A MAGNIFICENT (BATTLE OF THE SOMME / DELVILLE WOOD) "SINGLE" MILITARY MEDAL. (The medal is in "Gem Mint State")
To:
A-1064 SGT: A.E. TOWNLEY. 7th KING'S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS.

(Later Company Sergeant Major & WOII Class)

(Seriously Wounded 15th September 1916 & Died of His Wounds the Following Day)
"BATTLE OF FLERS COURCELETTE"

[BIOGRAPHY]
Arthur Eric TOWNLEY was born in Solihull, Birmingham in 1893.
He was the son of Mr Charles & Mrs Martha J.Townley and in 1911 at age 19 he was living with his parents at "Ivyleigh" Selly Park, Birmingham. His father was a well to do Ironmonger who was wealthy enough to employ house servants. At the time of his enlistment Arthur was entering the professions as an Architectural Articled Pupil (a trainee architect).

He had clearly been a pre-war reservist which is confirmed by his "A" prefixed number. This "A" was given to at least the first 3,900 men who were Army Reservists and who had been discharged or whose numbers had been re-allocated and who were now re-enlisting for the Great War.

At the time of Arthur's death the family were living at an extremely prestigious address: "Bransford" Ashleigh Road, Solihull.

[7th BATTALION KINGS ROYAL RIFLE BRIGADE]
The unit was raised at Winchester on 19th of August 1914 as part of (K1) Kitchener's First New Army and joined 41st Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. They trained at Aldershot, moving to Grayshott in November and to Bordon Camp in February 1915, returning to Aldershot in March 1915. Arthur & his comrades in the 7th Bn KRRC left England on 18th May and landed at Boulogne on the 19th of May 1915.

[THE ACTION AT HOOGE, 30th JUNE 1915. Being the first division to be attacked by flamethrowers.]
In June, the 14th (Light) Division were sent straight to the Ypres Salient and soon were subjected to a severe trial. On 30th June at 3.30 a.m. the Germans attacked in force the trenches occupied by the 7th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps and 8th Rifle Brigade. The German attack was accompanied by overwhelming shell and mortar fire, and flame-throwers were used for the first time. The Battalion was forced back to a line on the outskirts of Sanctuary and Zouave Woods, after heavy fighting. An immediate counter-attack at 2.45 pm, ordered by VI Corps, was unsuccessful despite great gallantry shown by the 7th KRRC and 8th Rifle Brigade who were tired and unfed and only just relieved. Arthur would have witnessed first hand this shockingly new and frightening development in close combat warfare.

[ARRAS & DELVILLE WOOD]
During July 1916 the 7th KRRC were in the Arras area:
1st July St Nicholas
3rd -20th July Duisans & Roclincourt ( all in the Arras area )
21st -31st July in Arras.

After the end of the Arras campaign and by mid-late August 1916 they were still on the Somme taking part in the major action of 18th August in Delville Wood where they occupied Brewery & Orchard Trenches from 17th-26th August. They took all objectives to the North-west of the wood and held them against all enemy counter attacks. Three officers were killed & four wounded with 210 other ranks becoming casualties.

Based on his rank at the time this is clearly where as a Sergeant, Arthur Townley won his Military Medal for an act of great bravery as he was quickly promoted to Company Sergeant Major & then with four days to WOII ( 25th & 29th August 1916) It was not long before the 7th were in action again in The Second Attack on Bellewaarde.

Fate had decreed that The Battle of Flers-Courcelette would be Arthur's last fight. He was fatally wounded there on 15th September 1916 & he died the next day on the 16th.

Arthur is buried and commemorated with eternal honour at "HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT - L'ABBE.

He was just 23.

[A SPECIAL NOTE ON CONDITION]
Condition wise this is without doubt the finest example of an M.M. we have ever handled in 40 years (and in that time we've handled many many hundreds.) For those of you who understand numismatic grading the medal is F.D.C. (FLEUR DE COIN) or in modern grading terms it's MS70 (proof, flawless, mint state & perfect !) When we obtained the medal it was displayed in very unattractive old oak frame but with the very good picture shown above. The medal had clearly been in the frame since the day it arrived with the family in about 1919 and there wasn't even a fingerprint on it's surfaces which have survived in totally flawless & "as struck" condition and as the medal has never been cleaned the surfaces are also totally hairline free. The surfaces are superbly and naturally toned with a quite magnificent electric blue-black colour while maintaining totally reflective flawless & prooflike undersurfaces. This is not a state of affairs usually associated with medals. A Totally Astonishing Medal !

FIT FOR THE FINEST COLLECTION
This truly excellent award comes with a rarely surviving file of service papers & correspondence with the family. These clearly point out that the 1915 trio was sent to his mum as individual single medals over a period of more than two years which underlines why the trio is absent.

£995 .....A SUPERB & UNIQUELY PRESERVED 'CASUALTY' MEDAL.