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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 554

An 'Attack on Bayonet Trench - Somme Offensive' casualty's pair awarded to Private J. Milligan, 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, who was killed in action during the attack on 12 October 1916

British War and Victory Medals (43400 Pte. J. Milligan. R. S. Fus.), good very fine (2)

John Milligan lived at Calvend, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland before enlisting at Dumfries for service with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Entering the war after 1915 he was present with his unit during the Somme Offensive, in action three times throughout July they left the line and did not return to the fighting until November.

As the offensive progressed the British army ran up against the Le Transloy Ridges, a stretch of high ground overlooking the Albert-Bapaume Road. This was guarded by a line of trenches and redoubts which the advancing British attempted to reduce over the coming months. The 2nd Battalion were no exception- at the time part of the 30th Division they went into action against one of these features called 'Bayonet Trench' on 12 October 1916.

Advancing through the mud of No Man's land with the 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment on their left and a Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment on their right they came under extremely heavy machine gun fire from their flanks. Continuing to push through the fire 2nd Battalion found themselves before an unbroken forest of wire, caught before this the unit was cut to pieces.

Milligan was one of those killed, likely by machine gun fire while stuck before the German trenches with little cover. His body was buried at the A.I.F. burial ground, Flers and he is further commemorated upon the Scottish National War Memorial; sold together with copied medal rolls, Soldier Died in the Great War entry and Commonwealth War Graves Certificate.

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Sold for
£75

Starting price
£70