GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
848
A rare Great War M.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant L. A. Haines, 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion, late 5th
Battalion, Australian Imperial Force: wounded on at least three occasions, he was originally recommended for the D.
C.M. for his gallant deeds at Zonnebeke in October 1917
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (4203A Sjt. L. A. Haines, 1/Aust. Pr. Bn.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (4203 Sjt. L. A. Haines, 5
Bn. A.I.F.), surname officially corrected on the second, generally good very fine (3) £1200-1500
M.M. London Gazette 17 December 1917. The original recommendation - for a D.C.M. - states:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the vicinity of Zonnebeke during operations on 4 October 1917. Sergeant Haines
showed initiative and coolness in allotting men their numerous tasks whilst under heavy barrage fire. Although badly wounded in the
head he remained on duty until the completion of a communication trench between the two Divisional flanks. He also assisted
stretcher bearers in getting wounded men over difficult country.’
Lewis Arnold Haines, a farmer from Diggora, near Rochester, Victoria, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915 and was
embarked for France - via Alexandria - on 29 December of the same year. Advanced to Corporal in August 1916, he was wounded by
a gunshot in the left knee on the 24th of the same month and evacuated to the 4th Northern General Hospital in England. Having then
rejoined his unit in France, he won his M.M. for the above cited deeds near Zonnebeke, east of Ypres, on 4 October 1917, when he
received a head wound but remained on duty. However, as verified by his service record, he was again wounded - in the right thigh -
on the 14th of the same month, this time being evacuated to hospital in the U.K. Having once more then rejoined his unit in France, in
February 1918, Haines was finally re-embarked for Australia in July 1919 and discharged that November; also see Lot 623 for his
brother’s awards.
849
A Great War M.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal I. Meakin, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (200501 L. Cpl., 1/5 N. & D. R.-T.F.); BRITISH WAR MEDAL 1914-20 (2399 Pte., Notts. & Derby) both
lacking suspensions, with jeweller’s marks on edge, with edge bruising and contact marks, heavily polished and worn
(2) £80-100
M.M. London Gazette 18 October 1917.
Private Isaac Meakin, Notts & Derby Regiment, came from Belper and entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 25 June 1915.
Awarded the Military Medal during the course of the war, he later served in the Lincolnshire Regiment and was disembodied on 24
January 1919. Entitled to the 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal. With copied m.i.c.
850
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. awarded to Private F. W. Hunt, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (16208 Pte., 2/R. Ir. Regt.) good very fine £300-350
M.M. London Gazette 11 February 1919. The recipient came from Northampton.
851
A Great War M.M. awarded to Private J. Davidson, Royal Highlanders
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (S-4109 Cpl. J. Davidson, 9/R. Hdrs.), one or two minor edge bruises and a little polished,
otherwise very fine £180-220
M.M. London Gazette 18 October 1917.
Joseph Davidson, a native of Kinglassie, first entered the French theatre of war as a Private in the 9th Battalion, Royal Highlanders in
mid-July 1915. As a consequence, he would have been actively employed throughout the battle of Loos, the Battalion leading its
Division’s attack on the Lens Road Redoubt, as well as taking part in the capture of Hill 70 - actions that resulted in casualties of 700
killed or wounded.
Back in action on the Somme in August 1916, his unit suffered another 400 casualties in an attack on High Wood, while in the Arras
offensive of 1917 it broke through the German second line at Monchy le Preux. Having then lent valuable service in the Third Battle of
Ypres, the 9th Battalion suffered heavily in the German “Spring Offensive” of 1918 and had to be temporarily amalgamated with the
4/5th Battalion.
Davidson was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 22 November 1918 refers), and was finally demobilised in
the rank of Corporal in August 1919.
852
A Great War M.M. awarded to Corporal G. Drake, Manchester Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (1726 Cpl. G. Drake, 12/Manch. R.), poorly riveted and slack straight-bar replacement
suspension, nearly very fine £80-100
M.M. London Gazette 16 July 1918.
George Drake, a native of Watford, first entered the French theatre of war as a Private in the 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment, in late
August 1914, and consequently would have quickly seen action near Festubert, where the Battalion sustained its first casualties. Later
still, that December, his unit was heavily engaged in the fighting at Givenchy, suffering losses of 66 killed and 126 wounded. Sometime
thereafter transferring to the 12th Battalion, Drake was most probably decorated for gallant deeds during the German “Spring
Offensive”. He was finally discharged in the rank of Sergeant.
853
A Great War M.M. awarded to Private W. Ryan, 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (7903 Pte., 2/Leins. R.) edge bruising, contact marks, fine £280-320
M.M. London Gazette 3 June 1916.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191