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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 229

A Great War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private C. P. Ashen, Royal Berkshire Regiment, who was seriously wounded during the First Day of the Battle of the Somme, was taken Prisoner of War at the Battle of the Aisne, and received his D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the Battle of Passchendaele

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (12400 Pte C. W. Ashley. 2/R. Berks: R.); 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals (12400 Pte. C. W. Ashen. R. Berks. R.), mounted for display with three Royal Berkshire Regiment cap badges, polished, contact marks, nearly very fine (4)

D.C.M. London Gazette 4 March 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in rallying his platoon and leading them forward when all the platoon N.C.O.'s had become casualties. He collected ammunition from the killed and wounded and distributed it to the men in the line, and afterwards did good work helping to carry back wounded men.'

Charles Philip Ashen (alias Charles William Ashley) attested with the Royal Berkshire Regiment at Birmingham on 1 September 1914 and was posted to the 6th Royal Berkshire Regiment, with whom he embarked for Boulougne in July 1915.

They saw their first major action at the Battle of the Somme, in the attack on Montauban via the Pommiers Trench on 1 July 1916. Ashen suffered severe gun shot wounds to his right arm and buttock and was quickly sent back home. He recovered at the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington until 18 September when he was posted to the 3rd Royal Berkshire Regiment and moved to the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth, where he remained the rest of the year. Unfortunately, Ashen developed scabies and spent further time recovering at Hillsea Hospital before returning to the Portsmouth Southern General Hospital where he had pieces of metal removed.

Ashen was finally well enough to return to the front in April 1917, when he disembarked at Rouen and was posted to the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment, who he joined the following month. Ashen earned his Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the Battle of Passchendaele in December. Ashen later became one of 580 men of the Berkshire Regiment taken prisoner of war during the Battle of the Aisne in May 1918, and was not repatriated to England until just before Christmas that year. In March 1919, Ashen was transferred to Class Z Army Reserve and in February 1920 was discharged upon his re-enlistment into the Royal Fusiliers. He was posted to the 47th Fusiliers, which was raised as an exhumation and grave registration battalion, with whom he was stationed in France until October 1920 and was discharged that month; sold together with comprehensive research.

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Sold for
£1,000

Starting price
£550