Beschreibung:

A Rare 1918 March Retreat Great War Group of Three to Sergeant W. J. Tyack of No.3 Section, A Company, 8th Battalion, Machine Gun Corp, British War and Victory Medals (108226 Sjt. W. J. Tyack. M.G.C.) Defence Medal, enlisted April 20th 1918, aged 18 years.Photographs and original Machine Gun Corp Cloth Insignia of the recipient Sergeant Tyack's Handwritten Note-Book, written at the time, inscribed in pencil, including 'nominal roll', details of members of machine gun teams, and diary entries, titled 'The Great Retreat March 31st (1918)21st - 8th Division rushed from Ypres to the Somme22nd - Go in action, are opposed by 10 divs to 1. We retreat 12 kilo fighting rear-guard actions, 2 teams and guns captured, i manage to get away23rd - We cover retreat of West Yorks as they fall back over the Somme. Lose my officer and another gun. Am one of last to cross bridge before being blown up.day am ordered to cover the retreat of Middlesex. The Germans advance in mass formation, we mow them down in front, but get surrounded on flanks. officer says 'no surrender'. We put gun out of action and 14 of us fight our way out with revolvers. We get shot down and i am the sole survivor, have had nothing to eat or any sleep for three days. Humour running out of my eyes, i can hardly get along, find my way by map as best i can, first British i meet 6 kilo away. '1 Officer, myself and 9 men answer roll call out of 187'..................... th Division Parchment Certificate for Gallant Conduct and Devotion to Duty Awarded by the General Officer Commanding 8th Division to :- No.108226, Lance Corporal William Tyack, 8th battalion Machine Gun Corps 'At Brie on 25th March, 1918, Lance-Corporal Tyack showed great gallantry and resource in keeping his gun in action until the last possible moment. He covered the retirement of the infantry and hung on to his position until the enemy were within 50 yards and then succeeded in getting his gun away - 26th May 1918. A Rare Original Ink Inscribed Exercise Book 'W. J. Tyack, 108226, Hut 24, 23 Coy, 4th Batt., Machine Gun corps, Clipstone Camp, Notts, Sep 24 1917' detailing his training on the machine gun, 'care & cleaning', 'aiming instructions', 'immediate action'.............