War Medals

MILITARY MEDAL, GVR. : 10TH. LOYAL NORTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT :

Military Medal, GVR. correctly impressed naming - 13528 Pte. T. HARRISON, 10/L.N.Lanc:R. (Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) : (THOMAS HARRISON - Resided at Spendmore Lane, Coppull, enlisted in 1914 and was posted to the 10th.Battalion, Loyal North Lancs Regiment which entered the war in France on 1 August 1915 : On the morning of 11 April 1917 on moving to the assembly positions in preparation for a 05.00am.. advance and attack the Battalion came into full view of the enemy and was, "met with very heavy Machine-Gun and Shell fire", and suffered very heavy casualties : However the subsequent assault on the enemy trenches around the La Bergere crossroads in the area known as Greenland Hill was successful and positions were consolidated : On 1 June 1917 the recipient is shown in the Battalion War Diary as having been awarded the Military Medal : (Announced London Gazette 9 July 1917) : 'The Wigan Observer and District Advertiser' newspaper for Tuesday, 29 January 1918 records, "At the offices of Chorley Rural District Council on Saturday morning, Sir Henry Hibbert MP. made the formal presentation of a Military Medal gained by Private Thomas Harrison, Loyal North Lancs Regiment, whose home is 10 Spendmore Lane, Coppull. Sir Henry said the medal was awarded for bravery in the field. The action for which the medal was gained was at Greenland Hill where he was orderly to an officer to whom was given the difficult task of finding out the strength of the enemy at a certain point. The task was accomplished with such success the officer was awarded the Military Cross and Private Harrison the Military Medal.") : Sold with verification; copy London Gazette entry; copy extracts taken from Battalion War Diary; copy newspaper reports and related research : A rare occasion where the circumstances for the award of a Military Medal are known NEF - £445