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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 566

A Rare 1938 Palestine M.M. to Private H.A. Attwood, Essex Regiment Military Medal, G.VI.R. (6009783 Pte. H.A. Attwood. 1-Essex. R.), slight edge bruising, nearly very fine, only two M.M.s to the Essex Regiment for this campaign Estimate £ 1,800-2,200 M.M. London Gazette 14.5.1939 ´For conspicuous gallantry during an engagement with an enemy band at Kafr Kanna on 23 August 1938.´ On arrival in Palestine for the second time, the Battalion, less two companies, was stationed at Nazareth: D Company was sent to Tiberias and B Company to Kadoori School at the foot of Mount Tabor. The Battalion was then reorganised on the basis of a Headquarters and three mobile columns, comprising one hundred men in each column. These columns had many duties: searching villages for arms or bandits, engaging bands operating against Jewish colonies or attacking convoys on roads. They met with considerable success. In an action near Kafr Kanna on 23.8.1938, fourteen Arabs were killed and a quantity of arms and ammunition captured. Private Attwood, by his coolness and presence of mind, saved the life of a non-commissioned officer in his platoon by rushing forward and bayoneting a bandit who was just taking aim at the non-commissioned officer. (´The Essex Regiment´ by T.A. Martin, and ´The 1/Essex Diary´ refer.) Private Harold Albert Attwood, M.M. served in ´A´ company 1st Essex Regiment in Palestine and was mentioned for his gallantry in the field in Force Orders. Attwood´s M.M. was presented to him in 1939 by the Governor of Cyprus in Nicosia.

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£1,500