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Auction: 7022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 415

A Great War 1917 ´Hindenburg Line, Sensee Valley´ Action M.M. to Sergeant A.W. Keeble, Machine Gun Corps, and Suffolk Regiment, For His Skill and Daring During a Trip into No-Man´s Land Military Medal, G.V.R. (13247 Sjt: A.W. Keeble. 100/Coy. M.G.C.), very fine, together with a Card of Appreciation of Services in the Field, dated Sensee Valley, 22.4.1917; Machine Gun Corps card named to the recipient; and a photographic image of 100th Machine Gun Company, featuring the recipient Estimate £ 240-280 M.M. London Gazette 9.7.1917 13247 Sjt. A.W. Keeble, M.G. Corps 13247 Sergeant Arthur W. Keeble, M.M., enlisted as 19022 Private, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment; transferred 100 Company, Machine Gun Corps, as part of 33rd Division, 28.4.1916, and won his Military Medal for the action at the Sensee River, Hindenburg Line, 22.4.1917: ´...the 100th Brigade attacked [the Hindenburg Line] with the 1 Queen´s leading. By this time a great deal more was expected of the machine guns than heretofore and the infantry had learned to have considerable faith in the overhead barrage. The idea of grouping guns together and of central control had already made itself felt in the Division and General Pinney ordered that the guns of the 19th and 100th Brigades should be grouped under the command of Major Hutchison to cover the attack of the 100th Brigade. During the night of the 22nd April a very remarkable exploit was carried out by the 100th Machine Gun Company. The whole transport drove down the Sensee Valley into "No Man´s Land" protected only by a small patrol of the Worcestershire Regiment and deposited 12 guns in their battery positions and many thousands of rounds of ammunition. The transport returned without any mishap although it had been driven within 300 yards of the German line, and possibly closer to the German patrols across "No Man´s Land". For this exploit Sergeant Keeble and Driver Messenger were both awarded the Military Medal for particular skill and daring.´ (History of the 33rd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps refers).

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£500