Victory Medal : Private D Lyne, 48 Battalion, AIF

Victory Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Awarded to 2699 Private Denny (Dennis) (also called 'Dinny' or 'Danny') Lyne for his service in the First World War. Lyne was born at Kerry, Ireland, and was a 21 year old labourer when he enlisted for service in the AIF at Perth, WA, on 19 May 1916. After initial training he was assigned to the 6th Reinforcements to 48 Battalion. He sailed for service on the Western Front aboard HMAT Port Melbourne on 30 October 1916, arriving in England on 28 December. After further training Lyne moved to France where he joined 16 Platoon, D Company of 48 Battalion. Lyne was captured by the Germans at Reincourt, France, on 11 April 1917. Information supplied to the Red Cross by the Germans suggests that Lyne was initially interned at Limburg, before being transferred to Friedrichsfeld in November 1917. However, Lyne's own account in a formal interview after his release (see AWM30 10.13) gives quite a different version of events. Of the circumstances in which he was captured he said, 'On the morning of 11.4.17 we launched an attack against the German position at Reincourt without artillery preparation. We were expecting support from tanks, but the only ones I saw were out of action. I was in the last wave. We had to pass through narrow openings in the German wire which were covered by machine gun fire. We held our position until our supply of bombs and ammunition were exhausted by which time swarms of Germans had broken through on our flanks and we were surrounded. We were completely disorganised, different battalions and waves being mixed together. An officer ...told me to try to get back by taking cover in trenches and shell holes. I managed to get some distance back and about 3.45p.m. was near a trench full of Germans who absolutely cut off my retreat. They rushed upon me using bombs and completely overpowered me'. Lyne was held as a 'prisoner of respite', working as a forced labourer behind the Germans lines sometimes working under allied shell fire. The prisoners were poorly fed and clothed, and were required to work towards the German war effort, making roads, repairing railways, digging trenches and gun pits, and carrying both ammunition and wounded Germans. Lyne was held in towns close to the French-Belgian and French-German borders, including Phalempin, Raisnes, Marchiennes, Mouchecourt, Bellevue, Aniches, and finally at Denain for eight months. In September 1918 the Germans began moving allied prisoners held in France to Germany. Lyne had left Denain and had moved through Fresnes and reached Liege when the Armistice was signed on 11 November. Belgians cared for him until he was able to reach Calais on 7 December, where he crossed to England. After extended leave in Ireland, visiting family members, Lyne returned to Australia in April 1919.