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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 229

(x) The 1914-15 Star awarded to Lieutenant G. M. Sproat, Manchester Regiment, killed in action on 1 July 1916 - the first day of the Battle of the Somme

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. G. M. Sproat: Manch. R.), good very fine

Gerald Maitland Sproat was born at Wirral, Merseyside in December 1893, the eldest son of Solicitor Thomas Sproat, and his wife Mary Caroline Sproat (nee Hicks) daughter of Captain E. Hicks, Royal Navy. He was educated at The Leas, Holyoak, Winchester and then Magdalen College, Oxford. Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 1 September 1914 with 11th (Service) Battalion, Manchester Regiment.

11th Battalion embarked for the Dardanelles on 1 July 1915 as part of 34th Brigade. They took part in the Suvla Bay landings on 6 August with the Manchester Regiment disembarking from HMS Grampus and advancing on Kiretch Tepe Ridge. Unfortunately the attempt to break the Gallipoli deadlock failed and Sproat was invalided back to Britain in September 1915. Promoted Lieutenant on 22 October 1915. Transferred to the 17th Battalion, Manchester Regiment in May 1916, joining them in France. On the First Day of the Somme Sproat's Battalion had been ordered to secure the village of Montauban a task which they accomplished with surprisingly low casualties. However as the Battalion dug in to face the anticipated counter-attack they came under heavy shellfire. Sproat was walking the line, directing his men to dig in despite the fire. He was killed in action by a shell on 1 July 1916 and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial; sold together with copied research including extracts from the War Diary of the Manchester Regiment, M.I.C. card and newspaper articles.

For the M.C. group awarded to his brother, also killed on the Somme, see lot 389.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£160