Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Private R. F. Charnley, Welsh Guards, who was decorated for his gallantry in the action at Bavai in November 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (3275 Pte. R. F. Charnley, 1/W. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (3275 Pte. R. F. Charnley, W. Gds.), nearly extremely fine (3) £1200-1400

M.M. London Gazette 23 July 1919.

Robert Fort Charnley, a native of Clitheroe, Lancashire, enlisted in the Welsh Guards in August 1916, aged 30 years, and went out to France in March 1917, where he joined the 1st Battalion. As cited above, he was awarded his M.M. for the action at Bavai on 6 November 1918, a vivid account of which appears in the regimental history - namely a series of fast moving fire fights amidst hedgerows and railway cuttings, the whole in poor visibility owing to a fine, misty rain. The same source states that Charnley was up among the leaders, almost certainly as a member of Captain L. E. Ellis’ No. 3 Company which advanced ‘with great dash, overwhelming enemy positions and killing many of the enemy’; sold with copied research, including the recipient’s service record.