A Great War 1916 'Battle of the Somme' M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant P. Harrod,...

A Great War 1916 ‘Battle of the Somme’ M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant P. Harrod, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Military Medal, G.V.R. (924 Sjt: P. Harrod. 1/R. War: R.); 1914 Star, with clasp (924 Pnr: Sjt. P. Harrod. R. War. R.) official correction to rank; British War and Victory Medals (924 Sjt. P. Harrod. R. War. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (5094087 Sjt. P. Harrod. R. War. R.) light contact marks, generally very fine and better (5) £360-£440 --- M.M. London Gazette 11 November 1916. Percy Harrod was born in Essex in 1889, the son of John Harrod, a former soldier of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Educated locally, he joined the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment in India, and then returned home and served with the Regiment in France as Pioneer Sergeant from 22 August 1914. Traditionally responsible for carpentry, joinery and related work, the role of a Pioneer Sergeant soon encompassed field defences, obstacles, explosives and demolitions, water supply and general engineering tasks. Surviving the Battles of Le Cateau and Marne, Harrod fought at the Second Battle of Ypres and caught the attention of the Essex Newsman on 30 December 1916 whilst stationed in front-line trenches to the east of the village of Lesboeufs on the Somme: ‘Sergt. Percy Harrod, 1st Warwicks, awarded the Military Medal, is the son of Mr. John Harrod, of Mitchell Avenue, Halstead, and formerly a carpenter at Halstead Factory.’ Surviving the War, Harrod remained in the service of the Army and is listed in 1921 as a Pioneer Sergeant living with his wife Muriel at the Lower Barracks in Chatham. The couple later took residence at 31 Chart Road, Folkestone, and it was here that Harrod died following a short illness in January 1935. According to The Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald of 12 January 1935: ‘The late Mr. Harrod had many friends and was held in great respect, especially in the Morehill district.’