WW1 Victory Medal to 2nd Lieut Spence A&SH KIA 1918.

A single victory medal correctly named to 2nd Lieutenant Henry Spence of the 7th Territorial battalion Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders.
Henry spence was born in Alloa, Clackmannan in the Central Lowlands of Scotland around 1890.
He enlisted into the 7th battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and arrived in France on 15th December 1914 and on the 6th of January 1915 they came under orders of 10th Brigade in 4th Division until May 1915 when they were amalgamated with 1/9th Battalion. During 1915 they spent their time with trench duties the battalion suffering a gas attack on the 27th May, Henry, now at the rank of lance Corporal, was hospitalised due to the effects of gas. On the 1st of March 1916, they were transferred to 154th Brigade in 51st (Highland) Division. In July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, they assaulted High Wood, which they attacked forcefully during a murderous field of fire without shelter. Though they failed to take the position, they showed a courageous spirit and the division's repute grew and they were chosen to capture the notorious fortress village of Beaumont-Hamel in November 1916, towards the end of the Somme offensive they were noted to have lived up to the reputation of the Highlanders.
By 1917, the 51st division was considered a leading assault division and was handed more and more difficult tasks, throughout the year, from Arras in April/May to the combined tank-infantry assault at Cambrai in November. Henry showed his clear leadership skills and was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant on 26th June 1917.
By early 1918, the 51st division, ad suffered very heavy losses during 1917 and at the battle of St Quentin
and Bapaume. All battalions of the division were desperately under strength; so the tired survivors were given a quiet part of the front line to hold. Unfortunately, the Germans had by chance chosen that location as one of the focal points for their Kaiserschlacht, the last great German assault on the West in March 1918. Although the battalion received new recruits the enemy maintained pressure on their part of the line.
On 26th August 1918, the Highland Division attacked near Arras and had five successive days of fighting in which it captured the strong points at Roeux, Greenland Hill and Plouvain. Henry was probably leading his company during the pursuit to the Selle (October 9th to 11th) this was a rapid Allied advance during the Hundred Days Offensive. It bridged the gap between breaching the Hindenburg Line and the set-piece Battle of the Selle (October 17th to 25th), marking a new phase of semi-mobile warfare.
2nd Lieutenant Henry Spence was killed in action on 13th October 1918, and he is now remembered with honour at the Auberchicourt British Cemetery, France. His parents William and Barbara were informed of his tragic death, around the same time they receive notification of the Death of their other son Robert who died on the 25th October 1918, both were just a sort time away from seeing the end of the war.
His Victory medal is in very good condition and comes with several pages of copied research and paperwork confirming the above. He is also entitled to the 1914/15 star and British war medal.

Code: 31462