Orders, Decorations and Medals

An Immediate ‘Kohima’ M.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant R. W. Sanger, Royal Corps of Signals

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2322107 Sjt., R.Signals) several letters of unit officially reimpressed, with named Buckingham Palace transmission slip, card box of issue for medal and larger fitted card box for medal and slip; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, nearly extremely fine (4) £300-400

M.M. London Gazette 28 June 1945.

Recommendation states ‘Between 19 April 1944 and 20 June 1944, this N.C.O. showed consistent devotion to duty and disregard of danger in his eagerness to establish line communications in the Kohima area. His cheerful bearing during long periods of very hard work was a constant inspiration to his detachment and he never allowed enemy action to interfere with the job in hand. In particular on 9 May 1944, he laid a line to the 4 Inf. Bde. up a mule track on which he well knew Jap. patrols were active. The line was cut by the enemy and he had to be restrained by an officer from going out alone to attempt repair. Again on 26, 27 and 28 May 1944 whilst attached to 6 Inf. Bde. for the ascent and attack on Aradura Spur he exceeded his orders and laid beyond Bde. H.Q., through the leading battalion and to the 143 S.S. Coy. who were the leading troops. He was specially recommended for his work on this occasion to me by C.O., 1 R.Berks. who was shortly afterwards evacuated wounded. Generally a great deal of his work was done under fire and he constantly laid lines through territory in which it was known enemy parties were operating.’ (With photocopy of recommendation and a copy of ‘The Wire’, the corps magazine of the Royal Signals which gives details of their part in the Battle of Kohima and mentions Sanger by name).