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Auction: 23111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 944

The 'Spring Offensive 1918' M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal C. H. Iley, 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

Military Medal, G.V.R. (15637 L.Cpl C. H. Iley. 4/R. Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (GS-15637Cpl. C. H. Iley. R. Fus.), minor edge bruise to first, very fine (3)

M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918.

Charles Henry Iley was born at Highbridge, Somerset on 13 May 1896, the son of Richard and Alice Iley of Caledonian Road, Twerton, Bath. His father worked as a railway locomotive fireman for the Somerset and Dorset Railway, later being promoted to driver. Enlisting with the Royal Fusiliers the younger Iley entered the war in France on 9 August 1916.

Remaining behind the lines with the reserve until 21 August he was posted to the front as part of the 4th Battalion, then serving with the 3rd Division outside Guillemont. The Battalion was in need of reinforcements at the time as three days previously they had suffered serious losses attacking the village. The arrival of the new drafts gave them a chance to leave the front and recuperate, a situation that remained until September 1916 when they entered the front at Hulluch.

Here they remained until November 1916 when they returned to the Somme sector and were tasked with supporting an attack upon the village of Serre. After another period behind the lines they were thrown into action during The Battle of Arras in April 1917. Here they advanced in the second wave and managed to take their objective of Nomeny Trench in the face of heavy rifles and machine gun fire. Pushed to attack again only three days later at Guemappe in their depleted state they were unable to make headway.

Attacking again the next month they suffered losses of 299 casualties, 11 of which were officers. After such losses they were not used for any further assaults during the Battle and not long afterwards moved to the Ypres Sector. Here they were involved in the heavy fighting around Menin Ridge Road and Polygon Wood, suffering heavy losses from enemy shellfire. After a period of relative calm of the Western Front German Spring Offensive slammed into the Allied armies on 21 March 1918.

The Battalion was stationed in the Brigade Support trenches and as such avoided the fate of the front line units which were severely mauled. Nevertheless they faced heavy fighting as repeated German advances exposed their flanks and in turn forced them back. They suffered losses of 206 officers and other ranks in eight days of heavy fighting and were transferred out of the path of the enemy advance to the Lys sector. Despite heavy shelling they had some respite here, Iley was likely gazetted for his actions while in this area. The Battalion did face a major action at this point but they did both face and conduct a number of small trench raids between May and June 1918. It is most likley the raid of 29-30 May that led to his award with two Germans taken prisoner and the officer commanding receiving the M.C.

Remaining with the Battalion until the end of hostilities Iley was discharged on 23 January 1919. He returned to Bath and lived with his parents at South View Road, Twerton, Bath working as a Joiner and Wheelwright. Later working as a Bus Driver he died at Claverton Down Hospital in 1958; sold together with a typed biographical summary.

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Sold for
£280

Starting price
£110