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Auction: 11011 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 117

A Very Complete ´First Day of the Battle of Cambrai´ Casualty Group of Three to Gunner J. Wilkie, D Battalion, Tank Corps, Late Army Cyclist Corps, Killed in Action, 20.11.1917 1914-15 Star (6337 L.Cpl. J. Wilkie, A. Cyc. Corps.); British War and Victory Medals (6337 Pte. J. Wilkie. A. Cyc. Corps.), extremely fine, with bronze Memorial Plaque ´John Wilkie´ and Parchment Memorial Scroll, the latter named ´Gunner John Wilkie, Tanks Corps, Killed in Action at Flesquieres near Cambrai 20th Nov. 1917´, all housed with a portrait photograph of recipient in a large glazed mahogany display frame (lot) Estimate £ 380-420 76300 Gunner John Wilkie, born Glasgow, Scotland; initially served during the Great War as 6337 Lance Corporal 7th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps, in the French theatre of War, from 11.9.1915; transferred to the Tank Corps and was serving in D Battalion, which along with E Battalion, had been allotted to IV Corps, 51st (Highland) Division for the start of the Battle of Cambrai, 20.11.1917, their task ´as one tank commander expressed it, "We go straight in and sit on the Germans until the cavalry come"..... The 1/6th Black Watch and 1/5th Gordon Highlanders of the 153rd Brigade followed the tanks of D Battalion. The machines found difficulty in crossing the Hindenburg front trench which, in this sector, was wider and deeper than elsewhere; nevertheless the Germans showed little disposition to resist. Farther on opposition stiffened, for many riflemen and machine-gunners saw that there was opportunity to take cover until the foremost tanks had passed and then to open fire upon the approaching platoons. But the Highlanders fought their way forward with rifle and bomb, obtaining assistance from a tank at some points, and by 9.45am the first objective had been reached along the whole brigade front although the Gordons had still some work to do in clearing the dug-outs in Grand Ravin. The two battalions had captured over 600 prisoners between them, whilst their combined losses were less than one hundred and twenty´ (Official History of the War, Military Operations, France and Belgium 1917, Vol. III, refers); by the end of the day ´the losses of the tanks had been somewhat severe... The number of fighting tanks (378 were available but not all were used) put out of action was 179: 65 by direct hits, 71 by mechanical troubles, 43 by ditching or other causes. In D and E Battalions operating with the 51st Division (Flesquieres) no less than 28 tanks were hit by artillery fire (Ibid); Wilkie was killed in action, 20.11.1917, and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.

Sold for
£1,100