Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare ‘Gallipoli operations’ M.M. group of four awarded to Corporal A. Armitage, 97th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, who repeatedly repaired telephone wires under heavy shell and rifle fire

Military Medal, G.V.R. (52654 Cpl., 97/By., R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (52654 Gnr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (52654 Cpl., R.A.) first with edge bruising, otherwise generally nearly very fine or better (4) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 11 November 1916.

The following recommendation is extracted from the 29th Divisional Artillery War Record: ‘Gallipoli 1915 - For conspicuous gallantry during the attacks of the 2nd May, 4th and 28th June, 6th and 7th August, in repeatedly repairing telephone wires under heavy shell and rifle fire.’

M.M’s for the Gallipoli campaign are extremely scarce, as the Military Medal was not offficially instituted until 25 March 1916, by which time the Gallipoli Peninsula had been evacuated for nearly three months.