Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Corporal I. G. Topping, 7th Battalion Border Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R. (15364 A. Cpl., 7/Bord. R.) correction to ‘A’ of rank; 1914-15 Star (15364 Pte., Bord. R.); British War and Victory Medals (15364 Cpl., Bord. R.) nearly extremely fine (4) £350-400

M.M. London Gazette 6 July 1917.

A report in The Carlisle Journal, 7 July 1916 records that Corporal Topping was slightly wounded by shrapnel in the back and was receiving treatment at Chichester Hospital. It further records that he was one of three brothers serving in the armed forces.

A report in The Carlisle Journal, 8 June 1917 reads:

‘Corporal Irving Gibson Topping, Border Regiment, son of Mr T. Topping, Well Flatt View, Nelson Street in this city has been awarded the Military Medal and promotion to the rank he holds, for good work in the recent advance. Corporal Topping was an artist at Messrs. Hudson Scott and Sons and joined the Lonsdale Battalion (11th) on its formation. His descriptions of the camp, the training of the battalion, and their experience in France until they met with disaster on the Somme last July appeared regularly in the “Journal” and formed a running history of the early days of that battalion’s doings. He was one of the first signallers of the battalion, and underwent a special course, by which he qualified as a signalling instructor. When wounded last July, he was a Corporal, but according to regulation he reverted to Lance-Corporal on returning to the Depot after convalescence. He is now in another (7th) battalion. In a recent letter he wrote:

“At the beginning of the week the Battalion tasted to the full the excitement and tragedy of conflict at close quarters, and the day in question will always remain a red-letter day in the Battalion’s history. The position we attacked was one of the strongest held by the enemy, and consequently many a fine chap made the greatest sacrifice. Those of us who came out of the affair have every reason to feel grateful as the fire at times was terrible. The most surprising feature was the cheerfulness of our men, who kept good heart all the time. - My chief duties comprised the laying of the telephone cables and repairing them when they were broken by shell fire. The first was laid myself and another signaller along a mile of our front line, and as this had to be done after midnight we had a few lively times as the enemy opened fire. To add to the difficulties I was feeling unwell. Another line gave us some trouble as it crossed a heavily shelled zone, but in keeping this in repair we had the satisfaction of knowing that the officer was pleased with our efforts, though in my own case I could not do as much as I should have done had I been feeling fit.”

The other signaller mentioned (a Corporal whose name is not stated in the letter has also received the Military Medal.’

With copied Journal extracts, m.i.c. and other research. Medals mounted in a glass-fronted wooden case.