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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 210

A superb Great War M.M. awarded to Private A. May, 17th (Armoured Car) Battalion, Tank Corps, decorated for his gallantry as the Driver of an Austin Armoured Car in the actions on 4-11 November 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (309106 Pte. A. May. 17/Tank C.); British War and Victory Medals (309106 Pte. A. May. Tank Corps.), a little adhesive to reverse of Pair, otherwise good very fine (3)

M.M. London Gazette 23 July 1919. A citation provided by the Tank Corps Museum states:

'For great gallantry and devotion to duty during the advance from Catillon to Liessies from November 4 to 11, 1918. As Driver of an Armoured Car, which continued fighting by itself after the other car of his Section had been disabled, he showed a gallant spirit during a trying time, particularly at Haut Lieu, when his car got ditched within 150 yards of the enemy, who opened fire with machine-gun and shell. He worked under fire with great gallantry to get his car back on the road so that it could again assist our infantry.'

Arthur May was a native of West Kensington and took his M.M. as the Driver of an Austin Armoured Car of the 17th Tank Corps. The unit proceeded into Germany and crossed the Hohenzollern Bridge across the Rhine at Cologne. They became the first Tank Corps vehicles to cross the river, and would not be the last.

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Estimate
£800 to £1,200

Starting price
£600