A FIRST WORLD VICTORY MEDAL TO A DECORATED TANK DRIVER AND C...

Hammer

£200

A FIRST WORLD VICTORY MEDAL TO A DECORATED TANK DRIVER AND CASUALTY WITH THE R.A.F. WITH A COLLECTION OF NON-MILITARY MEDALS. A Great War Victory medal named to Lieut G.C.T. Salter R.A.F. Unmounted in box of issue with ribbon. Geoffrey Charles Taylor Salter was born in 1898, the son of Charles Edward Salter, Doctor of Medicine and Annie Gertrude Salter of South Cliff House, Prince of Wales Terrace, Scarborough. A Second Lieutenant from the 23rd May 1915 he initially served with the 3rd Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment attached to the Tank Corps before being attached to the R.A.F. Salter was awarded the Military Cross on the 18th June 1917 For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the attack on Monchy-le Preux on April 11th 1917 'He handled his tank with the greatest skill and gallantry and although under heavy fire, he cleared a trench of the enemy, which he handed over to the infantry'. His Tank, a MkII Male tank serial number 578, and crew number C21, was known as 'The Perfect Lady' she eventually blown to pieces by artillery leaving one of the seven crew dead and five others wounded. One of three tanks in the Southern Section of the day's attack she can be seen in three photographs in the collection of the Imperial War Museum. At the time of the award he is with the E. Yorks Regiment Special Reserve and Machine Gun Corps. He clearly transferred to the R.A.F. where he seems to have served as a Forward Observation Officer. He is reported as being missing or wounded on the 11th May 1918, and by the 28th is recorded as deceased whilst serving with the 20th Squadron of the R.A.F., he died whilst observing from an FE2d fighter bomber He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Service Memorial. With box and ribbon for his War Medal and another empty box, named to his younger brother 2. Lieut J.H.R. (John Henry Raymond) Salter who served with the Royal Flying Corps and tragically, also died in October 1917 whilst flying a Sopwith Scout B2161 over France. With an Africa Star, a silver gilt N&E Yorkshire Masonic medal, Bar Golfing Society medals and other items. With typed notes regarding the two brothers and their family. *CR Medal as issued. Other items mixed but mostly good.