Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Corporal R. A. Tait, 8th London Regiment and Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch), who was awarded the M.M. and a Second Award Bar serving with tanks

1914-15 Star (378479 Pte. R. A. Tait. 8th Lond. R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (378479 Cpl. R. A. Tait. 8-Lond. R.) some verdigris on the first, otherwise good very fine (2) £100-£140

M.M. London Gazette 10 August 1916: ‘2116 Pte. R. A. Tait. Lond. R. (T.F.).’

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 16 August 1917: ‘Cpl. R. A. Tait, M.G. Corps (late Lond. R.).’

The following citation is taken from The Tank Corps Roll of Honour:
‘76952 Cpl. R. A. Tait, B Bn., 5 Coy, No. 5 Sec. - Tank B54. On the 7th June this N.C.O. without orders got out of his Tank on to the roof under heavy Machine Gun and Rifle fire in order to put out a fire. Prompt action and courage prevented the fire causing damage to the tank or drawing the enemy shell fire to it.’

Lieutenant Vans Agnew was wounded in the same action and awarded a Military Cross. OoSttaverne Line.

Robert Archibald Tait was born on 30 November 1889. He enlisted into the 8th London Regiment (No. 378479) on 2 September 1914, and arrived in France on 17 March 1915. He served also with the City of London Yeomanry (No. 2116) and the Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch) (No. 76952) and the Tank Corps. He was discharged on 13 September 1918, and awarded Silver War Badge No. B18040.