Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant W. H. Royals, 27th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, for his gallantry in and around Bayonet Trench, Flers-Guedecourt, 5 November 1916. Royals was killed in action during the Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October 1917

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1767 Pte W. H. Royals. 27/Aust: Inf: Bn:); 1914-15 Star (1787 Pte W. H. Royals. 27/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (1787 Sgt. W. H. Royals. 27-Bn. A.I.F.) very fine (4) £700-£900

M.M. London Gazette 22 January 1917. The original recommendation (for a D.C.M.) states:

‘During the attack on German position north of Flers on morning of 5th November 1916, this man returned 3 times across ‘no man’s land’ with messages, bombs and ammunition. This required great determination and resolve and he was mainly instrumental in enabling B Company, who captured the trench, to hang on. ‘No man’s land’ was being very heavily shelled and swept with machine gun fire during this period.’

William Henry Royals was born in 1897, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, 12 May 1915. He served with the 27th Australian Infantry Battalion in Gallipoli prior to serving in the French theatre of war from 1916. Royals distinguished himself in and around Bayonet Trench, Flers-Guedecourt, when Captain J. Elder’s company briefly captured and held a section of the trench. During the general action the Battalion suffered casualties of 5 officers and 72 other ranks killed, and 5 officers and 136 other ranks wounded, with 75 men recorded as missing.

Royals advanced to Sergeant, and was killed in action on the Western Front, 4 October 1917. Sergeant Royals is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.