CORPORAL J.L. TINLIN, 11TH COMPANY AUSTRALIAN MACHINE GUN CORPS (LATE 7TH REINFORCEMENT 10TH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY, 50TH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY AND 13TH COMPANY AUSTRALIAN MACHINE GUN CORPS). Two: Military Medal, George V (2457 PTE. J. L. TINLIN. 11/Coy. AUST : M.G.C.) British War Medal (2457 CPL. J L. TINLIN. 10 BN A.I.F.). Both medals attractively toned, the naming to the BWM slightly off-centre on rim, otherwise Extremely Fine, original "silk" ribbons.
Tinlin's Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette of 28/9/1917, page 10039, and was awarded for the third battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). The following citation has been extracted from his service papers: "From 31st July to 3rd August 1917, east of Messines, this man was no. 1 of a machine gun. On the night of 31st July and 1st August the enemy counter-attacked three times and heavily shelled our front line. The fire bays on either side of the gun position were blown in, but he kept his gun firing during the position of danger. His behavior right through the period mentioned and under most trying conditions, both as regards weather and enemy action, and his determination to keep his gun going, were a splendid example to other members of the team."
The 11th Australian Machine Gun Company saw service during WW1 with the 11th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division.
Group accompanied by 21 pages of photocopied pages from Tinlin's Soldier's Papers file. James Lyall Tinlin was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland, England. He enlisted into the Australian army at Kezwick, South Australia, on 29/3/1915. At the time of enlistment he was 28 years and 3 months old, and gave his trade as that of carpenter and his next of kin as his mother, Jane Tinlin, of Woodside Farm, Pontiland, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland. Tinlin was initially posted to the 7th Reinforcement Draft, 10th Battalion A.I.F. He landed in Gallipoli on 17/9/1915, as 2457 Private, and was still serving with the 10th Battalion when it was evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915, Tinlin landing at Alexandria following the evacuation on 29/12/1915. He transferred to the 50th Battalion at Serapeum, 26/2/1916, and from that battalion to the 13th Company Australian Machine Gun Corps on 17/3/1916. Tinlin embarked for England at Alexandria on 8/8/1916, landing at Grantham, Lincolnshire, 26/8/1916. After spending Christmas 1916 in England, he embarked for France on 19/1/1917, landing at Boulogne on 20/1/1917. In France saw service with the 11th Company Australian Machine Gun Corps from 29/1/1917. Promoted Lance Corporal, 20/5/1917, Tinlin was still serving with 11th Company Australian Machine Gun Corps when he won his Military Medal on the night of 31st July - 1st August 1917. Subsequently promoted Corporal, 23/8/1917, Tinlin was wounded in action on 4/10/1917, Battle of Broodseinde, gunshot wounds right arm and shoulder, and evacuated to England. His wounds were so serious that he was eventually repatriated to Australia, where he was discharged unfit for further service on 29/11/1918. Soldier's Papers file included a telegram re. the loss of Tinlin's Discharge Certificate circa September 1968, which gives his then address as 24 Northumberland Gardens, Walbottle, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England.
