Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The exceptional ‘Dargai Heights’ D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private J. W. Spick, Derbyshire Regiment, who was recommended for the award of the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry at the storming of the Chagru Kotal, on 20 October 1897, when, as the sole survivor of the storming party led by Captain Smith and Lieutenant Pennel, he continued to charge forward, alone and unsupported ‘across a heap of dead and wounded men into a perfect hail of bullets’, for a further 60 yards, until he fell severely wounded at the head of his regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Pte. J. Spick. Derbys. R.); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (3392 Pte. J. Spick. 2nd. Bn. Derby: Regt.) unofficial rivets between clasps as issued; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (3392 Pte. J. Spick. Notts; & Derby: Regt.) mounted as worn, contact marks and edge bruising, nearly very fine (3) £5000-6000

D.C.M. submitted to the Queen, 9 July 1898, and announced under Army Order 135 of 1898.

John William Spick was born at Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 26 February 1873, and attested for service with the Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment) at Newark on 10 November 1891, having previously served in the 4th (Militia) Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment. Initially posted to the 1st Battalion, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, on 30 January 1894, and served with them in India from that date until 24th October 1899. He was present at the action at the Dargai Heights, and was recommended for the award of the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry at the storming of the Chagru Kotal, on 20 October 1897, when, as the sole survivor of the storming party led by Captain Smith and Lieutenant Pennel, he continued to charge forward, alone and unsupported ‘across a heap of dead and wounded men into a perfect hail of bullets’, for a further 60 yards, until he fell severely wounded at the head of his regiment.

The recommendation for his Victoria Cross was made by Brigadier-General Hart, V.C., Royal Engineers, to the Assistant Adjutant-General, 1st Division, Tirah Expeditionary Force, on 7 December 1897:
‘Sir, I have the honour to request you will forward, for the favourable consideration of the General Officer Commanding Tirah Expeditionary Force, the attached documents which I have collected regarding the gallant conduct of the following soldiers at the storming of Dargai on 20 October 1897:
Captain W. E. G. Smith , 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (killed)
Lieutenant H. S. Pennell, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment
No. 579 Colour-Sergeant J. Keeling, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (severely wounded)
No. 4755 Private George John Dunn, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (killed)
No. 2732 Private Richard Ponberth, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (mortally wounded)
No. 1701 Private J. Anthony, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (severely wounded)
No. 3392 Private J. Spick, 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment (severely wounded)
On 20 October 1897, Captain W. E. G. Smith’s company of the 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment, was ordered to attack the heights at Dargai. The 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles and 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment had already been unsuccessful in their attack, and were under cover blocking the way to the hundred yards of open space that had to be crossed.
Captain Smith ordered his company to charge, and started forward before his men could get through the companies in front of them. Lieutenant Pennell, Colour-Sergeant Keeling, Privates Spick, Dunn and Ponberth, forced their way through the men in front, and followed the gallant leading of their Captain who fell dead after he had gone about sixty yards. Immediately afterwards, Private Dunn was killed, Private Ponberth mortally wounded, Colour-Sergeant Keeling and Private Spick severely wounded, and Private Anthony was lying close by severely wounded.
There were officers, not engaged, who witnessed what happened, and describe the enemy’s fire as extremely heavy, but Lieutenant Pennell ran to the assistance of Captain Smith, and made two distinct attempts to carry and drag him back to cover, and only left his comrade when he found that he was apparently dead. Lieutenant Pennell then ran back to his company which was under cover. Taking all the circumstances into consideration, I consider it my duty to bring forward the conspicuous gallantry of Lieutenant H. S. Pennell, and of Private J. Spick, both of the 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment, as deserving of being recommended for the Victoria Cross; and, had he lived, Captain Smith’s gallant leading should not have passed unrewarded. It is also apparent that Colour-Sergeant J. Keeling, Privates Dunn, Ponberth and Anthony, are the names of very brave men deserving of the most honourable mention. I would therefore recommend the two survivors, Colour-Sergeant J. Keeling and Private J. Anthony, for the Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field, in recognition of the gallant support they gave their officers in following them out of cover and across a heap of dead and wounded men into a perfect hail of bullets.
It may be that Privates Booth, Hunt and Wilson of the 2nd Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment are deserving of special mention, but I am unable to obtain sufficient evidence to justify me in recommending them for the Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field.
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant’.

From the eye witness statements made in support of the claim, a broader picture emerges of Private Spick’s conspicuous gallantry, as follows:
Lieutenant Pennel stated, ‘Private Spick is the only man surviving of those who followed Captain Smith and myself in the attempt to charge the enemy’s position at Dargai on 20 October 1897. He was close up and going straight for the position when he was shot down and in sending in the names of the men reported on favourably for their behaviour on that occasion, I have mentioned this man specifically.’
Private Anthony recalled Spick having shouted over to Lieutenant Pennell to take cover, ‘as the fire was too hot and the bullets were dropping very thick all around him’.
Private Hunt also confirmed that his comrade, ‘followed the Captain first and was just behind him’.
From these accounts, it is apparent that Private Spick charged alongside Lieutenant Pennel, and in his interim report, dated 4 December 1897, Brigadier-General Hart concluded that the Medal for Distinguished Conduct would be insufficient recognition for his bravery, ‘It may be that his gallantry is being under-stated for want of information’.

A second submission was therefore made on behalf of Private Spick, by Lieutenant Pennell, on 5 December stating, ‘Private Spick and Sergeant Keeling went on until they were hit, but Sergeant Keeling was hit almost immediately he left cover and therefore did not gain the same chance of proving his willingness to advance as Private Spick, who had covered, I should think, about 60 yards straight towards the position before he was hit.’
This further endorsement of Private Spick’s dash and gallantry convinced Brigadier-General Hart that the Victoria Cross was a more appropriate award. Accordingly, on 19 January 1898, in a document submitted at Jamrud, Private Spick’s Victoria Cross recommendation was advanced one stage further, a statement of services and medical report also being included among the relevant documentation, confirming that he had been severely wounded by a bullet passing clean through one of his shoulder-blades. However, despite this further recommendation, it was only Lieutenant Pennell who received due recognition, the award of the Victoria Cross being announced in the London Gazette dated the 20th May 1898.

Appointed Lance-Corporal on 26 September 1898, he served in Malta from 25 October 1899 to 28 February 1902, and, having been posted to the 3rd Battalion on 1 March 1902, in South Africa from 29 March until 2 September of that year. He was demobilised on 3 September 1902, and transferred to Section ‘B’ Army Reserve on 1 March 1903, finally being discharged on 9 November 1903, after 12 years’ service. He subsequently enlisted in Section ‘D’, 1st Class Army Reserve at Newark, on 27 November 1903, and was finally discharged on 26 November 1907, on termination of his period of engagement.