Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Battle of Gaza’ D.C.M. awarded to Company Sergeant-Major F. J. Rolph, 1/6th Essex Regiment, late 22nd London Regiment (The Queen’s)

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (275173 C.S. Mjr. F. J. Rolph, 1/6 Essex R.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (1575 Sjt. F. Rolph, Essex R.); British War and Victory Medals (1575 W.O.Cl.2 F. Rolph, Essex R.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (688359 C.S. Mjr. F. J. Rolph, 22/Lond. R.) extremely fine £1600-1800

D.C.M. London Gazette 16 August 1917.

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed great fearlessness and sound judgement in selecting positions for his men when under fire, and behaved very finely throughout.”

Sergeant Frederick J. Rolph entered the Balkan theatre on 10 August 1915 with the 1/6th Essex who landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, on 12 August 1915. The battalion moved to Alexandria at the end of the year and took part in the Palestine campaign through to the end of the war.

Rolphs expolits of 26 March 1917, during what became known as the First Battle of Gaza are told in his own words in Essex Units in the War 19114-1919:

‘C.S.M. F. J. Rolph, of “A” Company, 6th Essex, tells in considerable detail the story of the day’s eventful and tragic happenings:

“At about 6 a.m. we were issuing water, when Captain Tee rushed up and said, ‘We have got to go up at once.’ It seemed a great pity, for we were without water. Some poor beggars gad drained their bottles in anticipation of getting them filled. Up we went and were soon moving over the plain which we had crossed the day before. There were a few shells about; also machine guns, but they did not do much damage. There were rows of casualties from the previous day, which seemed to be all from Welsh regiments - it was on the extreme right of our line. I don’t think there were any Turks to stop us or they would have enfiladed us as we passed along in waves in front of their trenches. I saw Captain Tee yo the left, so went over to him. He was standing under a tree, telling some men off for bunching just in front. We were held up for a while, as the artillery was shelling [the] Mosque on top of Ali el Muntar.

Then we crossed the sunken road and waited behind a cactus hedge and it was at this spot that Lieut. R. E. Cook took the photographs which appear in this volume. When the shelling ceased, I pushed on with Lance-Corporal Barry, and explored a trench on the right, by means of which we were the first at the Mosque. Seeing a little fort in front, we rushed over, but beyond machine guns we found nothing. When we got back to the Mosque men were put into the trench. Lance-Corporal Gibbs and a few men pushed after the Turks, who were located in some rows of cacti a few fields in front of us. I called him back but he did not respond and it was the last I saw of him. The enemy were easily visible and we saw some of them go into Gaza itself, which lay to our left. After a while - I have no idea of time - we saw something which appeared to be sheep or goats coming over the hills from a direction which we later knew to be Beersheba. Then through glasses they were identified as troops, but we were uncertain of their nationality, some of us thinking they were Indians. The Turks in front waved a white flag, which we thought was in token of surrender, but it was probable they were signalling the oncoming Turks, concerning whom we were then under no illusions. Events moved rapidly and a written message came from Colonel Bowker, ‘Withdraw fighting westward,’ brought by Private Swift, to whom many of us owed our safety. It was high ground where we were and we could see right over the plain. There was a good deal of machine gun fire from the extreme left of the Turkish line, which caused casualties, among them Private Dick Freeman. Private G. Brazier was firing from behind a cactus hedge when a bullet came through one of the thick leaves and the juice spurted over his glasses. He had something very emphatic to say about the Turks. Another little incident I always remember when we were busy getting away. I noticed one private laying back in a trench pulling cactus thorns out of his knees. To get from the Mosque we had to cross the sunken road and it was there that poor old “A” Company and some of “B” Company, who had reinforced us, caught it, for I shall always believe ‘Jacko’ had a machine gun on the plain and another from the town trained on that spot. We went over one at a time and it was whilst standing on the other side that I saw the last of Lance-Corporal Skinner. We made our way along the Turkish front line trench for some way and then a few of us crossed over towards the sea - still inside the defences - and sheltered, as we thought, in some hollow ground, but soon found that the enemy had got the range, apparently with a machine gun from the Mosque. Several men were hit and some of us rushed out and after a time observed some of our troops holding a hill (Queen’s Hill) on our half right. I made my way over and found a line composed of Essex and 53rd Division. It was a good job we left the trench when we did, for most of those who remained were either killed or captured. The Turks sprayed us with shrapnel and as I had not an entrenching implement, I lay in a little gully. It was funny, nut on the plain the previous day I had waited on the wounded for one. I got one, but gave it away and could not get another. Leather equipment was scarce. The Turks did not seem inclined to attack, so the order was given ‘Essex back to the Mansura.’ Back we went - hot tired and thirsty. I ran across Colonel Bowker, who took the saddle off a Lewis gun mule and rode it. Presently we saw a crowd round a well, who called us over. Found they were Essex, who were lowering mess tins in puttees and fetching up dirty muddy water. I filled myself until I bubbled over. We then reached Mansura and found the 5th [Essex] holding the line across the plain. There Colonel Bowker organized us into two companies.”

The action of Colonel Bowker in aorganizing a line of resistance upon Lees Hill and Queen’s Hill was a notable exhibition of prompt judgement and resolution. The retiring companies, disordered by the nature of the ground, suffering severely from thirst, and without knowledge of the actual position of affairs, save that the troops were withdrawing, were rallied by the stubborn Colonel and so disposed as to present a fighting front to the Turk, should he decide to continue his advance. The enemy contented himself with the occupation of his old positions and so Colonel Bowker’s new line was not tested, but it none the less had the effect of maintaining cohesion at a critical time.’

Lance-Corporal F. J. Rolph is listed as one of the wounded in this action.