Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Sergeant Major S. H. Willis, East Lancashire Regiment, later Regimental Sergeant Major, Liverpool Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, E.VII.R. (720 Clr:-Serjt: W. [sic] Willis. 1st E. Lanc: Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State (720 C. Sgt S. H. Willis, E. Lanc: Regt); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (720 Sjt:-Maj: W. S. H. [sic] Willis E. Lanc: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (11988 S. Mjr. S.H. Willis, L’Pool R.); British War and Victory Medals (11988 A.C.Sjt. S. H. Willis, L’Pool R.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (720 S. Major. S. H. Willis. E. Lanc: Regt) light contact marks to earlier awards, therefore generally nearly very fine or better (7) £1200-1600

D.C.M. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 November 1900.

Samuel Holt Willis was born in Bombay, India, and attested for the East Lancashire Regiment at Dover, in March 1884. He advanced to Colour Sergeant in April 1897, and was posted to the 3rd Battalion in March 1899. He served with the Battalion during the Second Boer War, February 1900 - March 1902 (awarded L.S. & G.C. in October 1903).

Willis advanced to Sergeant Major in June 1901, and was discharged 20 September 1907, having served 23 years and 191 days with the Colours. He re-engaged for service as a Private during the Great War with the Liverpool Regiment, in September 1914. He was immediately appointed an Instructor, and was appointed Sergeant Major with the 13th Battalion the following month. He served as Regimental Sergeant Major with the 3rd Battalion in the Egyptian theatre of war from September 1915. Due to some drunken misdemeanours, his rank and unit was changeable, and he also served with the Royal Scots and the Labour Corps. He was discharged Acting Company Quarter Master Sergeant, 18 September 1918.

There seems to be some human error in transcription, both on the medals, and in Abbots’ Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal 1855-1909, with the latter listing “720 C/Sgt Willis, W 3 E. Lancashire Regiment’ and ‘393 QMS Williamson, Sidney Herbert 1 E. Lancashire Regiment.’