THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO SERGEANT WILLIAM TRAYNOR, THE WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, WAS SOLD AT AUCTION BY DIX NOONAN WEBB OF LONDON AND ACQUIRED BY THE LORD ASHCROFT VC COLLECTION.
1 September 2013


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Sergeant William Traynor,
2nd Bn, West Yorkshire Regiment

  • Victoria Cross
  • Queen's South Africa Medal ( 1899-1902 )
    • 6 clasps:
    • "Tugela Heights" - "Orange Free State" - "Relief of Ladysmith"
    • "Transvaal" - "Laing's Nek" - "South Africa 1901"
  • King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
  • Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953 )


The Victoria Cross, campaign medal and commemorative medals awarded to Sergeant William Traynor, 2nd Bn, Prince of Wales's Own ( West Yorkshire ) Regiment, were sold at auction by the London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb on 13th December 2012. The sale hammer price realised £160,000. The VC group was acquired by the Michael Ashcroft Trust the holding institution for the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection. The group will go on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery housed in the Imperial War Museum, London.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 17 September 1901 ], Bothwell Camp, South Africa, 6 February 1901, Sergeant William Bernard Traynor, 2nd Bn, Prince of Wales's Own ( West Yorkshire ) Regiment.

During the night attack on Bothwell Camp on the 6th February 1901, Sergeant Traynor jumped out of a trench and ran out under an extremely heavy fire to the assistance of a wounded man. While running out he was severely wounded, and being unable to carry the man by himself he called for assistance. Lance--Corporal Lintott at once came to him and between them they carried the wounded soldier into shelter.

After this, although severely wounded, Sergeant Traynor remained in command of his section, and was most cheerful, encouraging his men till the attack failed.

William Traynor was invested with his Victoria Cross by Colonel Edward Stevenson Browne VC at the West Yorkshire Regimental Barracks, York, on the 2nd July 1902.


William Traynor died in the Buckland Hospital, Dover, Kent, on the 20th October 1954 and was buried in the city's Charlton Cemetery.

Acquisitions

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Iain Stewart, 1 September 2013