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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 351

A Great War Italy operations D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant A. Mitchner, 1/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who was the Battalion M.O.'s Orderly during the campaign and tended to the wounded under fire

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (265223 Cpl - L. Sjt: - A. Mitchner. 1/7 R. War: R.); 1914-15 Star (1858 Pte. A. Mitchner. R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals (265223 Sjt. A. Mitchner. R. War. R.), very fine (4)

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1918 (Italy). The citation followed on 21 October 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty for a long period of active service as Battalion Medical Officer's Orderly, when with great bravery and skill he attended wounded under most heavy shell fire and the worst conditions of mud, with absolute disregard of personal fatigue and safety.'

Albert Mitchner was born in 1891 at Kenilworth and served in France from 22 March 1915 with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Two of his brothers served and fell during the Great War, one on the Western Front and another with the loss of the Hampshire.

Albert served with the 1/7th Battalion and would have shared in the actions on the Somme in July 1917, when the unit went over with VIII Corps at Serre/Beaumont Hamel. In October 1917, they went through the actions at Broodseinde and on Passchendaele Ridge. They were transferred to the Italian front in November 1917. The unit was thrown into the Battle of Asiago in June 1918 and were in trenches at Polsen by October 1918, facing down the remainder of the Austro-Hungarian Army. Their Division formed part of an Army of Occupation in the Trentino/Maglio di Sopra area the following month.

Mitchner retired to Margate, Kent and died at 12 Millmead Avenue in November 1965.

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Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£550