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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 421

A very fine Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Private W. Radcliffe, 1/5th Battalion Manchester Regiment, decorated for single-handedly dealing with a German machine gun; Radcliffe was later killed during the V.C. action of 20 October 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (302547 Pte W. Radcliffe. 5/Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals (302547 Pte. W. Radcliffe. Manch. R.), good very fine (3)

M.M. London Gazette 14 May 1919, the original recommendation from his Company Commander states:

'For Conspicuous gallantry. When his platom [SIC] was held up by the enemy machine Gun Fire he went forward with his Lewis Gun and succeeded in putting the whole German machine Gun team out of action, this enabling his platom [SIC] to gain their objective. Throughout the whole operation his courage and disregard of personal danger set a fine example to the remainder of his platom [SIC].'

William Radcliffe was born at St. Fagans, Glamorgan in 1880, the son of William and Catherine Radcliffe. Working as a Groom in his youth he married Maria Thomas at Cardiff in July 1903. Radcliffe enlisted with 1/5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment in Cardiff and served with them on the Western Front. He won his M.M. on 27 September 1918 for taking a Lewis Gun and single-handedly dealing with a German machine gun which was holding up the advance. His actions here may be those alluded to in the War Diary which states:

'B Company were held up somewhat by machine gun fire but dashed in and captured the Black Line before 1/7th Manchesters came forward.'

Sadly Radcliffe was not to enjoy his success for long, just two days after the announcement of his award in the War Diary he was part of an attack near Marou. He was one of the 22 killed during the fighting that day. At the same time Lance-Corporal Alfred Wilkinson was winning his Victoria Cross by dashing 600 yards through machine gun and shell fire after the four previous runners had all become casualties. Radcliffe is buried at Belle Vue British Cemetery, Briastre; sold together with copied research including census information, a London Gazette entry and War diaries as well as information relating to the recipients family, an auction listing for Alfred Wilkinson's Victoria Cross and a letter from the recipient's company commander to his mother this with a letter from the recipient to his mother as well as a copied photograph and two extracts relating to 1/5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment.


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Sold for
£600

Starting price
£140