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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 564

(x) A 'Passchendaele 1917' M.M. and 'Cambrai 1918' Bar awarded to Private G. H. Lock, 102nd (North British Columbians) Battalion, Canadian Infantry, who was wounded in action in October 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (103195 Pte. G. H. Lock, 102/Can. Inf.), nearly extremely fine

M.M. London Gazette 13 March 1918. The original recommendation states:

‘For conspicuous courage and devotion to duty in the front line at Passchendaele on the morning of 19 November 1917. This man set off from Company H.Q. for the relay station to summon a stretcher-bearer party for a wounded Corporal who had been left by an outgoing Battalion, and to whose relief other parties had attempted in vain to go, all having been dispersed with casualties. Enemy shelling was terrific and enemy aircraft flying only 75 feet overhead pursued this man with machine-gun fire, but he won through and that the wounded man was finally brought out to safety was entirely due his courageous perseverance.’

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919.

George Lock was born in Edgefield, Norfolk, on 20 October 1891. A Labourer by occupation, he attested for the 67th (Western Scots) Battalion at Victoria in October 1915. Arriving in England in April 1916, he transferred to the 102nd (North British Columbians) Battalion in France. The Battalion was heavily in action in 1918 at Bourlon Wood, St. Quentin, Battle of the Lys, Battle of Amiens and Beaucourt Wood. During late September and early October the Battalion was in the Marcoing area involved in the push towards Cambrai, while on 1 October Private Lock was struck in the chest by shrapnel. Those actions cost some 174 casualties, Lock included, but it did yield 443 prisoners, one gun and 32 machine guns. During that week Lieutenant Graham Thomson Lyall won the only Victoria Cross awarded to the unit and was likely ably assisted by men like Lock. He was discharged in Vancouver in August 1919, he was latterly employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, and died in December 1975 at the Vancouver General Hospital. He was cremated at the Ocean View Burial Park; sold with copied service papers and original Royal Mint medal issuance envelope.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£600

Starting price
£400