▁East ▁to ▁join ▁his ▁unit ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁missing ▁the ▁just ▁completed ▁Gal lip oli ▁Camp aign . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁Ax ford ' s ▁batt alion ▁went ▁to ▁France ▁to ▁fight ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front . ▁During ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mou quet ▁Farm ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁Ax ford ▁was ▁ev acu ated ▁with ▁shell sh ock . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁batt alion ▁after ▁two ▁days . ▁During ▁most ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁fighting ▁in ▁Belg ium , ▁attack ing ▁the ▁H inden burg ▁Line . ▁During ▁the ▁Third ▁Battle ▁of ▁Y pres , ▁in ▁fighting ▁at ▁G apa ard ▁Farm , ▁Ax ford ▁was ▁badly ▁wounded ▁in ▁the ▁kne e ▁by ▁sh rap nel . ▁After ▁medical ▁treatment ▁in ▁England ▁he ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁batt alion ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁The ▁following ▁month , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lance ▁corpor al . ▁During ▁the ▁Spring ▁Off ensive , ▁from ▁March ▁to ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁ 1 6 th ▁Battalion ▁was ▁heavily ▁engaged ▁in ▁fighting ▁around ▁H é but erne . ▁In ▁May ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Military ▁Medal ▁( MM ). ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ham el , ▁on ▁ 4 ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁that ▁the ▁events ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁Ax ford ▁being ▁awarded ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross ▁(