Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private W. H. James, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, late Royal Canadian Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (477485 A.L. Cpl. W. H. James, 7/Can. Bde.-M.G.C.); 1914-15 Star (477458 Pte. W. H. James, R. Can. R.); British War and Victory Medals (477458 W.O. Cl. 2 W. H. James, R.C.R.), some contact marks, nearly very fine and better (4) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Canadian Expeditonary Force 1914-1918.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 19 August 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry during an enemy attack. After his officer and Sergeant had been wounded, he took command of four machine-guns and two Lewis guns, and successfully repelled a hostile attack, when the remaining infantry were badly shaken by mine explosions.’

Walter Henry James, who was born in London, England, in May 1892, enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment at St. David’s, Bermuda, in October 1914, where he remained employed until being embarked for England in August 1915.

Embarked for France in the following month, he transferred to the 7th Canadian Brigade Machine Gun Company in April 1916, and shortly thereafter won his D.C.M. for the above cited deeds on the Somme. Having then been treated for trench feet, he transferred to the 15th Canadian Machine Gun Company in early 1917, but was invalided to the U.K. with influenza in late 1918.

James, who had been advanced to Company Sergeant-Major in February 1917, was discharged in Calgary in April 1919, having at his own request reverted to the ranks; sold with copied service record.