A fascinating Western Front First Day of the Somme casualty and later award of the Military Medal group awarded to Private, later Serjeant J.R. Tandy, 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment who served on the Western Front from 26th January 1915, he would be wounded in action on 29th September 1915 during the Battle of Loos receiving a gun shot wound to the left hand, and subsequently mentioned in despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January 1916. Recovering, he would be back with his battalion in time for the Somme Offensive, where he would suffer a severe gun shot wound to the right elbow on the first day, 1st July 1916. Awarded the Military Medal in the London Gazette of 14th December 1916 he would return to his unit once more, being wounded for a third time and being taken Prisoner of War on 25th July 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. He would survive to be repatriated after the war.
Group of 4: Military Medal, GVR; (12432 CPL. J.R. TANDY. 4/MIDD’X R.) 1914-1915 Star; (L-12432 PTE. J.R. TANDY. MIDD’X R.). British War Medal (L-12432 SJT. J.R. TANDY. MIDD’X R.) and Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches oakleaf; this medal appears officially re-impressed (L-12432 SGT. J.R. TANDY. 4 MIDD’X R.)
Condition: MM re-pinned, polished and thus About Fine, the Victory Medal officially re-impressed, Very Fine
John Rupert Tandy was born in Marylebone in 1889. A labourer he enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment at Mill Hill. He would see service in Singapore and India before arriving on the Western Front on 26th January 1915. He would be wounded in action on 29th September 1915 during the Battle of Loos receiving a gun shot wound to the left hand, and subsequently would be Mentioned in Despatches on 1st January 1916.
Recovering, he would then take part in the great offensive on the Somme, suffering a severe gun shot wound to the right elbow on 1st July 1916, the first day of the offensive, being awarded a Military Medal in the London Gazette of 14th December 1916.
Finally, he would be wounded in action in the left arm and hip and taken prisoner of war on 25th September 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).
He would be repatriated on 26th December 1918 before being discharged on 18th April 1919.