his searchlight on the Fort at close range enabling the other tanks to obtain observation until ordered to put it out. Owing to a failure of the inter-communication in the tank the driver failed to retire with the rest of the tanks when ordered to do so. The tank was struck by a small shell knocking out the driver and dazing the gunner. The suspension of the tank was also damaged by the shock. Cpl Edmonds managed to revive the driver and ordered him to continue to drive on, urging his gunner to keep firing on the guns which were on three sides of him. He succeeded in penetrating the defences, and when almost clear the tank failed to negotiate the barbed wire defences on the opposite side. Although being shown up by Verey lights and the Fort searchlight, he dismounted and cut through the wire with wirecutters and succeeded in making a path through which the tank could pass. Later he managed to rejoin his own Squadron which was acting as rearguard, and remained on patrol under fire until the Squadron returned to laager. In addition to the above he has always shown zeal and dash beyond the normal when engaged on operations in the Capuzzo area.”

Corporal Lionel Frank Edmonds died at sea on 9 December 1941, when the steamship Jason, conveying Allied prisoners of war from Tripoli to Italy, was torpedoed by the British submarine Porpoise. The vast majority of prisoners on board were New Zealanders and over 500 were lost. Sold with further research.