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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 309

Three: Private W. Royle, 'C' Company, 16th Battalion (1st Manchester Pals), Manchester Regiment, who died of wounds on 21 March 1918 during the Defence of Manchester Hill

1914-15 Star (7256 Pte. W. Royle. Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals (7256 Pte. W. Royle. Manch. R.), polished, very fine

William Thomas Royle was born at Bent Lane, Lancashire in 1880. Enlisting at Manchester he entered the war on 8 November 1915 and with 16th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Serving throughout the conflict, Royle was involved in a number of actions including the Battle of the Somme, Arras and Pilkem Ridge.

By the time of the German Spring Offensive they were positioned at a feature called Manchester Hill, named after 2nd Manchester Regiment who captured it. Aware that a major assault was coming, Lieutenant-Colonel Elstob informed his men that 'there is only one degree of resistance and that is to the last round, and to the last man'. The attack began at 11:00 and swiftly isolated the Hill from the rest of the line, leaving the Battalion reliant upon a buried telephone wire for communications. Artillery and sniper fire continued until the main assault at 15:00. During this attack German forces succeeded in entering the redoubt and ferocious hand-to-hand fighting followed. Despite a heroic resistance which significantly slowed the German advance in the area, the Battalion was finally overcome with Colonel Elstrob wounded three times and finally killed after refusing to surrender. Royle was killed during the fighting and is buried at Ham British Cemetery, Muille-Villette.

Sold together with copied photographs of soldiers from the 16th Manchesters as well as original photographs of the recipient's gravesite; copied research including casualty rolls for the battle, M.I.C. and Commonwealth War Graves details along with extracts from books on Manchester Hill including The Manchesters and The Battle of St. Quentin with an Orders and Medals Research Society article on the topic entitled 'Manchester Hill', St. Quentin, 21 March 1918.

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Sold for
£210

Starting price
£140