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Auction: 19002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 384

(x) A Great War D.C.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer 2nd Class S. H. Mayers, Northumberland Fusiliers, later Machine Gun Corps, who was 'indefatigable' in establishing forward ammunition dumps during the advance towards the Hindenburg Line in early 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (12510 C.S.Mjr: S. Mayers. 61/Coy. M.G.C.); 1914-15 Star (9644 L.Cpl. S. Mayers. North'd Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (9644 W.O. Cl. 2. S. H. Mayers. North'd Fus.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (7807525 W.O. Cl. II. S. H. Mayers. North'd Fus.), minor pitting from Star, otherwise good very fine (5)

D.C.M. London Gazette 17 April 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the whole of the period in which he has served with the company he has shown a high sense of devotion to duty, and has at all times carried out his duties in a highly commendable manner. During the operations he did excellent work, and was indefatigable in establishing forward dumps during the advance, and assisting generally in the task of maintaining communications.'

Sidney H. Mayers, a native of the Isle of Wight, served in France from 16 January 1915 with the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. The Battalion landed at Le Havre and was thrust into the Second Battle of Ypres and Battle of Loos. At the former, the Germans utilised poison gas for the first time on 22 April 1915 in an attempt to renew the offensive against the Ypres salient. An account held by the Imperial War Museum and written by Sergeant Jack Dorgan M.M. of the 7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, describes what happened:

'Our eyes were streaming with water and with pain. Luckily again for me I was one of those who could still see. But we had no protection, no gas masks or anything of that kind. All we had was a roll of bandages from our first aid kit which we carried in the corner of our tunic. So we had very little protection for our eyes. And then you had to be sent back. Anyone who could see, like I was, would go in front. And half a dozen or 10 or 12 men each with their hand on the shoulder of the man in front of them and lines - you could see lines and lines and lines of British soldiers going back with rolls of bandages round their eyes going back towards Ypres.'

Mayers subsequently transferred to 61st Company, Machine Gun Corps, which was formed on 3 March 1916 and constituted part of 61st Brigade. The Brigade served in the trenches of the Western Front for the remainder of the War, including the Battle of Passchendaele, where 61st Brigade lost 914 men on a single day on 22 August 1917. Amongst those fighting in the muddy quagmire with Mayers as part of 61st Brigade would have been Private Harry Patch, aged 19 years old, with the 7th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; sold with copied MIC and London Gazette entry.

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Sold for
£700

Sale 19002 Notices
This lots is imported, therefore it is subject to 5% import VAT on the Hammer Price.