Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War Italy operations M.M. and Bar group of three awarded to Private W. J. Jones, Honourable Artillery Company - who nearly blew off his C.O’s foot on emptying the revolver of ‘an enormous great Austrian officer’ he had captured

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (9176 Pte. W. J. Jones, 2/H.A.C.); British War and Victory Medals (9176 Pte. H. W. Jones, H.A.C. - Inf.), the second with edge bruise, otherwise good very fine (3) £1200-1500

Of 124 M.Ms awarded to the H.A.C. in the Great War, just three of them were with Second Award Bars.

M.M. London Gazette 28 January 1918.

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 29 March 1919.

William J. Jones, a native of Treffgarne, Wales, enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, H.A.C. (Infantry) in December 1916, and won both of his M.Ms for gallant deeds in Italy, which theatre of war he entered in November 1917.

The action for which he won his Bar took place on the island of Isola di Francia at night, where troops on the south side were in a precarious position with Austrian troops sniping them with the help of Verey lights overhead. Twenty men came over from the north of the island to help out and ‘A regular drive was now instituted. It was just like putting hounds through cover. Private W. Jones, M.M., 2nd H.A.C., about 5ft. 3in. in height, brought in an enormous great Austrian officer, and was so excited with his prize that he instantly emptied the Austrian’s revolver, nearly blowing off his C.O’s foot in so doing. The whole party of the enemy soon threw up their hands.’