Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War Italy operations M.M. group of six awarded to Sergeant W. H. H. Whitwell, Royal Tank Regiment (Royal Armoured Corps)

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (7891232 Sjt. W. H. H. Whitwell, R. Tank. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, M.M. lapel badge and an old tunic riband bar, generally extremely fine (14) £1000-1200

M.M. London Gazette 28 June 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘This N.C.O., who is Mechanist Sergeant of his squadron, has shown outstanding devotion to duty in servicing his squadron’s tanks under fire and with complete disregard for his personal safety throughout the battle of the Gothic Line and the subsequent battles up to the River Lamone before Faenza. In particular. in the difficult crossings of the Rivers Savio and Ronco, it was only possible to get forward one Armoured Recovery Vehicle. This N.C.O. accompanied this vehicle and on one occasion worked for a day and a night single-handed on tanks which had broken down, often under shell and mortar fire and despite sniping. His devotion to duty resulted in his squadron, less one tank mined, being available complete for the attack on Forli aerodrome.’

William Henry Horace Whitwell, a native of Otley, Yorkshire, was serving in the 51st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, at the time of the above cited deeds.