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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 141

A rare Great War M.M. and Russian Medal of St. George for Bravery group of five awarded to Acting Corporal W. Degnan, King's Shropshire Light Infantry

Having been decorated by the Czar for his gallant deeds in the 1st Battalion in the battle of Armentieres in October 1914, he added the M.M. to his accolades for his services in the 5th Battalion in 1916

Military Medal, G.V.R. (7391 L. Cpl. W. Degnan, 5/Shrops. L.I.); 1914 Star (7391 Pte. W. Degnan, 1/Shrops. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (7391 A. Cpl. W. Degnan, Shrops. L.I.); Russia, Medal of St. George's for Bravery, 3rd Class, the reverse officially numbered '22215' and with officially impressed naming, '7391 L. Cpl. W. Degnan, Shrop. L.I.', the third with slack suspension, polished overall, nearly very fine or better (5)

Provenance:
Glendining's, August 1993.

M.M. London Gazette 22 January 1917.

Russian St. George Bravery Medal London Gazette 25 August 1915:

'For gallantry and distinguished service in the Field.'

William Degnan was embarked for France in the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry in September 1914, where he and his comrades initially took up positions on the Chemin des Dames to the north of the River Aisne.

But in the following month the battalion was deployed to the Bois de Grenier, three miles south of Armentieres, and thence, on 21 October 1914, to trenches to defend Le Quesne Farm. There it endured almost continuous bombardment until 4.15 a.m. on the 23rd, when it was attacked in force by German infantry. All the attacks were repulsed, however, and by 5 p.m. around 200 of the enemy lay dead in front of the K.S.L.I.'s trenches. And a renewed German assault on the 24th was also repulsed. Nonetheless, the battalion suffered casualties of 55 killed, 79 killed and 11 missing.

As verified by the regimental history, it was for this gallant defence of Le Quesne Farm that Degnan was awarded his Russian decoration; one of four St. George Medals for Bravery, 3rd Class, awarded to the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.

Having then at some point transferred to the 5th Battalion and been advanced to Lance-Corporal, he was awarded his M.M. for gallant deeds in 1916. And those deeds were most likely enacted on the Somme, where the battalion was extensively employed in August and September. Hence costly actions in the Fricourt area and attacks on mounted on Delville Wood and Montauban.

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Estimate
£500 to £700

Starting price
£400