Object Of the Week: Just Another set of Medals?

[The Tank Museum]

 

World War Two service medals can at first appear rather anonymous, commonly seen and arguably a rather bland indication of an individual’s military career. Yet behind every medal group is a story that can tell us something important about the nature of warfare, of citizenship and of sacrifice.

 

In The Tank Museum collection, there is a set of campaign medals awarded to L/Cpl William Francis Aspinall. There were many similar medal groups in the collection already, but in 2007, The Tank Museum bought this set from eBay for £200.

 

Little is known of Aspinall, but we do know he joined the 48th Royal Tank Regiment and in consequence was at Djebel Djaffa in Tunisia on the afternoon of 21 April 1943.

 

As the Gunner of a Churchill tank commanded by Captain Alan Lott, he was part of the A Squadron attack on a hill held by German forces. It was on that hill that Tiger 131 would later be captured. But this prize came at a cost.

 

Aspinall’s Churchill hit a Panzer III, then was in turn hit by a round that penetrated just below the gun mantlet, causing it to explode. Eye-witness Lt. Peter Gudgin believed that this shot can only have come from the 88mm gun of a Tiger Tank.

 

Aspinall, the driver Tpr Bernard Marriot and the co-driver Tpr Richard Smith were all killed. Alan Lott was badly burned and died two weeks later. Peter Gudgin’s Churchill tank was knocked out by Tiger 131 minutes later, but his crew all survived.

 

Museum Curator David Willey said; “Aspinall and his colleagues who died that day fought for an ultimate cause that even in today’s non-judgemental era shines out as a truly worthy fight. He was on the right side; the others - however brave - were not.”

 

“While we can become fascinated with the design, the ingenuity and sheer presence of a vehicle like the Tiger, we cannot let ourselves forget what the machine was made for and the regime that used it. To do so would be of great disservice not just to the memory of the likes of William Aspinall, but it also diminishes our own intelligence.”

 

We would be interested to hear from anyone with more information on William Aspinall.

 

 

 

[eddy8men]

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