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Auction: 8023 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 104

A Great War ´French Theatre´ M.M. Pair to Lance Sergeant E. Leech, Grenadier Guards, Killed in Action, 27.8.1918 a) Military Medal, G.V.R (12043 Pte.-L. Cpl. E. Leech. 2/G. Gds:) b) British War Medal (12043 Cpl. E. Leech. G. Gds.), minor edge bruising, very fine (2) Estimate £ 380-420 M.M. London Gazette 28.1.1918 12043 Pte. (L/C) E. Leech 2nd Bn. G. Guards. (Pulford). 12043 Lance Sergeant Ernest Edward Leech, M.M., born Pulford, Cheshire; served during the Great War with the Grenadier Guards in the French Theatre of War, from 22.1.1915; he was killed in action 27.8.1918, on the latter date Leech´´s Battalion were in action during the Battle of the Scarpe (Arras), ´´In the VI. Corps, after providing for the bombardment of the villages just behind the German front, the gist of Lieut.-General Haldane´´s orders to his leading divisions was that they should take every opportunity to gain ground if the enemy showed signs of weakening as a result of the enveloping movement of the XVII. and Canadian Corps farther north; but no such signs were apparent; and the fighting resembled that of the autumn days on the Somme in 1916. At 7am the 62nd Division sent the 186th and 187th Brigades forward. The former used patrols and the latter four companies which, under a very good barrage, made some headway and consolidated a line about six or seven hundred yards from their starting point: but the patrols accomplished nothing. The 1st Guards Brigade sent forward two battalions (2/Grenadier and 2/Coldstream Guards) at 7am, the LXXIV. and LXXV. Brigades R.F.A. being used in close support, and the 1/Irish Guards later brought up to reinforce. On the right and left some progress was made, parties reaching a trench (Banks Trench) which ran south-eastwards from St. Leger Wood, but later having to withdraw. About 180 prisoners were taken, but casualties were heavy. As the 56th Division (XVII. Corps) did not advance until 9.30am, the Guards left flank was exposed and had to be withdrawn. In the evening, however, the left advanced again and occupied the northern end of Banks Trench, taking about a hundred prisoners´´ (Official History of the War, Military Operations, France and Belgium, Imperial War Museum, refers); Leech is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois Memorial, France.

Sold for
£400