Auction Catalogue

17 & 18 May 2016

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 150

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17 May 2016

Hammer Price:
£500

A fine Second World War Italy operations M.M group of four awarded to Sepoy Mohd Ditta, 12th Frontier Force Rifles

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (24864 Sepoy Mohd Ditta, 12 F.F.R. I.A.); 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (4) £600-700

M.M. London Gazette 8 March 1945. The original recommendation states:

‘On the afternoon of 6 September 1944, during an attack on the Castelnouvo feature, Sepoy Mohd Ditta was a No. 1 on a Bren gun in one of the forward platoon localities which had just been captured. At 1930 hours his platoon area was very heavily and accurately bombarded by the enemy. He with two others of his gun team became separated from the rest of his platoon which had been withdrawn about 100 yards to alternative positions. Undeterred by finding his gun team alone, Sepoy Mohd Ditta collected about 20 German grenades which were lying near by and returned to his gun. Almost at once the enemy followed up his bombardment by a counter-attack and one section of the enemy attacked his gun post. Sepoy Mohd Ditta first engaged with his Bren gun and then, as the attackers were closing on him, handed over his gun to the other Sepoys and, standing up in the trench threw the German grenades he had collected to such good effect that the enemy faltered and fell back leaving several of his number where they had fallen. The high order of courage, coolness and leadership displayed by this Sepoy was largely responsible for the failure of the enemy counter-attack on his Platoon’s position.’