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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 291

(x) A 1918 'Piave Operations' M.M. and 'Battalion Raid' Second Award Bar to Sergeant A. Bagnall, 10th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was wounded during the Somme offensive and further won a D.C.M. for his services in Italy

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (13080 Cpl - A Sjt: - A. Bagnall. 10/Nth'd: Fus:), edge bruise, very fine

During the Great War the 10th Battalion won 14 D.C.M's and 6 Second Award Bars to the M.M., of which 2 were for Italy.

[D.C.M.] London Gazette 3 June 1919:

'During the period July 1917 to 15th December 1918. He has on all occasions shown great devotion to duty. He has taken part in operations on the Somme in July and September 1916, Messines June 1917, Polygon Wood September 1917 and the Pave operations October/November 1918. He assisted his officer in the reorganisation of his company at a critical period, when all the other officers in the company had become casualties.'

M.M. London Gazette 19 March 1918.

Second Award Bar London Gazette 24 January 1919.

Andrew Bagnall was born at Byker, Newcastle Upon Tyne on 24 May 1893, the son of Joseph and Catherine Bagnall of 11 Salisbury Street, Byker. Enlisting with the Northumbrian Fusiliers, Bagnall entered the war in France with them on 15 July 1915. He appears in the Casualty list for 'A' Company, 9th Battalion on 5 July 1916 when the unit was engaged in attack the feature called, the Quadrangle.

Transferring at some stage after the Battle of the Somme to the 10th Battalion Bagnall joined them in Italy. His gallantry here is noted in The Award of the Military Medal for the Campaign in Italy 1917-1918 which states:

'This MM was awarded for gallantry during a night patrol on the 22nd Dec 1917, when 1 Officer and 18 Other ranks crossed the River Piave and captured 1 prisoner.'

It further goes on to outlined the details of his second award which came shortly after stating:

'This Bar was awarded for gallantry on the 15th July 1918, during a battalion raid on Sec and enemy trenches and dugouts in the vicinity. It was carried out by 3 Officers and 120 other Ranks and resulted in 25 Austrian Prisoners being captured at the cost of 1 Officer wounded, 1 OR killed and 15 OR's wounded. The Maj Gen commanding 23rd Div, presented ribbons on Parade at Fara on the 21st July to all the gallantry recipients.'

After the end of the war Bagnall was further awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Discharged to the Army Reserve and returned to Newcastle where he died on 29 November 1935; sold together with copied research including London Gazette entries, medal rolls and census data.

Further entitled to the Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-15 Star and British War and Victory Medals.

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

Sold for
£1,600

Starting price
£320