TOPIC:

Great War MM group to Private A. Dudley, Royal Army Medical Corps, late Royal Fusiliers


Picture courtesy of DNW

MM (8849 Pte. A. Dudley. R.A.M.C.);
QSA (3) CC SA01 SA02 (7722 Pte. A. Dudley. Rl. Fusiliers.);
1914 Star (8849 Pte. A. Dudley. R.A.M.C.) initial officially corrected;
British War and Victory Medals (8849 Pte. A. Dudley. R.A.M.C.) the Victory Medal officially re-impressed.

Hello
I have been collecting and researching Boer War Medals to the King's Shropshire L.I., and my initial findings regards to soldiers of the Regiment who served in South Africa and going on to serve in WW1, and winning the Military Medal are very few, so when this group came up I snapped it up, I can only find at this time an handful of men with a MM and QSA combination, this topic will insure I look more in to the subject
thank you for bringing this to the forum
Philip
MM and QSA Combination to 6393, Sgt. Frederick Jenkins 7th King's Shropshire Light Infantry

Picture courtesy of DNW

DCM, GV (4940 A.L. Cpl. G. Williams. 1/Linc: Regt.); 
MM GV (4940 Cpl. C. Williams. 1/Linc: R.); 
QSA (4) RoK, Paard, Drie, Joh (4940. Pte: G. Williams. 2/Linc: Rgt:); 
KSA (2) (4940 Pte. G. Williams. Lincoln: Regt.);
1914 Star, with later slide clasp (4940 Pte. G. Williams. 1/Linc: R.); 
BWM and VM (4940 Cpl. G. Williams Linc. R.); 
Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (4795547 W.O. Cl. II. G. Williams DCM., MM 4 - Linc. R.)

DCM LG 30 June 1915:

‘For devotion to duty and ability on the night of 21st February 1915, at Ypres. When a German patrol of about 20 men approached his trench from the rear and opened fire, he collected a few men and dispersed them at point blank range.’

MM LG 16 July 1918.

George Williams resided at Rasen Lane, Lincoln and was employed as a Blacksmith. He served with the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, during the Second Boer War. Williams transferred to the 1st Battalion, and served with them during the Great War. Having advanced to Corporal, WiIliams served with the Battalion in the French theatre of war from 6 September 1914. The Lincoln Leader of June 1915 adds the following:

‘Amongst the list of Lincolnshire heroes who have been fortunate enough to gain the D.C.M., as mentioned in the latest despatch from Field Marshal Sir John French, appears the name of Acting Lance-Corpl. George Willams (4940).

Born at Upton some 35 years ago, Williams came to Lincoln in the early part of his life, and soon joined the Lincolnshire Regiment. During the South African campaign he won two medals for services at Paardeburg, and the Relief of Kimberley. He was on reserve for several years, and when the war broke out in August last was called up to serve with his old regiment, but, as his wife tells us, if he had not been on the reserve he would have volunteered to go, so eager was he to serve his country in her hour of need. Going to Grimsby for two or three weeks’ training he was drafted to the front with the 1st Battalion, and was soon in the thick of the fighting. Most of our readers will, no doubt, be able to form an idea of what our soldiers suffered during this winter campaign, and Corpl. Williams endured those hardships and perils wonderfully well, only having a touch of rheumatics.

On the 11th June he wrote a letter to his wife: “I have some pleasant news for you; I have received the D.C.M. I got to know only yesterday, and I get this medal presented to me by the King and I also get £20.” ‘

Williams served with ‘B’ Company, and The History of The Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918, adds the following for his gallantry at Ypres:

‘During January, and part of February, the 1st Lincolnshire were in a comparatively quiet part of the line east of Kemmel.... On the 17th February the battalion, with the rest of the 9th Brigade, was ordered to Ypres to relive troops in that area. Two other brigades were ordered up at the same time to take the place of a division which needed a rest. The Lincolnshire moved into their new trenches on the 21st. B Company (Captain Boys) found theirs to be a thoroughly untenable ditch, up to the knees in mud and water. The Germans at one point were actually in the same trench, an interval of fifteen yards separating the Lincolnshire and the Germans, with traverses between. In places the Germans were actually in rear, and sentries had to be posted to the rear as well as to the front.

B Company held the left of the line, and C Company lost eleven men killed (shot through the head) in the first half-hour, and later a German raid took place in rear of our trench. The Lincolnshire set to work with a will to improve the line, and the Germans made no more attempts to shoot our men in the back. When the battalion was relieved, our line was like a fortress.’

Williams was presented with the riband for his D.C.M. by the Divisional Commander, Major-General J. A. L. Haldane, on 12 June 1915. He served as Company Sergeant Major with the 4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, after the war and was awarded his Territorial Efficiency Medal in October 1930.

Approximately 35 ‘Relief of Kimberley’ clasps to the Regiment.

The DCM MM group to G Williams just sold for a hammer price of £7,000.

From a C & T auction in 2017


Picture courtesy of C & T Auctions

MMGV (96230 SJT. J. B. JACKSON. 18 / SQ. M.G.C.”)
QSA (5) CC OFS Tr SA01 SA02 (20227 TPR. J. B. JACKSON. 106TH CoY IMP. YEO.”)
1914-15 Star (2414 SJT. J.B. JACKSON, STAFF. YEO”)
BWM & VM (2414 WO. CL. 2. J. B. JACKSON. STAFF. YEO.)
TFEM GV (2414 SJT J. B. JACKSON. STAFF. YEO)

Jesse Barker Jackson was Born in 1880, in Cheadle, Staffordshire. He served in South Africa from 1900 with the Staffordshire company, Imperial Yeomanry, returning home in 1902. During WW1, Jackson served in Egypt from October 1915, with the Hist Staffordshire Yeomanry, attached to the 18th Squadron Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry).

His Military Medal was announced in the unit on the 17th December 1917 and appeared in the London Gazette 10th April 1918. The award was for his actions at Beit Er El Tamta on the 28th November 1917, not long after the brigades fighting at Beersheba, an extract from the war diary describes the action as follows, “Lt. H.D Price took one gun out to a hill about V2 mile to the left flank, and fired 1000 round at the enemy concentrating below the hill to prepare for a counter-attack on the Staffs Yeo. Fire observed to take good effect and enemy concentration dispersed. On his return, Lt. Price discovered that the E.R. Yeo and the Staffs Yeo had already withdrawn from the position that they had held throughout the day, and was subjected to heavy fire whilst withdrawing his gun. The other gun was got out with great difficulty, under a severe fire by the NCO in charge (SGT. Jackson J.B.). Both guns were withdrawn intact with all spare parts. New positions taken up and emplacements made”

From the next Warwick and Warwick auction


Picture courtesy of Warwick and Warwick

MM GV (1/R. Hdrs)
QSA (4) OFS Tr 01 02 (Pte Rl Highrs)
1914 Star trio with date bar and MID oakleaf
Amy LS&GC GV (5927 L.Cpl D.W. Wilson R. Hdrs)

David Wilson's MM was announced in the London Gazette dated 14th September 1916 and his MID on 17th February 1915.

Enlisted 1/2/1895, landed France 13/8/14, discharged 29/1/19. All clasps etc confirmed.