Italy, Kingdom, Al Valore Militare, bronze, obverse with crowned ‘Z’ and ‘F.G’ below wreath, reverse engraved, ‘Reid William; Casa Matteucci 17-1-1945’, good very fine £350-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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Lieutenant William Adrian Lockhart Reid, North Irish Horse and Royal Armoured Corps, awarded the M.C. for services in Italy, London Gazette 5 July 1945. Recommendation reads:

‘In the area N.E. of Alfonsine for outstanding courage and leadership on 16 January 1945. On this date Lieutenant Reid was a Troop Commander in support of a company of the Italian Gruppo “Cremona.” An outpost - Casa Giazol – had been lost the previous night by the Gruppo and it was the intention to recapture it with a platoon supported by two tanks of Lieutenant Reid’s troop.

The attack started to time and the two tanks with Lieutenant Reid in one of them moved to their battle positions. This was in fact the first action these Italian troops had taken part in with tanks and shortly after passing the start line the Italian platoon melted away. Undeterred by this Lieutenant Reid kept his tanks in action and engaging the enemy with Browning and 75 he kept their heads down while the British Major attached to the Italians battalion organised a fresh platoon for a second attempt. Some half hour elapsed before the second platoon was launched and during this time Lieutenant Reid directing his tank from his turret was wounded in the head. Applying his first field dressing Lieutenant Reid again exposed himself out of his turret and on the appearance of the Italian platoon pressed the attack home to within 30 yards of the objective. His tanks were by then being engaged by bazookas from Casa Giazol and several near misses went over Lieutenant Reid’s head. He kept his tank in action until his ammunition was exhausted and realising there was insufficient infantry to take the house he covered the retreat of the remaining men back to the start line. A heavy artillery concentration was then put down by the enemy but leaving his tank, Lieutenant Reid saw both his tanks on to the main road en route to their harbour. He then returned on foot to Casa Matteucci – the nearest outpost to the enemy – to ensure that the position was organised for defence. Only after having satisfied himself on these matters would Lieutenant Reid allow himself to be evacuated. Although the action was not successful eventually the high courage and utter disregard of danger show by Lieutenant Reid were an inspiration to the Italian troops and an outstanding example of the best traditions of the British officer which was not lost on these foreign troops’.

Additionally awarded the Al Valore Militare for the same action.

With some copied research.