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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 577

A Great War D.C.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant A. H. Partridge, Devonshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (8915 Sjt: A. H. Partridge. 2/Devon:R.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8915 Dmr: A. H. Partridge. 2/Devon:R); British War and Victory Medals (8915 Sjt. A. H. Partridge. Devon.R.); Defence Medal 1939-45, the first heavily polished, the remainder nearly very fine (5)

D.C.M. London Gazette 26 January 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took command of his company on his own initiative, when all the officers and non-commissioned officers had become casualties, and led it forward to the attack with great dash and gallantry. He helped to drive back a hostile counter-attack, and brought the company out of action with skill and fine leadership, having greatly inspired all ranks by his personal example.'

Alfred Henry Partridge served in France with the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, from 6 November 1914. The Battalion immediately saw action at Messines, where, in two tours of the trenches near Neuve Chapelle, it suffered 20 casualties and lost a further 70 men to sickness, mostly frostbite. In December, the Battalion captured a German position known as the 'Moated Grange', at a cost of 128 casualties.

Heavily engaged at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in 1915, the 2nd Battalion later attacked German lines between Ovillers and La Boiselle on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and lost 232 killed and 199 wounded, many of whom fell to German machine guns in Mash Valley. In June 1917, the Battalion moved north to Ypres and on 25 November took part in a successful attack, before repulsing a German counter-attack. The action cost 34 lives, including those of the new Colonel and his Second-in-Command. It is likely that this action led to the award of the D.C.M. to Sergeant Partridge; sold with copied research.

Reference source:

https://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/first+world+war/the+devonshire+regiment/the+second+battalion

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Sold for
£750