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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 236

A Great War M.M. awarded to Private G. Tooley, 2/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, who escaped after being taken prisoner of war during the German Spring Offensive

Military Medal, G.V.R. (220010 Pte G. Tooley. 4/R. Berks: R.), slight edge bruising, nearly extremely fine

Approximately 349 M.M.'s awarded during the Great War awarded to those who escaped, 4 of these to the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

M.M. London Gazette 30 January 1920.

George Tooley was born in Rock Ferry, Cheshire circa 1898 and first joined the Western Front with the 2/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment before transferring to the 2/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment in late 1917, serving in the 184th Brigade, 61st Division. The German Spring Offensive was launched in March 1918, and Tooley was captured on the 22nd along with thirty other men.

One of the other captives, 2nd Lieutenant Jack Tullett of the 'A' Company, made a statement about the circumstances of the capture after his repatriation. Tullett reported:

'we were led into action…to support the 82 Bde of the Division… We sustained heavy casualties and our right flank, losing all command, retired early, leaving myself and a brother off. on the left to cover their retreat … we held out until 5 p.m. the following day the 22nd… in the morning we found we were surrounded by 20 times our number… Our men were getting very tired and hungry, and our artillery (heavy) thinking we had lost the position (which I am positive was the last to hold out on this front) shelled us and we suffered terrible casualties. This demoralised the men considerably, and the climax was reached when one of our 'Scotch Posts' which I had only just left, was overpowered by the enemy in the fog, let the enemy into the trench, and our ammunition being exhausted we had no alternative, the Germans had their heavy artillery to within 50 yds. of our capture.'

Tooley was interviewed about his experience as a prisoner of war after he made his way back to the British line. He and the other captives were marched between a few different locations, and their work was the laying of a light railway which they did from 6:30 to as late as 21:00 without rest. Tooley's report illuminates the harsh conditions endured by prisoners of war, despite the fact that Tooley 'saw no physical ill-treatment', the captives were made to sleep on the floor without straw or blankets, worked without rest, given no washing facilities, and provided with very little food. He managed to escape the camp at Curchy during the night of 20 April.

Tooley was amongst those awarded a Military Medal 'in recognition of gallant conduct and determination displayed in escaping or attempting to escape from captivity'. After the war, Tooley continued to reside in Cheshire for the remainder of his life and died at Birkenhead in 1960 at the age of 62; sold together with copied research, including Tooley's interview on being a Prisoner of War.

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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£400