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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 218

A good Immediate 1943 'Mareth Line' M.C. group of six awarded to Lieutenant G. V. Richley, 7th Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), late Sergeant, Durham Light Infantry - the action was the very same in which his C.O., Lieutenant-Colonel D. A. Seagrim won his Victoria Cross

Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1943' and additionally inscribed 'Lt. G.V. Richley. Mareth. March.'; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, these last five all contemporarily impressed 'Lieut G. V. Richley MC Green Howards', good very fine (6)

M.C. London Gazette 17 June 1943. The original Recommendation states:

'Mareth Line, Northern Sector.

On the night of 20/21 March 1943, Lt Richley was Battalion Intelligence Officer. The Battalion was attacking a strong enemy position across an anti-tank ditch. Lt Richley was hit by a shell splinter whilst laying out the start line and one of his men badly wounded. Finishing the task, Lt Richley came back to Bn HQ and guided the Bn forward to the start line.

During the advance to the enemy position and during the assault Lt Richley displayed great courage and initiative under very heavy fire directing Platoons on to their objective. Lt Richley knocked out an enemy MG post single-handed - this was firing across the anti-tank ditch and holding up work by the Sappers on the ditch.

On 21 March the Battalion was counter-attacked by a strong enemy force under cover of an artillery concentration. Lt Richley organised a LMG nest to fire across the enemy line of advance and under heavy fire kept his three guns in action throughout causing many enemy casualties and eventually after an hour, forced them to withdraw.

Lt Richley's personal bravery and initiative played an important part in the capture and holding of the objective.'

George Vernon Richley was born in 1920 and was a native of Newcastle. A man of the same name serving as a Sergeant (No. 4455555) in the 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and was wounded in action in the Western Desert on 21 March 1942. Richley was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 6 September 1942 and died in York in 1975; sold together with an original photograph of the recipient and copied research.

The Imperial War Museum holds a War Office Film Unit production entitled Through the Mareth Line, which features men of his unit (IWM AYY 374/7, refers).

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Sold for
£950

Starting price
£700