A VERY RARE & DESIRABLE 'NELSON BATTALION' RNVR,"GAVRELLE WINDMILL" MILITARY MEDAL & 1914-1915 Trio. TZ-1713. AB J.TAIT. SEVERE WOUNDS in GALLIPOLI & FRANCE.
P.O.W. AT LIMBURG & PARCHIM.
A VERY RARE & DESIRABLE'NELSON BATTALION' RNVR,"GAVRELLE WINDMILL" MILITARY MEDAL & 1914-1915 Trio.To: TZ-1713. AB J.TAIT.SEVERELY WOUNDEDGALLIPOLI (3rd Battle of Krithia. 4th June1915)Bullet wound arm & Serious bayonet wound to right foot.FRANCE (Gavrelle. 23rd April 1917, Gunshot Wound ) PRISONER OF WAR AT LIMBURG & PARCHIM 1918 LONDON GAZETTE 9th July 1917.
[BIOGRAPHY]
JOHN TAIT was born 22nd December 1892 at South Shields. His address on the 1911 census was 107 Taylor Street where he lived with his father William Tait (widower) and his four brothers & sisters. Clearly, Mrs Tait was deceased and William was bringing up the family. He and the three boys were working in the local shipyards in various trades
Previously a ships rivetter from a ship construction family he joined the Royal Navy age 22 on 12th November 1914 initially as part of 3rd Collingwood Battalion R.N.V.R. Sent to the Dardanelles, he was seriously wounded 4th June 1915 (B.W. left arm & Severe Bayonet wound to right 1st & 2nd toes) during the brutal hand to hand fighting with the Turks at the 3rd Battle of Krithia at Gallipoli and was admitted to hospital in Malta 9th June 1915. Someone clearly tried to stop his advance by stabbing him in the foot with his bayonet. The Collingwood Btn was so badly depleted in Gallipoli that it wasn't reformed. Tait was then transferred to NELSON battalion on 3rd August 1915. He was then transferred to hospital at Mudros West 20th April 1916 where he recovered until 6th May 1916.
He then left for France in HMT IONIAN from MUDROS on 10th June 1916 which arrived at Marseilles on 22nd June. The Nelson Battalion then fought during the Battle of the Somme from July 1916. He did well to survive right through The Battle of the Somme as on 13th November 1916 over 350 of his Nelson Battalion comrades were killed during the Battle of Ancre. Toward the end of the Somme campaign on 7th December 1916 he is seen returning to UK for 21 days well earned leave, rejoining his unit in France on 19th December 1916.
He had another two week hospital admission 24th February 1917 -7th March 1917.
[MILITARY MEDAL & WOUNDED, GAVRELLE WINDMILL]
(2nd Battle of Scarpe, 23/24th April 1917)
He is then seen again being wounded at the famous action at GAVRELLE during which the RND captured the windmill and village after a brutal, hand to hand , street to street battle.
The RND sustained heavy casualties during this famous action.
It was for his great bravery at Gavrelle on 23rd April 1917 that he was awarded the MILITARY MEDAL (L.G. 9th July 1917) & received an immediate promotion to Petty Officer on the same day. His medal was received from Woolwich on 30th July 1917. After winning his MM at GAVRELLE in April 1917, he was given 14 days home U.K. leave with ration allowance, 1st-15th February 1918.
On 22nd February 1918 he joined the 7th Entrenching Battn and on 14th March 1918 was detached to 1st RMLI.
[PRISONER OF WAR]
On 24th March 1918, John was reported 'MISSING' and nothing was heard until 24th June 1918 when John's family received a P.O.W. postcard from him stating he was a prisoner (at a then unknown camp).
On 29th June 1918 a further letter arrived with the family from John stating that he was a prisoner of war at:- KRIEGSGEFANGENEN, STAMMLAGERS, LIMBURG A/LAHN.
On 27th July 1918 another notification was received that John was being held at PARCHIM which was a German prisoner of war holding camp for men captured on the Western front.
He was 'officially' listed as a P.O.W. on 12th August 1918 at PARCHIM.
On 26th December 1918 John was repatriated and arrived at LEITH and went straight on leave. His MM was sent to him at home in South Shields on 4th January 1919 and was acknowledged on 6th.
John was demobilised on 28th February 1919 with a gratuity of £27 and 10 Shillings.
WE ARE INFORMED THAT THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 550 MM's to the RNVR. ONE ENCOUNTERS FEW IF ANY OF THESE ON LISTS OR AT THE SHOWS. WE HAD A SIMILAR GROUP LAST YEAR WHICH SOLD WITHIN 48 HOURS, SO IF YOU WISH TO ADD THIS LOVELY GROUP TO YOUR COLLECTION, CALL US RIGHT NOW ON, 01342-870926 , 07837-621144 or e-mail us on: dragonbrit@aol.com
MEDALS ARE EF+ ON ORIGINAL MINT RIBBONS ....A SUPERB & RARE GROUP £2995 ...(with part-exchanges welcome )