Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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 1 July 1916

Military Medal, G.V.R. (3506 A. Sjt., 1/R. Lanc. R.) surname spelt ‘Litchfield’ on this; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4535 Pte., K. O. Rl. Lanc. Regt.); 1914-15 Star (3506 L. Cpl., R. Lanc. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (3506 Sjt., R. Lanc. R.) edge bruising to Q.S.A., otherwise generally good very fine and better (5) £800-1000

M.M. London Gazette 28 July 1917.

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

Walter Lichfield was born at St Marys, South Shields and lived and enlisted at Altrincham, Cheshire. He was killed in action in France and Flanders on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Lancaster Regiment. His name is comemmorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

On 1 July 1916 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. Sold with a comprehensive file of research, which suggests that the M.M. was awarded for the first day of the Somme.