Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Petty Officer G. Price, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, attached Royal Naval Division, who was decorated for his services in Nelson Battalion north of Ancre in late 1916 - and was seriously wounded a few weeks before the War’s end

Military Medal, G.V.R. (W.Z-1564 A.P.O., Nelson Bn., R.N.V.R.); 1914-15 Star (W.Z. 1564 A.B., R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (W.Z. 1564 P.O., R.N.V.R.), edge bruising and polished, good fine (4) £800-1000

M.M. London Gazette 19 February 1917.

George Price, a miner from Ystradmynach, Glamorgan, who was born in January 1889, enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in July 1915, and was posted as a Leading Seaman to Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, in January 1916. Having then served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, with whom he was disrated from Acting Petty Officer to Able Seaman for ‘allowing a prisoner to escape from the Guard Room’, he was embarked at Mudros for France in May 1916.

Quickly gaining reinstatement to his former acting rate of Petty Officer, Price also added the M.M. to his accolades, his service record noting the announcement of the award in Nelson Battalion’s routine orders on 10 December 1916, in respect of ‘recent operations north of Ancre’ - a distinction he was presented with in the Field on 2 April 1917, shortly after his advancement to Petty Officer. Later that year, however, he suffered a serious sprain, was admitted to 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Doullens, and did not return to active duty until April 1918, when he was posted to Anson Battalion. But worse was to follow, namely multiple shrapnel and gunshot wounds received in action on 1 October, and he was evacuated to 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell - a subsequent medical survey, held at Chatham Military Hospital in July 1919, awarded him a 50% disability in respect of a damaged thigh. The unfortunate Price was finally discharged from hospital that September and was awarded the King’s Certificate on being invalided in the following month.