A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. and Second Award Bar group of seven awarded to Company Quartermaster Sergeant A. E. Morley, 1/5th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, who was twice decorated for gallantry in 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (200106 Sjt: A. E. Morley. 1/5 L’Pool: R.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (1399 Pte. A. E. Morley. L’Pool R.); British War and Victory Medals (1399 C.Sjt. A. E. Morley. L’Pool R.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (200106 C.Q.M. Sjt. A. E. Morley. M.M. 5-The King’s R.) very fine (7) £700-£900

M.M. London Gazette 14 January 1918.

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 7 October 1918.

Alfred Edward Morley was born on 9 October 1891 and lived at 23 Upper High Street, Liverpool, prior to attesting for the 5th Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment, on 26 February 1912. A married labourer, he mobilised at St. Anne Street on 4 August 1914 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. McMaster and went to war stations guarding the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Transferred with the rest of the Liverpool Brigade to Canterbury, Morley volunteered for service overseas in mid-August 1914 and served in France from 21 February 1915 as part of the reinforcements being hastily sent to the Western Front. Landing at Le Havre, the men of the 1/5th King’s Liverpool Regiment were posted to 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, and were soon employed in reserve at the Battle of Festubert providing carrying parties for the assaulting troops.

Remaining in France and Flanders, the Battalion went on to witness all the major engagements of the Great War including the Battle of the Somme, Third Battle of Ypres, Battle of Cambrai and the Battle of the Lys; at the latter, the 1/5th King’s Liverpool Regiment was the left-hand battalion of the Division when the Germans broke through the neighbouring Portuguese troops on 9 April 1918. Forced to retreat to the ‘Old British Line’ and then to the ‘Line of Resistance’, the Liverpool’s dug in and held their positions against waves of determined enemy infantry. Awarded a Bar to his M.M., Morley later witnessed the Hundred Day’s Offensive, including his Battalion’s capture of the Givenchy Craters on 24 August 1918, the capture of Canteleux Trench on 17 September 1918, and the final pursuit to Mons from 2 October 1918 to 11 November 1918. Raised Company Quartermaster Sergeant, he survived the War and attested for the Royal Regiment of Artillery (Lancashire) at Liverpool on 15 April 1924. He served a further four years before returning to civilian life and his home at Ambrose Street, Everton.

Sold with copied research including the recipient’s Army Service Record.