Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. awarded to Private W. H. Reynolds, 2nd Battalion and 1/5th Battalion (Territorial Force), Lincolnshire Regiment, who, in January 1918 at Cambrin, worked for five hours under heavy machine gun fire to rescue two men who had been buried alive

Military Medal G.V.R. (9350 Pte. W. H. Reynolds. 1/5 Linc: R. – T.F.) contact marks and slight pitting, nearly very fine £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Gallantry Awards to the Lincolnshire Regiment.

View
Collection

M.M. London Gazette 19 March 1918.

William Henry Reynolds enlisted in the Lincolnshire Regiment on 15 April 1912 and disembarked in France with the 2nd Battalion on 5 November 1914. He later transferred to the 1/5th Battalion (Territorial Force). He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field at Cambrin, South of the Las Bassee Canal near Guinchy. The particulars are described in the Battalion History:

‘On January 1st, 1918, the Battalion relieved the 1/4th Lincolnshire Regiment in the same sector, three Companies being in the front line, and B Company in support. On the 2nd the day was quiet, but a heavy trench mortar and artillery barrage was put down on the centre Company, causing some casualties and damage. About 11.30 a small party of the enemy attempted to raid one of our posts, but were driven off by our fire. Private W. Reynolds showed conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, when it was impossible to get news from the front line to Company Headquarters owing to the heavy barrage; he patrolled the whole of his Company front above ground and then reported the situation to his Company Commander, and later worked for five hours under heavy machine gun fire to rescue two men who had been buried’ (The History of the 5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment by T. E. Sandall refers).

Reynolds was discharged on 27 June 1919 due to ‘having suffered impairment since entry into the service’ and was awarded a Silver War Badge.