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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 233

The M.M. and Second Award Bar awarded to Sergeant J. Lightbown, 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (R-12970 Cpl J. Lightbown. 1/K.R.Rif:C.); 1914-15 Star (R-12970 Pte J. Lightbown. K.R.Rif:C.); British War Medal 1914-20 (R-12970 Sgt. J. Lightbown. K.R.Rif.C.); Victory Medal 1914-1919, erased, minor contact wear overall very fine (4)

M.M. London Gazette 16 July 1918.

Second Award Bar to M.M. London Gazette 11 February 1919.

Joseph Lightbown was born at Chorley, Lancashire on 1 April 1892, the son of Joseph and Margaret, Lightbown of 16 Gilbert Street, Chorley. Finding work in the local colliery as a coal mine drawer he enlisted with the King's Royal Rifle Corps on the outbreak of war and entered the war in France on 1 September 1915.

This formation saw heavy fighting at the Somme in 1916 and Arras 1917 as well as the Battle of Cambrai. Given the dates of his first award and the comparatively quite period the Battalion had in early 1918 it is likely he was awarded the M.M. for the closing days of Cambrai rather than any action the next year.

1st Battalion were in on the action during the Hundred Days offensive, seeing heavy fighting on the Somme and the Hindenburg Line before taking a notable role in the Second Battle of the Selle. He was wounded in the leg during the final month of the war, being taken to the 149th Field Ambulance on 8 October and transferred to the 18th General Hospital two days later.

Lightbown survived the war and returned to Britain however his brother Herbert Lightbown was not so lucky, dying on 23 October 1918 in France. Marrying Isabella McNary at Barrow in Furness, Lancashire in December 1919 Lightbown settled there, residing in the county until his death in June 1981; sold together with copied research including census data, MIC and London Gazette extract.


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Sold for
£750

Starting price
£400