A Great War M.M. awarded to Private E. Barnes, 6th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment and Machine Gun Corps

Military Medal G.V.R. (15759 Pte. E. Barnes. 6/Linc: R.) slight edge bruising otherwise good very fine £180-£220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Great War Military Medals to the Lincolnshire Regiment.

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M.M. London Gazette 28 January 1918

Edgar Barnes was born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire in 1897. He first served in the Great War in Gallipoli with the 6th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, arriving on 28 August 1915. During the following months the battalion was subject to extreme weather conditions, scarcity of water, endemic dysentery and continuous front line service in shallow trenches, insecure against Turkish rifle fire. They evacuated Suvla Bay on the night of 20/21 December 1915 without casualty and embarked for Imbros. On 28 January 1916 the Battalion further embarked for Egypt via Mudros where they enjoyed a monotonous but comparatively carefree few months before renewing their acquaintance with the grim realities of war in France, arriving near Arras on 20 July 1916.

It was while the 6th Battalion was in Egypt that Vickers Guns were withdrawn from battalions and brigaded as Machine Gun Companies, being replaced in battalions by Lewis Guns. Barnes transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, returned to the 6th Lincolns and then transferred again back to the Machine Gun Corps, being discharged class Z from the latter on 14 April 1919. His 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were all issued from the rolls of the Machine Gun Corps but his M.M. was issued to the 6th Lincolns. He died in 1922 aged just 24 years.