Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Great War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant W. E. Evans, Coldstream Guards, attached 4th Battalion, the Nigeria Regiment, who was killed in action in German East Africa in October 1917

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (9823 Sjt. W. E. Evans, 1/C. Gds.); 1914-15 Star (9823 L. Cpl. W. E. Evans, C. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (9823 Sjt. W. E. Evans, C. Gds.), together with related Memorial Plaque (William Ernest Evans), generally good very fine or better (5) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Coldstream Guards, R.F.C., R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. formed by the late Tom Baugh.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 4 March 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry. He has several times by zeal and enterprise carried out several bombing operations against the enemy, and has three times, as bombing instructor, saved men’s lives by throwing away bombs which have been accidentally dropped. He has been severely wounded in the execution of his duties.’

William Ernest Evans was born in Derby in October 1893 and originally enlisted in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in October 1910. Transferring to the Coldstream Guards in November 1912, he went out to France at the end of December 1914, where he joined the 1st Battalion, and remained actively employed until returning home to take up appointment as a Bombing Instructor in May 1916. In the interim, according to one local newspaper article, he ‘went through the first Ypres battle and was wounded on three occasions, and for six weeks was in hospital at Alnwick’. Other sources, however, suggest his wounds stemmed from a grenade accident.

Be that as it may, Evans transferred to the 4th Battalion, the Nigeria Regiment, in October 1916, and fought out in German East Africa until killed by enemy shellfire at Mahiwa on 16 October 1917. He is buried in the Mtama Cemetery, Lindi Province; sold with the recipient’s original Memorial Scroll and two Coldstream Guards’ certificates, together with a quantity of research.