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Auction: 6007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 451

West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2999 L. Cpl. Sorie Karnu. S-L. Bn:-W.A.F.F.), minor edge bruising, nearly very fine/extremely fine, extremely rare Estimate £ 1,200-1,500Each D.C.M. was to be published in the relevant local Government Gazette, however, as is the case with this particular award, many seem not to have been gazetted. 2999 Lance Corporal Sorie Karnu is listed as being awarded his D.C.M. for action in the Cameroons, and his medal was issued from Woolwich 22.8.1916. M.I.D. London Gazette 31.5.1916 Dobell´s Despatches ´For Cameroons´ One of only four West Africa Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medals awarded to the Sierra Leone Battalion for the Great War. Sierra Leone Battalion ´On 22nd of August 1914, two Companies were embarked for Togoland. There they not actively engaged and after a fortnight at Lome they were sent on to the Cameroons. They took part in the operations prior to the surrender of Duala, were subsequently formed with two Companies of the Gold Coast Regiment into a composite battlion, operated on the Northern Railway with the troops under Lt. Col. Haywood´s command and took part in the successful attacks on Jabassi and Buea. On 27th January 1915 they were joined at Duala by the other four Companies of the battalion from Sierra Leone and the Battalion became completely united. The Battalion left the Cameroons towards the end of April 1916 after twenty months on active service. The total casualties amounted to three officers and 108 rank and file.´ (The African D.C.M., J. Arnold, 1998, refers)

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£1,100