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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 689

The 1918 M.M. awarded to Sergeant W. Emery, 1/4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, a pre-war Territorial who was doubtless present during the Battalion's mopping up of the Mutineers in the wake of the Singapore Mutiny in 1915

Later Emery earned his M.M. around the same time that the Battalion was awarded a Croix de Guerre for their role in the Battle of Bligny

Military Medal, G.V.R. (200124 Sjt: W. Emery. 1/4 Shrops:L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (200124 Sjt. W. Emery. K.S.L.I.); Territorial Force War Medal (1331 Sjt. W. Emery. K.S.L.I.); Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (200124 Sjt: W. Emery, 4/Shrops: L.I.), good very fine (5)

M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918.

T.F.E. AO178 May 1919.

William Emery was serving with the 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry prior to the outbreak of war and was mobilised with them upon the outbreak of the conflict. The 1/4th Battalion was posted to Bombay in December 1914 and from there to Rangoon where they were instrumental in preventing an uprising amongst the garrison in January.

During that next month a mutiny broke out amongst the 5th Light Infantry on 15 February and was only quelled with some difficulty thanks to the brave resistance of the Regiment's Colonel and some men of the Malay States Volunteer Rifles. Naval Brigades landed from allied ships in the harbour ended the fighting and scattered the mutineers while the Shropshires were embarked quickly for Singapore.

They arrived on 20 February and aided in rounding up the remaining mutineers, also undertaking the grim duty of guarding the places of public execution for the 47 rebels to suffer that fate. The Battalion then served garrison roles across the Far East for several years, finally being posted to France in July 1917.

Seeing action at the Battles of Passchendaele and Cambrai they were back in action at Bapaume and Messines in 1918. Perhaps the Battalion's finest hour was during the Battle of Bligny, where an over-extended French line was broken only to be saved by the advance of the Shropshires. As a result, the Battalion was largely awarded the Croix de Guerre and it was not long after this that Emery was awarded his M.M.; Sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£700

Starting price
£210