An outstanding Great War D.C.M. group of five awarded to Private J. S. Draycott, 1st Battalion, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, who was awarded a D.C.M. and the Russian Cross of St. George for his gallantry at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, when his comrade, Private Jacob Rivers, won a posthumous Victoria Cross

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (11588 Pte. J. S. Draycott, 1/Notts. & Derby. Regt.); 1914 Star, with clasp (11588 Pte. J. S. Draycott, 1/Notts. & Derby. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1-11588 Pte. J. S. Draycott, Notts. & Derby. R.); Russia, St. George Cross for Bravery, 4th Class, silver, reverse numbered, ‘127205’, some edge bruising and contact wear, therefore good fine and better (5) £3000-3600

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1915. 

‘For conspicuous gallantry at Neuve Chapelle from 10th to 14th March, 1915. On one occasion he went out with another man and threw bombs on a crowd of the enemy, which caused them to retire in confusion.’

St. George Cross for Bravery, 4th Class London Gazette 25 August 1915.

Jesse Stanbury Draycott, who enlisted in the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment in April 1911, arrived in France as a member of the 1st Battalion on 4 November 1914. Serving in the H.Q. Company, he was awarded the D.C.M. and Cross of St. George for a gallant bombing attack at Neuve Chapelle, 11-12 March 1915, when he received a head wound.

His actions, together with those of Private Jacob Rivers of the same battalion, who was the ‘other man’ referred to in Draycott’s citation, caused the enemy to retire in confusion. Rivers, who was killed in action on 12 March 1915, was awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette 28 April 1915, refers) and his actions were later depicted in Deeds That Thrill The Empire.

The following extract has been taken from The Rotherham Advertiser, 3 July 1915:

‘Many of our Rawmarsh and Parkgate readers will learn with interest that Private J. S. Draycott, the son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Draycott, of 33, Albert Road, Parkgate, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous bravery at Neuve Chapelle, March 10th to 14th. According to a paragraph which appears in the official list of awards, Private Draycott went out with another man and threw bombs at a crowd of the enemy, which caused them to retire in confusion.

Private Draycott belongs to the Sherwood Foresters. He was wounded at Neuve Chapelle, and underwent treatment at the Rouen Hospital in France. Recovering from his wounds he returned to the firing line, but has since been admitted to the hospital again.

In a letter home he says ‘I do not know exactly what is wrong with me. The doctor puts it down that my heart is affected. It is evident there is something wrong with me. I do not feel my old self. I suppose you will have heard about me being awarded the D.C.M. for what I did at Neuve Chapelle. Sir John French didn’t half praise us for what we did there. He could not speak too highly of my chum, who was awarded the V.C. He was proud of him, he said, and would have liked to have taken him by the hand, but the poor fellow got killed in the same attack.’ ‘

Draycott, who was evacuated from a hospital in France in December 1916 and discharged on 11 July 1918, was awarded the Silver War Badge.

Sold with a with a large metal plaque, 410 x 278mm., set on a wooden base, 500 x 350mm., presented by the Rawmarsh Urban District Council, bearing the enamelled badge of the Council, inscribed, ‘Presented to Private Jesse Draycott 11588 1st Sherwood Foresters for bravery and gallant conduct in the field March 11th and 12th 1915 at Neuve Chapelle in a bombing attack with Private Rivers V.C. in attacking the Germans who retired in confusion and we thus regained the trench previously captured by the Germans and for which he gained the D.C.M. and also the Order of St. George in the Great European War. Dated and signed on behalf of the committee the 9th day of April 1917’; together with copied research.