Rare bravery medal to go up for auction
A rare George VI bravery medal which belonged to a Staffordshire soldier is set to go up for auction in Wolverhampton this month.
It is part of a collection which belonged to Sergeant William John Tamms of the Royal Army Service Corps (Stone) which will go under the hammer at Cuttlestones' Wolverhampton Auction Rooms on November 30.
Sgt Tamm's impressive war record included spells in the British North Africa campaigns under General Montgomery and the invasion of Sicily and Italy before he was drafted to serve in the Normandy D-Day landings.
His bravery in the field medal was awarded for saving a soldier from a burning ammunition truck whilst under enemy fire. It carries a guide price of £800 to £1,200. Also in the collection at the auction are a further five medals, a signed letter from the King, a company photograph signed by General Montgomery, and other fob medals and medallions.
Wolverhampton sale room manager Tom Waldron, said: "Second World War George VI Bravery medals of this sort are very rare indeed and this example will be of even greater significance to collectors given that Sergeant Tamms was from the Staffordshire area.
"However, it is other elements within the collection – such as the King's letter expressing his joint congratulations and regret that he could not award the medal to Sergeant Tamms in person – and the signed Montgomery company photograph – that really makes it stand out."
