Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Second World War escaper’s M.M. group of four awarded to Sapper R. W. Shears, Royal Engineers: having escaped in June 1940 - by knocking out his sentry - he reached the U.K. in March 1941, but not before further periods of incarceration in Vichy France and Spain

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (6913697 Spr. R. W. Shears, R.E.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals, contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine (4) £1600-1800

M.M. London Gazette 4 November 1941. The original recommendation states:

‘This soldier was taken prisoner with the rest of his Company at St. Valery-en-Caux on 12 June 1940. The column was marched as far as Tournai, where some 5,000 prisoners of war were under guard in an open field. Sapper Shears escaped on 28 June by knocking out a sentry and scrambling through the wire. Following the Pas-de-Calais Canal, he made his way to Calais, but, as he was unable to find a boat, he retraced his steps towards Paris, stopping on the way for two months in Bethune. Assisted by an organisation which bought tickets for him and another British soldier, he then went on by rail to Bordeaux. He crossed into unoccupied France near Perigueux on 5 November and made for Marseilles. There he was arrested and interned, first at Fort St. Jean and then at St. Hippolyte du Fort. On 12 February 1941, he escaped and crossed the Pyrenees into Spain, where he was arrested and imprisoned for five weeks before his final release and repatriation.’