Orders, Decorations and Medals

A mounted group of eight miniature dress medals representative of the medals awarded to Major J. W. Scott, East Yorkshire Regiment, George Medal, G.VI.R.; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq 1924-25; 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Territorial, mounted for display, generally good very fine (8) £50-70

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Miniature Medals from the Collection of Ian McInnes.

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G.M. London Gazette 7 July 1944. ‘Captain (temporary Major) John William Scott, The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own)’. Recommendation states: ‘On the 26th April, 1944, a party of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer personnel was practising throwing No.36 Grenades. Major Scott was superintending the practice, when a Craftsman failed to throw his grenade, dropping it close to him. The man moved away a couple of paces, and lay down, thus exposing himself to the burst of the grenade which contained a four second fuse. Major Scott endeavoured to make this Craftsman move but was unsuccessful. As there was insufficient time to pick up the bomb and throw it, Major Scott threw himself on the ground, shielding the Craftsman with his own body. The bomb exploded, severely injuring Major Scott; the Craftsman escaped without injury. This was a very gallant example of an Officer entirely disregarding self in order to ensure, as far as humanly possible, the safety of personnel under his charge’.

Efficiency Decoration London Gazette 16 February 1951.

John William Scott was born in 1902 and enlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment at Sheffield on 19 June 1919. By March 1920 he had attained the rank of Sergeant. With the regiment he served in Iraq, 1921-23. He was employed as an Instructor with the 4th Battalion until 1929 when he joined 2nd Battalion, firstly as C.Q.M.S. and subsequently C.S.M. He then returned to the 4th Battalion as R.S.M. In 1939 he was appointed Q.M. of the 5th Battalion and in early 1940 was posted to France and was later evacuated from Dunkirk. In 1941 he received a Combatant Commission and was posted to the 4th Battalion and in 1942 was transferred to the 6th (Home Defence) Battalion. Later that year he was posted as Adjutant to 24 Battalion R.E.M.E., and in 1943 he was promoted to Major Commanding the R.E.M.E. Training Centre at Tuxford, Nottinghamshire where he remained until the end of the war. It was here that he bravely protected a trainee Craftsman of the R.E.M.E. and was awarded the George Medal. In 1946 he was granted a Short Service Commission for three years and was posted to the Holding Battalion at Catterick. He retired in 1949 but immediately joined the Territorial Army. Major Scott served as an Army Recruiting Officer in York, 1950-61. Sold with copied research. The miniature group is illustrated in The Annuity Meritorious Service Medal 1847-1953, First Supplement by Ian McInnes.

These medals are representative of the awards to the above and have been assembled in recent years for display purposes.