A Scarce Great War ‘Tunneller’s’ M.M. Group of 4 awarded to Corporal Ernest Richard Hornsby, A.S.C., who won the Military Medal while serving on attachment to 177 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers, and who later died of wounds on 14 November 1918, comprising: Military Medal, G.V.R. (M2/076546 Cpl E. R. Hornsby. A.S.C.); 1914-15 Star (M2-076546. Pte. E. R. Hornsby, A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals, 1914-1920 (M2-076546 Cpl. E. R. Hornsby), spelt ‘Hormsby’ on B.W.M. only, in error; Group mounted ‘court-style’ on card for display, lightly toned, extremely fine (4) M.M.: London Gazette: 17 September, 1917 – ‘for bravery in the field’Corporal Ernest Richard Hornsby (1891-1918), the son of William Ernest Hornsby and Mary Ann Hornsby (née Kent), of London Road, Croydon, enlisted for service in the Great War with the Army Service Corps, arriving in France on 22 April 1915. He later served on attachment with 177 Tunnelling Company, with whom he was awarded the Military Medal (as stated on his M.M. card), gazetted on 17 September 1917. According to ‘The Great War Medal Collector’s Companion’ by Williamson, M.M.s awarded in this gazette tend to relate to the Ypres Offensive in July 1917.This unit saw significant tunnelling action on the Western Front, undertaking major operations at St. Eloi & Ypres (1915), at Hooge, in particular in the area known as ‘Railway Wood’. They created a sprawling network of dugouts, trench systems named after London streets, and various underground shelters & shafts. Beyond this more defensive work, they also conducted extensive and ongoing offensive mining and counter-mining operations against their German counterparts underground.Corporal Hornsby later died of wounds at No.55 Casualty Clearing Station on 14 November 1918, and was buried at Premont British Cemetery, his C.W.G.C. entry now stating ‘XIII Corps Mechanical Transport Coy’.

Estimate: GBP 400 - 600