GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
1291
A fine Great War Battle of Loos D.C.M. group of three awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 H. D. Strachan, Royal
Highlanders, who was killed in action at Arras in April 1917 - he was also a recipient of the Wauchope Medal
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, G.V.R. (9478 Sjt. H. Strachan, 2/R. Hdrs.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (9478 W.O. Cl. 2
H. D. Strachan, R. Highrs.), together with related Memorial Plaque (Hugh Strachan), good very fine or better (4)
£1000-1200
D.C.M. London Gazette 30 March 1916:
‘For conspicuous gallantry in leading his platoon after the leader was killed. He charged several times ahead of his bombers and
bayoneted several of the enemy.’
Hugh Drummond Strachan - also the recipient of a 1914 Star - was killed in action on 9 April 1917, while serving in the 9th Battalion,
Black Watch. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. The following obituary notice appeared in The
Dumfermline Press on 12 May 1917:
‘Intimation has been received that Company Sergeant-Major Hugh D. Strachan, D.C.M., Black Watch, was killed in action on 9 April.
He had been in the Army for fourteen years. He left India with the Black Watch at the start of the war, and was in many engagements.
For bravery in the German trenches on 25 September 1915, he was awarded by Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. Wauchope a medal bearing
the inscription: “For conspicuous gallantry in the capture of German trenches, 25 September 1915.” After the Battalion was withdrawn
from the trenches he was sent home on sick leave at the end of 1915, and was presented with the Distinguished Conduct Medal in
Dumfermline by Lord French in August last. A brother, Private Freddie Strachan, Scots Guards, was killed in July 1915. The late
Company Sergeant-Major, who was 29 years of age, was a native of Scone. He resided in Dumfermline for a number of years, and
before enlisting in the Army he was employed with Messrs. Fraser & Carmichael, merchants. He was married in September last, his
young widow residing with her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lamond) at 21 Grieve Street, Dumfermline.’
1292
A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Serjeant William Martin Brown, 7th Battalion
Canadian Infantry
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, G.V.R. (77355 Pte., 7/Can. Inf.); 1914-15 STAR (77355 Pte., 7/Can. Inf.); BRITISH WAR AND
VICTORY MEDALS (77355 Sjt., 7-Can. Inf.) mounted court style for wear; together with CANADIAN MEMORIAL CROSS, G.V.R.
(77355 Sgt. W. Brown, D.C.M.) very fine and better (5) £1000-1200
D.C.M. London Gazette 13 February 1917. ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He displayed great coolness in handling a very
difficult situation. Later, he carried out a valuable reconnaissance under heavy fire.’
William Martin Brown was born on 19 April 1886 in Uphall, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. Living in Cumberland, Vancouver Island and a
Carpenter by occupation, he attested for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Victoria, British Columbia, on 11 November
1914, having previously served 6 years with the Royal Scots. From the 30th Battalion he was transferred to the 7th Battalion in April
1915 and was shortly afterwards posted to France. In April 1916, as a Lance-Corporal, he was tried by Court Martial for ‘leaving his
Guard without orders from a superior officer’; convicted, he was reduced to the ranks. On 9 September 1916 when serving with the 7th
Battalion on the Pozières Ridge, during the battle of the Somme, he received a gun shot wound to the scalp and was invalided to
England where he was treated at the Eastern General Hospital, Cambridge, followed by convalescence at Woodcote Park, Epsom. For
his conspicuous gallantry in action he was awarded the D.C.M. Brown attained the rank of Sergeant on 29 October 1917 and returned
to the 7th Battalion in France only on 8 November 1918. Serving in France until 15 February 1919, he was discharged in Canada on 25
April 1919. Following his death on 14 December 1936, Canadian Memorial Crosses were applied for and awarded to his wife - Mrs
Catherine Brown of Pleasent Valley Mining Company, Princeton, B.C., and to his mother, Mrs Sarah Jane Brown, of Cumberland, B.C.
Sold with a quantity of copied research.
1293
A Great War D.C.M. awarded to Private F. Jones, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, G.V.R. (58286 Pte., 16/R.W. Fus.) edge bruise, good very fine £700-800
D.C.M. London Gazette 5 December 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and fine leadership with his platoon, after the platoon
commander had been wounded. He pushed forward, on his own initiative, and outflanked a hostile machine gun which was holding
up the company. It was due to his covering fire that his company was able to advance, and at the same time he captured sixteen of the
enemy.’
1294
A Great War D.C.M. group of three awarded to Gunner B. Montagu, Royal Artillery
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, G.V.R. (44715 L./Bmdr. B. Montagu, R.F.A.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (L-44715 Gnr. S.
Montague, R.A.), the second with surname spelling ‘Montague’, polished, nearly very fine or better (3) £600-700
D.C.M. London Gazette 10 January 1920:
‘For fine courage and devotion to duty on 29 September 1918, at Ronssoy, under intense enemy shelling. When the No. 1 was
wounded he took over his gun. Twice the remainder of the detachment became casualties, but he maintained his gun in action despite
being wounded himself. He refused to be taken away until the barrage was finished.’
Montagu, who was from South Ealing, was decorated for his services in A/86th Artillery Brigade, R.F.A.
www.dnw.co.uk
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