A fine Great War 1915 ‘Battle of Loos’ D.C.M. group of nine awarded to Warrant Officer Class II W. G. Howard, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches for helping to recapture the guns at Vlakfontein during the Boer War and finally received his M.S.M in 1941

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (12-7231 C. S. Mjr: W. G. Howard. 12/N. & D.R.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 2229 Sergt. W. Howard. 2d. Bn. Derby: Regt.) initial officially corrected; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (2229 Serjt: W. Howard. Notts: & Derby: Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (2229 Clr:-Serjt: M. [sic] Howard. Notts: & Derby: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (7231 C. S. Mjr. W. G. Howard. Notts: & Derby: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7231 W.O. Cl.2 W. G. Howard. Notts. & Derby. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (2229 Clr: Sjt: W. Howard. N. & D. Regt.); Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Col. Sjt. W. G. Howard. Notts. & Derby R.) contact marks and minor edge bruising, nearly very fine, the Great War awards better, the MSM extremely fine (9) £2200-2600

D.C.M. London Gazette 21 June 1916:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and good work throughout the campaign.’

William George Howard was born in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, in 1869, and ‘enlisted into the Sherwood Foresters on 5 January 1888 and was sent to join the 1st Battalion in Ireland. From there in 1890 I went to India and joined the 2nd Battalion. Soon afterwards my battalion moved to Umballa, and on to Darghai. We were then sent to the Punjab Frontier, and went through the Tirah Campaign, and after several sharp engagements through Tirah we moved into the Khyber Pass. The campaign being over we were awarded a medal with two clasps. Afterwards my battalion went to Aden for a year, and then landed in Malta. The South African War having broken out, the 1st Battalion was sent to South Africa, and I went to join them, and through Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, and Transvaal, and after sharp engagements the War ended and we were awarded two medals and five clasps. From there I went to Hong Kong with the Battalion, and up to North China, Legation Guard, Peking, Tientsin, Shanghai, and Wei-hai-wei. from there down to Hong Kong again, and was then stationed in Singapore, and I then went to India again, this time to Bangalore. I was awarded a medal for long service and good conduct, and I went home. In 1909 I was discharged with the rank of Colour Sergeant, and I was awarded sixpence per diem on my pension for gallant conduct in the two previous campaigns.
The Great War broke out and I enlisted again with the Sherwood Foresters, and at the Battle of Loos I was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. I went through several engagements, went to Ypres and the Somme, and when the War was over I was discharged and received two further medals and a Star.’ (recipient’s own account of his service career refers).

For his services in the Boer War, Howard was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 23 June 1902) for ‘helping to recapture the guns at Vlakfontein and for general good service. He has repeatedly volunteered for special and dangerous work.’ Awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal per Army Order 90 in April 1906, he was discharged on 19 November 1909 after 21 years and 319 days’ service, having served continuously overseas from 15 October 1890 until 8 November 1907. He re-enlisted for service during the Great War on 23 September 1914, and served with the 12th Battalion on the Western Front from 30 August 1915, being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry at Loos. Promoted Warrant Officer Class II, he was finally discharged on 20 January 1919 and, suffering from sickness, was awarded a Silver War badge.

Howard’s final medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, together with an annuity, was awarded per Army Order 227 of 1941, an award that, as it came during the Second World War, was tinged with some sadness: ‘Seventy-three year old William George Howard, an old-time soldier, has been decorated nine times and has fought for Britain under three reigns. His ninth decoration, the Meritorious Medal, has just been presented to him. Yet these these days he does not feel as happy as he could. Nearly all his life, from 1888 until the last war, he was a professional soldier, with a fine record of tough fights. He cannot bear having to sit a War out. “When our lads get a better scrap with the Germans”, he said, “they will show them how it is do, like they did in the last war and during earlier campaigns.”’ (article in the Manchester Evening News, dated 1 August 1941 refers).

With all nine medals in his group named to the Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, Howard’s group is unique to the Regiment.

Sold with various copied research including a photographic image of the recipient.