Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Corporal W. L. Gutch, Royal Garrison Artillery, formerly a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., Worc. R.); British War and Victory Medals (120713 Cpl., R.A.) nearly extremely fine (3) £100-140

Walter Lionel Gutch was born on 15 March 1890 and was educated at Queen’s College, Oxford. At the time of the Great War he was living at The Haze, Mappleborough, Nr. Redditch. Granted a commission in the 11th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 21 November 1915 and was posted to the 10th Battalion. There he was found to be both physically and mentally unfit to hold a commission - being highly strung and nervous and it was recommended that he be sent home and allowed to resign his commission. This he did in September 1916 (London Gazette 19 September 1916). The same month he enlisted in to the Royal Garrison Artillery and served once more in France, May 1917-April 1918. In September 1918 he was transferred to the Labour Corps and then with the 91st Prisoner-of-War Company until demobilised in 1919. With copied m.i.c. and a quantity of service papers and reports re his suitability as an officer. An interesting record.