Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The excessively rare Great War Italy operations and Second World War B.E.F. operations ‘double issue’ M.M. group of eight awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 J. W. Newton, The Black Watch, late Northumberland Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry

Military Medal, G.V.R. (34726 Cpl.-L. Sjt. J. W. Newton, 10/North’d. Fus.); Military Medal, G.VI.R. (4440338 W.O. Cl. 2 J. W. Newton, Black Watch); British War and Victory Medals (6-3865 Sjt., North’d. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (4440338 Sjt., 9-Durh. L.I.); Italian War Cross, the second with officially corrected unit, generally very fine or better (8) £3000-4000

Ex Samson collection, Glendining’s, 19 June 1991 (Lot 141).

M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1919. The original recommendation states:

‘During a raid on the enemy trenches this N.C.O. did very good work throughout the raid. He gained the third objective and finding no one there returned to the second objective, and did splendid work in bombing dugouts on the road. He displayed great coolness and skill.’

Second M.M. London Gazette 14 February 1946. The original recommendation - for a D.C.M. - states:

‘At Ficheux on 20 May 1940. For exceptional gallantry, example and leadership when in temporary command of two forward platoons of his company and attached details, with no anti-tank weapons other than one Boyes Rifle, he held up an enemy tank attack by skilful disposition of his men. He then made a personal reconnaissance crossing open ground of over half a mile under heavy machine-gun fire, deliberately exposing himself in steadying the men and later made a personal report to Battalion H.Q., involving a desperately hazardous movement again over open ground swept by enemy light machine-gun and tank fire. Recommended for a D.C.M.’

Of all known cases of “double M.M. recipients” being erroneously issued with a second Medal, Newton, and one other man, are the only two to have been passed over by officialdom in respect of eventually being issued with a Bar, or certainly in the context of awards spanning the two World Wars (see For Bravery in the Field by C. K. Bates and M. G. Smith, pp. 52-53 for further details).

James William Newton was born at West Gateshead in July 1896, the son of a miner, and enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers in May 1915. Joining the 10th Battalion on the Italian front, he went on to win his first M.M. for a trench raid by ‘A’ Company at Sec on the night of 15-16 July 1918, which action also resulted in him being awarded the Italian War Cross (London Gazette 29 November 1918 refers).

Discharged in March 1920, Newton enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry, Territorials, in July of the following year, and transferred to the 12th Battalion as C.S.M. in May 1939, which unit became the 1st Tyneside Scottish, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) that December. He was subsequently embarked for France in April 1940, where he won his second M.M. for the desperate action fought by his unit on 20 May - some accounts crediting him with the dispatch of three German tank crew. Taken P.O.W., he ended the War as an inmate of Stalag 383 at Hohenfels, which establishment was a punishment camp for senior N.C.Os who refused to co-operate with their captors.

Newton continued to serve in the Territorials after the War and was finally discharged in February 1954, by which stage he had qualified for the Efficiency Medal, with Bar - which award he never claimed. He had, however, been awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in May 1930 (Army Order 100 of that month refers).

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including a typed citation for his Great War M.M., signed by a Lieutenant-Colonel, A.A. & Q.M.G., and dated 24 July 1918; the certificate of award for his Italian War Cross, dated 30 March 1922, and Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for his second M.M.