Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Second World War North-West Europe operations M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant E. Skinn, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, a gallant patrol leader who frequently volunteered for ‘tasks of an unusually hazardous nature’, a case in point being the occasion he followed right on the heels of a German patrol through an enemy occupied wood, returning with valuable intelligence - daring that on one occasion resulted in him being wounded

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2990282 Sjt. E. Skinn, A. & S.H.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, in their orginal named card forwarding boxes, together with related regimental badges (3) and a 2nd Battalion sporting medal, dated 1942, extremely fine (9) £2000-2500

M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1946. The original recommendation states:

‘This N.C.O. has throughout the campaign from the earliest days in Normandy shown altogether exceptional qualities of courage and leadership. He proved himself to be the Battalion’s outstanding patrol leader, and has completed many tasks calling for great courage and initiative.

An instance of this was at Nederweert, Holland, when he led a night patrol across heavily mined ground and for over a mile through enemy held woods, following directly behind a section of Germans who were returning from a minelaying patrol. Although enemy sentries could be seen and heard moving about the area of his patrol, Sergeant Skinn remained undetected. The information obtained by him, personally, on this and many other occasions, has proved of the greatest value.

At the commencement of this campaign, this N.C.O. was an officer’s batman, but he so quickly distinguished himself in the first actions that he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. For seven months he commanded a Rifle Platoon with marked success and ability. The spirit and frequency with which he has volunteered for tasks of an unusually hazardous nature and the success with which he has invariably carried these out, are worthy of the highest praise.

Sergeant Skinn was once wounded, but on his return to this Battalion he continued to serve with the same high courage and devotion to duty that he has at all times shown.’

Ernest Skinn was born in March 1914 and was employed as a bus conductor in Leeds prior to joining the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in June 1940. Reference to Skinn’s patrol work is to be found in the 2nd Battalion’s war diary - which unit formed part of 227 Infantry Brigade in VIII Corps - including the above related incident in Holland which occurred in November 1944:

‘B Group sent out a patrol at 2000 hours to “Sausage” Wood on our front. Result was very good as Sergeant Skinn followed an enemy patrol to their base. He also found an enemy pillbox which was unoccupied.’

The very next day the war diary records a similar patrol being led by Skinn:

‘A further fighting patrol was led by Sergeant Skinn of B Group. Just on his objective an attached R.E. stepped on a Schu mine. While putting him on a blanket, another R.E. and an Argyll stepped on mines. The first case lost one foot and died in hospital. The other R.E. lost both feet and the Argyll one foot.’

Skinn was released in March 1946; sold with a selection of coloured photocopies of career documents, including Buckingham Palace forwarding letter, together with copied war diary entries for the 2/Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders for November 1944.