Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War ‘Asiago’ operations D.C.M. group of four awarded to Company Sergeant-Major W. J. Coggins, 1/4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (200100 C.S. Mjr. W. J. Coggins, 1/4 Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); 1914-15 Star (1556 C.S. Mjr. W. J., Coggins, Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (1556 W.O. Cl. 2 W. J. Coggins, Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) contact pitting, otherwise very fine (4) £1200-1500

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 October 1918. The following citation, which gives greater detail than that published in the London Gazette, is taken from the War Record of the 1/4th Bn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry by Major P. Pickford:

‘On the night of 14 May 1918 he was with a fighting patrol of one officer and thirty other ranks which attacked an enemy post just outside the enemy wire south of Asiago. The officer became a casualty in the first rush but C.S.M. Coggins immediately took charge and led the platoon after the retreating enemy of whom one was taken prisoner and several killed. He set a splendid example of pluck and initiative in the attack and afterwards organised a rear guard which prevented the enemy, now reinforced, from interfering with the carrying in of the wounded officer.’