Family Group:

A Great War 1916 ‘Battle of Flers Courcelette’ M.M. group of four awarded to Lance Corporal T. Craddock, 6th (Service) and 9th (Service) Battalions, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment), who was killed in action during the attack on Le Sars on 7 October 1916
Military Medal, G.V.R. (10610 L. Cpl. T. Craddock. 9/York: R.); 1914-15 Star (10610 Pte. T. Craddock. York: R.); British War and Victory Medals (10610 Pte. T. Craddock. York. R.); Memorial Plaque (Thomas Craddock) in card envelope and torn outer OHMS transmission envelope addressed to ‘Mr T. Craddock, Clifton, Bedale, Yorkshire.’, extremely fine

Three: Lance Corporal A. Craddock, 6th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, who died of wounds at Gallipoli on 18 August 1915
1914-15 Star (18201 Pte. A. Craddock. E. Lan: R.); British War and Victory Medals (18201 Pte. A. Craddock. E. Lan. R.); Memorial Plaque (Albert Craddock) with Buckingham Palace enclosure, in card envelope and outer OHMS transmission envelope addressed to ‘Mr Craddock, Clifton Lodges, Bedale, Yorks.’, extremely fine

Three: Gunner A. Craddock, 59th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, who died of disease at Alexandria, Egypt, on 23 August 1915
1914-15 Star (99386 Gnr. A. Craddock. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (99386 Gnr. A. Craddock. R.A.); Memorial Plaque (Amos Craddock) with Buckingham Palace enclosure, in card envelope and outer OHMS transmission envelope addressed to ‘Mr T. Craddock, Clifton Lodges, Bedale, Yorkshire.’, extremely fine (13) £800-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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M.M. London Gazette 19 September 1916:
‘For great gallantry and devotion to duty on the afternoon of Sept. 19th 1916. During a hostile attack on Prue and Starfish Trenches (near Martinpuich) this man, though badly shaken by a bomb explosion, picked up German bombs, which were lying in the trench and attacked the enemy with them. For some time he held the trench quite alone; later he stood up on the parapet and directed fire on a party of the enemy. It was with difficulty that he was restrained from attacking them single handed, as he was under the impression that they had captured one of his officers who was wounded.’

Thomas Craddock was born in 1894 at Clifton, Bedale, Yorkshire, the son of Tobias and Isabella Craddock. He enlisted at Richmond, Yorkshire and served with the 6th (Service) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment in Gallipoli theatre from 14 July 1915. Landing at Suvla Bay on the night of 6 August, the Battalion commenced an attack on Lala Baba, the first assault to be made by any unit of the New Army in Gallipoli. Made under conditions that, according to the Official History of the Great War, ‘would have tried the mettle of highly experienced troops’, the attack resulted in 16 officers and 250 other ranks becoming casualties by noon the next day. Withdrawn to Imbros in December due to severe casualties from combat, disease and harsh weather, the Battalion was evacuated to Alexandria on 7 February 1916 and was employed in defence of the Suez Canal.

Having transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Craddock served with them on the Western Front in 1916 and was decorated for gallantry on 19 September in repelling an enemy attack on ‘C’ Company in Prue and Starfish Trenches near Martinpuich during the Battle of Flers Courcelette. On 7 October 1916, still on the Somme, he was killed in action during the 68th Brigade’s successful attack on Le Sars, where the 9th Green Howards captured the village up to the central crossroads amid hand-to-hand fighting. Having no known grave, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Sold with an original typed copy of the recipient’s M.M. citation signed by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Benfield des Voeux Wilkinson, Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General, 23rd Division and a letter, hand-written and signed by Lieutenant-Colonel H. A. S. Prior, sent to the recipient’s mother, accompanying the recipient’s M.M. riband and expressing sympathies, together with its OHMS envelope addressed to, ‘Mrs Craddock, Clifton Lodge, Bedale, Yorks. England.’

Albert Craddock, brother of the above, was born in 1888 at Bedale, Yorkshire and enlisted during the Great War initially with the 3rd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment at Blackburn, Lancashire. Transferring to the 6th (Service) Battalion, he sailed with them on 14 June 1915 to serve in the Dardanelles Campaign. A member of the Battalion Pioneer Company, his 1914-15 Star medal roll entry gives a first and second date of disembarkation in the Gallipoli theatre - one on 29 June and the other on 1 August. He died of wounds at Gallipoli on 18 August 1915 and is buried in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.

Amos Craddock, brother of the above, was born in 1897 at Bedale, Yorkshire and enlisted during the Great War with the Royal Field Artillery at Richmond, Yorkshire. Posted to ‘A’ battery, 59th Brigade, he was ordered with his unit to the Gallipoli theatre, sailing from Liverpool in late June 1915 and first disembarking in Egypt on 14 July 1915. His Brigade landed near Lala Baba at Suvla Bay on 6 and 7 August. Gunner Craddock died of disease on 23 August 1915 at the 17th General Hospital, Alexandria and is buried in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.