*A Great War Military Medal and Bar Group of 6 awarded to Sergeant Leo Westby, 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, who was awarded his first M.M. for leading six men in successfully laying a cable from battalion headquarters to the front line under heavy artillery and machine gun fire on the night of 11 May, 1917, during a major attack upon a Chemical Works as part of the Battle of Arras. He was recommended for a second award of the Military Medal in September 1918, and later served with the Special Constabulary in WW2, comprising: Military Medal, G.V.R., second award clasp loose upon ribbon (19146 L.Cpl L. Westby. 1/E. Lanc: R.); 1914-15 Star (19146 Pte. L. Westby, E. Lan. R.); British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1919 (19146 Cpl. L. Westby. E. Lan. R.); Defence Medal, 1939-1945, unnamed as issued; Special Constabulary Long Service, G.VI.R., 1st type (Leo Westby); Group swing-mounted on bar with original ribbons as war, set into card for display, the first heavily polished, remainder very fine or better (6). M.M.: London Gazette: 18 July 1917 – ‘for bravery in the field’. Bar to M.M.: London Gazette: 11 February 1919 – ‘for bravery in the field’. Sergeant Leo Westby, of 56 Garden Street, Great Harwood, Lancashire, the son of Peter Westby, served with the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment during the Great War. As recorded in ‘The Northern Daily Telegraph’ of 20 September 1918, he was awarded his first Military Medal for gallantry under fire on the night of 11 May 1917, while leading a group of 6 men in laying a cable from battalion headquarters to the front line under heavy artillery and machine gun fire. Research suggests that a major offensive was launched on 11-12 May 1917 focused upon an important Chemical Works, with Westby’s actions taking place during the first night. He received his M.M. ribbon on 10 June 1917, and was awarded a bar to his Military Medal for bravery in September 1918 (gazetted early the following year) as well as being recommended for a commission - although he appears to have turned this down. The same newspaper states that, surprisingly, Sergeant Westby was only every slightly wounded in his hand (thumb), while also noting that he had been ‘buried’ on one occasion during the war. He was discharged to ‘Class Z’ Reserve on 23 February 1919, and from his medal entitlement we can deduce that he served during WW2 with the Special Constabulary.

Estimate: GBP 1000 - 1500