Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Second World War North-West Europe operations M.M. group of five awarded to Company Sergeant-Major A. E. Anscombe, 30 Battalion, Royal Marines, who was decorated for his gallantry during the crossing of the River Maas in infantry assault craft on the night of 23/24 April 1945, a feat accomplished under heavy small arms and mortar fire: the following night, when his Company H.Q. was fired upon by an enemy patrol, Anscombe ‘was the senior rank at H.Q. and took charge immediately. He rallied the Headquarters personnel, located the enemy patrol and organised immediate return fire, himself firing with a captured light machine gun’

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (PO.X.675 A.T.W.O. Cl.2 A. E. Anscombe, R.M.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, first with minor official correction to initials and double-space between 'R' and 'M' of unit, good very fine and better and a very rare award to the 30th Battalion (5) £3000-4000

M.M. London Gazette 12 February 1946. The original recommendation states:

'During the assault crossing of the River Maas in the area of Alem Island by 30 Royal Marines on the night of 23-24 April 1945, Company Sergeant-Major Anscombe showed resource and qualities of leadership unsurpassed by any N.C.O. in the Battalion.

By his farsighted and thorough arrangements, he was mainly responsible for the successful organisation and operation of his company’s boats for the river crossing which was accomplished under heavy small arms and mortar fire. Later he moved forward, close behind the leading platoons and ably assisted in the reorganisation on the objective.

On the 25 April in the same area at about 2300 hours, while his Company Commander was with an outlying platoon, Company Headquarters was fired upon at close range by an enemy patrol. A certain amount of confusion arose in the dark and one man was wounded. Company Sergeant-Major Anscombe who was the senior rank at H.Q. took charge immediately. He rallied the Headquarters personnel, located the enemy patrol and organised immediate return fire, himself firing with a captured enemy light machine gun. The enemy ceased fire. Company Sergeant-Major Anscombe then passed through orders to the neighbouring platoons which enabled one of our patrols to locate and drive off the enemy patrol who left two dead and one wounded prisoner behind.

By his steadiness and courage under fire, by his initiative and resourcefulness he set a very fine example. By his willingness to shoulder responsibility, he proved of the utmost assistance to his officers.

During the whole time he has served as Company Sergeant-Major he has shown unflagging energy and devotion to duty and has done far more than could normally be expected of him. In actual operations he has always shown outstanding ability and courage.’

Arthur Edward Anscombe was born in Milton, Portsmouth in May 1915 and enlisted in the Royal Marines as a boy bugler in July 1929. Posted to the Portsmouth Division, he held seagoing appointments in H.M. Ships Revenge, Renown and Suffolk in the mid-to-late 1930s and was advanced to Corporal in the summer of 1938.

Soon after the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, he joined the Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation (M.N.B.D.O.), following which he witnessed active service in the Middle East in 11th S/L (Searchlight) Regiment, R.M., from April 1941 to July 1943.

Back in the U.K. by early 1944, he attended the training establishments H.M.S. Turtle, the R.M. base at Poole, and, from April 1944, the landing craft base Copra, gaining advancement to Colour-Sergeant in the same month. Subsequently allocated to the newly formed 30 Battalion, R.M., he was embarked for Holland where, as part of 116 Infantry Brigade, R.M., he went into action at the crossing of the Maas on 23-24 April 1945.

Anscombe was discharged in November 1945 and died in Milton, Portsmouth in July 1975.

Sold with three original photographs and the recipient’s ‘Crossing the Line’ certificate, dated March 1941, this last damaged, together with extensive copied service records.