A fine Great War ‘Somme’ M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant W. Lichfield, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916

Military Medal, G.V.R. (3506 A. Sjt: W. Litchfield. 1/R. Lanc. R.) unit partially officially corrected; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4535 Pte. W. Lichfield. K.O. Rl: Lanc: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (3506 L. Cpl. W. Lichfield. R. Lanc: R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (3506 Sjt. W. Lichfield. R. Lanc. R.) housed in a fitted wooded box with Regimental badge, edge bruising to Q.S.A., otherwise generally good very fine and better (5) £1400-1800

M.M. London Gazette 28 July 1917.

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916.

Walter Lichfield was born at St Mary’s, South Shields, Northumberland in 1876. On the outbreak of the Great War he re-enlisted in the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment at Altrincham, Cheshire, and served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War in France from 15 December 1914. Appointed Acting Sergeant on 22 May 1916, he was killed in action on the Western Front on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, on which date the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment was involved in attacking enemy positions between Beaumont Hamel and Serre. The battalion was attacking enemy positions that were well fortified and on high ground with good observation of the area. In the early stages of the attack heavy artillery fire caused serious casualties in the battalion, the presence of these guns had been previously unsuspected and combined with uncut wire and undamaged enemy dug-outs made the crossing of no-mans land more or less impossible. Nevertheless some of the battalion did succeed in reaching and crossing the German front line penetrating almost as far as Serre. Unfortunately these small groups were overwhelmed by enemy troops who came in from the left and right behind them. Casualties were very severe in the battalion, 22 officers and 387 other ranks being posted as either killed, wounded or missing. By the evening the British troops were back in their own trenches with no gains having been made. Lichfield has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

Sold with a comprehensive file of research, which suggests that the M.M. was awarded for the first day of the Somme.