Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

Four: Warrant Officer Class 2 J. T. Greengrass, Royal Artillery, a survivor of ‘L’ Battery, R.H.A’s legendary stand at Nery in 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (43552 A. Bmbr., R.H.A.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (43552 W.O. Cl. 2, R.A.); Coronation 1937 very fine or better (4) £300-500

John Thomas Greengrass first entered the French theatre of war on 15 August 1914 as an Acting Bombardier in ‘L’ Battery, R.H.A. Two weeks later, on 1 September, at Nery, the Battery fought one of the bravest actions of the War and won three V.Cs. Such was the ferocity of the Germans bombardment of the Battery - ‘a storm of shot and shell’ - that only three of its six guns could be brought into action, two of them quickly being knocked out at a range of just 600 yards. Having started the action with over 200 men, ‘L’ Battery could only muster 40 survivors at the end of the day (See Deeds That Thrill The Empire for a full account of this gallant last stand).

Greengrass afterwards transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig in early April 1918 (London Gazette 21 May 1918).