Auction Catalogue

17 & 18 May 2016

Starting at 11:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Live Online Auction

Download Images

Lot

№ 134

.

17 May 2016

Hammer Price:
£2,400

A fine Second World War North-West Europe operations M.M. group of six awarded to Sergeant E. E. Hughes, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, who ‘by his personal initiative and daring achieved or made possible the destruction of some 14 enemy vehicles and the infliction of 50 casualties (20 killed, 15 wounded and 15 captured)’

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (4033827 Cpl. E. E. Hughes, K.S.L.I.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (4033827 Sjt. E. E. Hughes, M.M., K.S.L.I.), good very fine or better (6) £1200-1500

M.M. London Gazette 1 March 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘On 4 September 1944, 4th Battalion, K.S.L.I., entered Antwerp and ‘B’ Company was sent to seize and hold a bridge, which it did with opposition. During their occupation a retreating German column of some 15 vehicles appeared in the area and Lance-Sergeant Hughes’ platoon was sent to intercept it, and was deployed accordingly.

Presently Hughes saw some movement which he took to be men of his platoon, and he went to see what they were doing. On arrival he found himself in the middle of the enemy column. Instead of withdrawing he opened fire on the dismounted men around him killing or wounding them. He then started to pick off the drivers of the vehicles and officer passengers. He gained such a degree of surprise and retained such control of the situation that a section of his platoon was able to come up and dispose of the remnants of the column. Only one vehicle escaped.

By his personal initiative and daring Lance-Sergeant Hughes achieved or made possible the destruction of some 14 enemy vehicles and the infliction of 50 casualties (20 killed, 15 wounded and 15 captured).’

Sold with the recipient’s original Buckingham Palace M.M. forwarding letter and two wartime photographs, including one of the recipient receiving his M.M. riband from Montgomery in the field, this latter signed ‘B. L. Montgomery, Field Marshal.’