Sergeant Walter Tilney was awarded the Military Medal for leadership, gallantry and devotion to duty while serving with Royal Marine Commandos in Italy.

During the darkness on the morning of the 17th September, 1943, in the attack on White Cross Hill (Salerno Sector) this NCO was ordered to destroy an machine-gun post which was impeding the advance of the section. With five men he began to work his way to a position from which he could assault. During this approach four out of the five men were wounded but he pressed on and with the one remaining man and the additional grenades from the wounded men he silenced the gun.