Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An emotive Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of four awarded to The Reverend W. H. Kay, Army Chaplains Department, attached 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment, wounded at Poelcapelle on 4 October 1917, and subsequently killed in action on 5 April 1918

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Rev., A.C.D.); British War and Victory Medals (Rev.); together with memorial plaque (William Henry Kay); large portrait photograph of recipient in uniform wearing M.C. ribbon; and three original newspaper cuttings relating to recipients M.C. and subsequent death in action, generally good very fine or better (5) £2000-2500

M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916 ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action [at Black Horse Bridge on 14 september 1916] . After being daily in the trenches, holding services and encouraging the men, he remained at the advanced dressing station during and after an attack, tending the wounded and assisting them to ambulances under heavy fire.’The Reverend William Henry Kay was killed in action in France and Flanders on 5 April 1918, whilst serving as a Chaplain, 4th Class, with the Army Chaplain’s Department, attached to the 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment. He is buried at Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

The following is extracted from one of the newspaper cuttings included with the lot: ‘The Rev. W. H. Kay was ordained by the Bishop of Birmingham in 1912, and was curate at All Saints Church till 1915, when he was appointed as Chaplain to the Forces. He had seen active service in Egypt and France, and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in bringing in the wounded. He was slightly wounded later on, and seriously wounded again in October last [gun shot wound to back at Poelcapelle]. He returned to france to his old regiment early in January. He was killed by the bursting of a shell whilst taking comforts to the men...’