Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.C. group of three awarded to Captain H. Forrest, 7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R., in case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Capt.) good very fine (3) £400-500

M.C. London Gazette 10 December 1919: ‘On the night of 6th October, 1918, near Fressies, information was received that the enemy had withdrawn from the railway. He was ordered to send out a strong patrol at once to take up a position commanding the railway. This he succeeded in accomplishing under heavy fire. On 9th October, during the advance through Abancourt, he led his company with marked skill and dash, and eventually took up a forward position under difficult circumstances.’

Howard Forrest was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in 1915. He served in France with the 10th South Staffs from November 1915, attached to a Trench Mortar Battery in the 9th Division at Ypres (Hill 70). He transferred to the 21st Division at Armentieres and, at the end of March 1916, was at Fricourt on the Somme. He was wounded in the battle of the Somme, 21 July 1916. He returned to France in April 1917 as Lieutenant in the 7th South Staffs, part of the 11th Division, near Bapaume, and took part in the attack at Wytschaete in June. In July 1917 he was promoted to Captain, 2nd in command of a Company, and took part in the battles of Loos, St Pierre and Hill 70. In January 1918 he was at Hulluch, and in August 1918 he went to the Arras front, taking part in the advance on Cambrai, and final advance to Mons and Maubeuge. Sold with further research including copies from the battalion war diaries.