RILEY Walter James L/Cpl 81402

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Surname: RILEY;

Forename(s): Walter James;

Initials: WJ;

Number: 81402;

Rank: L/Cpl;

Resided in: Putney;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 48 Bn;

Other MGC Unit Served (1): 144 Coy;

Other MGC Unit Served (2): 48 Bn;

Awarded: MM;

Other Data: in 4 Section, B Coy, 48 Bn Italy Oct 1918 ("A War Diary" - Capt HM Asdams)
Date of Auction: 4th December 2008 (DNW)
Sold for £400
Estimate: £400 - £500
A Great War Italy operations M.M. group of three awarded to Private W. J. Riley, Machine Gun Corps

Military Medal, G.V.R. (81402 Pte. - A.L. Cpl. W. J. Riley, 48/M.G.C.); British War and Victory Medals (81402 Pte. W. J. Rilley, M.G.C.), extremely fine (3) £400-500
Footnote
M.M. London Gazette 29 March 1919.

Walter James Riley enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps at Wandsworth in March 1916, aged 18 years, and was posted to France in February 1917, where he joined No. 144 Company, M.G.C., and was hospitalized with “trench foot” that May. Rejoining his unit a week or so later, he sometime thereafter transferred to the 48th Battalion, M.G.C. in Italy, and most probably won his M.M. for gallant deeds during attacks carried out in the Ave and Sec areas in October 1918; the Battalion had earlier performed well during the Austrian offensive on the Asiago Plateau in June 1918, undergoing a three hour bombardment, including gas shells, on the 15th, the unit’s war diary also referring to a Corporal, the sole survivor of two gun teams that were overwhelmed in the early stages of the attack. Riley was demobilised in March 1919.

MM & Pair offered by Gordons Medals, Aug 2004 at £850 (and at Convention '04) and eBay Nov '05
A scarce 'Italy 1918' Military Medal group, awarded to W.J. Riley 48th Battalion Machine Gun Corps.

A scarce 'Italy 1918' Military Medal group, awarded to Acting Lance Corporal W.J. Riley 48th Battalion Machine Gun Corps, awarded for actions in Camporovere area in support of the French forces. Military Medal, GVR; (81402 PTE - A.L. CPL- W.J. RILEY. 48 / M.G.C.); B.W.M.; V.M.; (81402 PTE. W.J. RILEY. M.G.C.). Medals toned. M.M. L.G. supp.: 28/3/1919. For Italy. The recipient is shown as heralding from Putney, London. Walter James Riley came from 5 West Place, Putney. He joined the army pre-1914 and had been transferred to the Army Reserve by 1916. He reattested ' for the duration of the war' on 1/3/1916, but was again posted to service with the Army Reserve, serving with the 80th Training Reserve Battalion from 1/9/1916 - 28/11/1916 when he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. posted to the 144th Company as a Private on 24/2/1917 he had been sent to France on 13/2/1917. He transferred to the 48th Battalion as an Acting Lance Corporal on 15/7/1918. The Battalion was serving in Italy fighting against the Austrians. By October the was engaged in operations around Camporovere in support of the French forces. It was for bravery in this period that Riley was awarded the Military Medal. It appears that he was sent back to France in early 1919 and probably took part in the Army of Occupation of Germany. He demobilized on 29/12/1919. Sold with copy of short service papers, M.I.C., London Gazette details, and 48th Btn. operational reports. This is his full medal entitlement. EF condition.;

Other Notes: MM: LG 29/3/1919 ITALY;

END OF RECORD.

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