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Lot

№ 128

.

17 May 2016

Hammer Price:
£950

A Great War battle of Amiens 1918 M.M. group of three awarded to Acting Corporal W. C. Evans, 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment), who was gassed and twice wounded

Military Medal, G.V.R. (115520 Pte. - L. Cpl. W. C. Evans, 8/Man. R.); British War and Victory Medals (115520 A. Cpl. W. C. Evans, 8-Can. Inf.), good very fine (3) £400-500

M.M. London Gazette 21 January 1919.

William Charles Evans was born at Llanerthed, Monmouthshire, Wales in December 1891. Having in the interim emigrated to Canada, where he found work as a labourer, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Regina in May 1915. Embarked for the U.K. in April 1916, he joined the 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment) in France in October 1916.

Official records reveal that he was subsequently wounded by a gunshot in the face and left knee on 18 August 1917; gassed on 14 September 1917 and invalided to the U.K. after receiving another gunshot wound - to the left thigh - on the 7 September 1918. The Manitoba Regiment’s war diary states that he was informed of the award of his M.M. at the end of the previous month, namely for gallantry in three separate actions during the course of the battle of Amiens.

Evans was discharged in Canada in March 1919; sold with summary of career details and copied war diary extracts.