Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Second World War Chindit operations M.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant H. Bottomley, Commando Platoon, 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was originally recommended for the D.C.M. for his gallantry at Henu in April 1944

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (3451647 Sjt. H. Bottomley, Lan. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with original Chindit and Army Commando uniform patches, and Lancashire Fusiliers cap badge, nearly extremely fine (8) £3000-3500

M.M. London Gazette 26 April 1945. The original recommendation - for a D.C.M. - states:

‘Sergeant Bottomley was Platoon Sergeant of the Commando Platoon which held an important position. The Platoon position was under constant artillery and mortar fire and received mortar attacks for thirteen nights. During this time, Sergeant Bottomley kept his section in constant supply of ammunition and attended to casualties. This task was made extremely difficult as there was not a vestige of cover on the whole position.

In particular, on the night 13 April, when the enemy put in a very strong attack, knocking out 3 L.M.G. bunker positions, Sergeant Bottomley by his immediate grasp of the situation extricated the weapons and wounded men, re-sited the guns and kept the platoon in action during a very critical time. After this he returned to the damaged bunkers and attended to the wounded men.’

Harold Bottomley, a native of Chadderton, was a member of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, which unit joined Orde Wingate’s 77 Indian Infantry Brigade in August 1943. Duly trained in jungle warfare, he and his comrades accompanied Wingate’s second Chindit operation in early 1944, in the course of which Bottomley was decorated for the above cited deeds at Henu, near Maulu, North Burma, on 13 April 1944. His unit, which comprised three sections of Lancashire Fusiliers, one section of Royal Engineers, and one section of West Africans, appears to have served in No. 20 Column, and accordingly came under the overall command of Brigadier “Mad Mike” Calvert.

Bottomley died in November 1993; sold with further details, including correspondence from the recipient.