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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 340

(x) A fine Great War 'Dardanelles' D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private H. F. Pickering, Hampshire Regiment, late Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who applied a tourniquet and saved the life of a man 'whilst bullets were flying like rain' around them

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R (11156 Pte. H. F. Pickering. R. War: R.); 1914-15 Star (--- Pte. --- R. War: R.); British War and Victory Medals, with copy M.I.D. oak leaves (11156 Pte. H. F. Pickering. R. War.R.), the second a partially erased replacement, edge bruising and contact marks throughout, nearly very fine (4)


D.C.M. London Gazette 21 June 1916:

'For gallantry and devotion to duty. He stuck to his post when, of his party of three men, one was killed and another wounded.'

The Chasetown News offers more detail:

'He was on outpost duty in No Man's Land, where he, with eight comrades, had been sent to relieve nine others, who reported, "All in order and correct." Things were quiet for a spell, but in less than half-an-hour it began to liven up a bit, and in a short time six of the party were killed and two wounded, Private Pickering alone being untouched. He bandaged the two wounded comrades up, undoubtedly saving the life of one, as a bullet had smashed his arm close to the wrist, and the blood was spurting out. Private Pickering's knowledge of ambulance work thus proved very useful, for afterwards the doctor complimented him on the able manner in which he applied the tourniquet. It was impossible to leave the post without orders, and although the bullets were flying like rain all the time, he had to remain there for two and a half hours, with two wounded and six dead comrades. The commanding officer afterwards complimented him on not losing his head at a critical time.'

Henry Francis Pickering, a former resident of Union Street, Chasetown, served with the 9th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in the Dardanelles from 26 July 1915. Under Major W. A. Gordon, the Battalion advanced up Aghyl Dere on 6-7 August, and crossed Bauchop's Hill on 8 August 1915 to relieve the 9th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. Experiencing steady casualties, the crisis of the attack came on 8 and 9 August at Suvla Bay when the men assaulted Chunuk Bair at the southern end of the main ridge, and followed up with an attack on Koja Chemen. Three units - the 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the 6th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, and 6th Gurkha Rifles - reached the crest and looked down upon the waters of the Dardanelles, but the Turks rallied to a counter-attack and forced the attackers back to the lower slopes from which they started. One company of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment held on until all were surrounded, and it is believed, all perished.

The brief space when the men of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment looked down on the Maidos Road was the nearest approach to decisive victory which the British in Gallipoli were to achieve (The Great War: Gallipoli and Mesopotamia, refers). The 9th Battalion were withdrawn to reserve on 10 August 1915 and remnants of individual units were slowly brought back up to strength with drafts from Lemnos. On 31 August the men moved to reserve trenches at Salt Lake near Suvla Bay, before spending the next three months entrenched around Chocolate Hill - where the monotony was finally broken on 26 November when a terrific rainstorm flooded the occupied trenches, drenched the men to the skin and brought a piercing frost with the wind shifting to the north.

At around this time Pickering began to face significant health problems. Upon examination by a doctor he was found to be seriously affected with jaundice and typhus enteric, being sent to base as a consequence. Evacuated to England, he was sent to hospital in Liverpool. Mentioned in despatches for services with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (London Gazette 13 July 1916, refers), Pickering transferred to the 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, and was discharged Class 'Z' on 22 March 1919; sold with copied MIC and research, including newspaper article from the Chasetown News giving details of Pickering and his brother who served with the Lancaster Regiment in France.


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Sold for
£650

Starting price
£480