Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. awarded to Private F. Wilcox, Fort Garry Horse

Military Medal, G.V.R. (551447 Pte. F. Wilcox. Ft: Garry H.) minor edge nick, otherwise nearly extremely fine £300-350

M.M. London Gazette 29 August 1917.

The following information was extracted from an unpublished manuscript held by the Fort Garry Horse Museum and Archives, and is based largely on entries in the Regimental War Diary:

‘On the night of the 8th/9th of July 1917, another raid was carried out by the Canadian Cavalry Brigade against the enemy’s trench line. The Fort Garry Horse party, under command of Lieut. Campbell, consisted of Lieuts. Strachan, Cowen and Duggan with 90 other ranks. Lieut. Duggan guided the party from our line to the point where the enemy wire was out. Here a party composed of Sergeant Keene, Lance Corporal Atcherley and Troopers Dent, Wilcox, Garlick and Fitzgerald, carrying two bangalore torpedoes, crawled forward to the enemy wire where they placed and exploded one torpedo. This made an opening through the first line of wire. On the explosion of this torpedo, a signal rocket was fired on which signal the artillery opened rapid fire on the enemy’s second line of wire and trenches. After two minutes’ bombardment, the artillery formed the “Box barrage” around the area to be raided.

The torpedo party then advanced and successfully exploded their second torpedo, making an opening through the second line of enemy wire. The raiding party passed through the wire, the leading troop forming a block in the enemy front line trench. The second troop then advanced under machine gun and rifle grenade fire to its objective which was an enemy strong point known as “The Banks”. Here, they killed several of the enemy, captured 22 prisoners, including one officer, and bombed and burned sixteen dugouts...’

Two officers and 23 other ranks were wounded in this raid, including Private Wilcox who was wounded by gun shot wounds in the thigh and abdomen. Decorations awarded to Fort Garry Horse for this action included one D.S.O., three M.Cs., three D.C.Ms. and nine M.Ms. Wilcox was invalided home due to the serious nature of his wounds and was discharged at Regina, Saskatchewan on 15 April 1918. He died in Surrey, B.C., on 13 February 1971.

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