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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 215

A 'Pilckem 1916' Military Medal awarded to Serjeant F. Coles, 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R. (7179 A.Sjt: F. Coles. W. York: R.), minor contact marks and edge wear, very fine

M.M. London Gazette 27 October 1916.

Frederick Coles entered the war in France on 8 September 1914 with the 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. He served at Ypres and later into the summer with this unit. Being present for the attack on 3-4 June on a section of trenchline near Pilckem, during this attack Coles was wounded, The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War refers:

'The only resistance met with was in the right and left sectors, but the rifle and machine-gun fire throughout the night was most deadly, especially in the gap in the right sector. Here Second-Lieut. C. T. K. Newton, platoon commander, was immediately killed and No. 7197 Sergeant F. Coles, C Company's bombing Sergeant, was seriously wounded and there was slight confusion'

Notably during the attack the losses amongst Sergeants was extremely high with 5 killed and 2 wounded. After this Coles was stationed at the Regimental Depot and it was here that he was awarded the M.M. on 4 November 1916; sold together with copied research including M.I.C., as well as extracts from the London Gazette, The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War and the Battalion War Diary.

Further entitled to the 1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals.

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Sold for
£260

Starting price
£130