Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War M.M. group of five awarded to Serjeant J. F. Smith, Machine Gun Corps, late 1/5th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment - awarded the M.M. for bravery at Gommecourt on the First Day of the Battle of the Somme

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1067 Pte., 1/5 N. & D.R.); 1914-15 Star (1067 Pte., Notts. & Derby. R.); British War & Victory Medals (1067 Sjt., Notts. & Derby. R.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (1067 Pte., 5-Foresters) first with edge bruising, good very fine (5) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Medals to the Sherwood Foresters.

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M.M. London Gazette 23 August 1916.

Citation: ‘For gallantry and devotion to duty when in the attack on Gommecourt Wood on 1st July 1916.’ (ref. British Gallantry Awards, The Sherwood Foresters, compiled by C. Housley).

John F. Smith came from Ripley, Derbyshire. As a Private in the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 1 March 1915. Smith served with the Machine Gun Section of the 1/5th Battalion. On 1 July 1916 he went ‘over the top’ in the attack on Gommecourt. He got to within three or four yards of the German trenches when his captain was hit. Under a barrage of bombs thrown from the enemy trench, he managed to get his officer away and later returned to his machine gun - being the only survivor of it’s crew. For his bravery in action he was awarded the M.M. Smith was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and served as a Serjeant. He was wounded on 8 August 1917 and disembodied on 15 January 1919, returning to live in Ripley.

With copied research.