Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1918 ‘Western Front’, D.C.M., 1916 ‘Battle of the Somme’ M.M. and Second Award Bar group of eight awarded to Warrant Officer Class II J. Home, Dorset Regiment, who was twice wounded by Gun Shot, the first during the Dorsets opening action at the Battle of the Somme, where over the course of the first two days of the Battle, 1-2 July 1916, the Battalion suffered over 500 casualties

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (5655 C. S. Mjr: J. Home. M.M. 1/Dorset R.); Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (5655 Sjt: J. Home. 1/Dorset: R.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Laing’s Nek (5655. Pte. J. Home. 2/ Dorset: Rgt.); 1914 Star, with clasp (5655 L.Sjt. J. Home. Dorset R.); British War and Victory Medals (5655 W.O. Cl.2. J. Hime. Dorset R.); Defence Medal; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. 1st issue (5655 W.O. Cl.II J. Home. D.C.M. M.M. Dorset R.) mounted as worn, together with the recipient’s Corps of Commissionaires Medal, unnamed as issued, heavy contact marks, generally nearly very fine or better (9) £3000-4000

D.C.M. London Gazette 1 October 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a raid in leading the men of his company to their objectives. On reaching the first objective he reorganised a platoon and led it forward to fill a gap in the line. On the withdrawal he remained behind, and was instrumental in bringing in a number of wounded men. His gallantry was most marked.’

M.M. London Gazette 11 November 1916.

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 24 January 1919.

John Home was born at St. Pancras, London, in 1880, and attested for the Dorset Regiment in London on 20 January 1898, having previously served in the Militia. Posted to the 2nd Battalion, he joined his new Regiment at Shorncliffe two days later, he served with the 2nd Battalion in South Africa from 7 March until 5 August 1900, where he was present during operations in the Cape Colony, and in the operations around Laing’s Nek, 2-9 June 1900. Proceeding with the Regiment to India on 22 December 1900, he spent the next eleven years on the subcontinent, re-engaging at Madras on 8 April 1909 to complete 21 years with the Colours. A keen sportsman, he won Regimental trophies in rugby, football, and cricket, and was also a committed member of the temperance movement. Promoted Corporal on 16 November 1909, he transferred to the 1st Battalion on his return from India on 2 November 1911, and was appointed Lance Sergeant on 25 January 1913.

On the outbreak of the Great War Home went to the Western Front with the British Expeditionary Force on 16 August 1914, and was swiftly promoted to Sergeant on 25 August 1914. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Battle of the Somme, where he was wounded by a gun shot to the right hand on 2 July 1916, after his battalion had been in fierce action in the vicinity of Authuille Wood and suffered 501 casualties, including Home, over the first two days of the battle: ‘On the 1st July advancing from the Wood, and encouraged on by Drum-Major Kerr who was out in the open playing the Regimental March-Past on his flute, the 1st Dorsets suffered high casualties before reaching the British front line (about 100 yards away). Relieved to Authuille, the following day they made a further attempt, and having made it back in the front line by night fall were relieved and withdrawn to Senlis’ (British Battalions on the Somme refers). It is probable that it was for this action that he was awarded the Military Medal - his first medallic gallantry award of the Great War. Promoted Colour Sergeant and appointed Company Sergeant Major on 14 December 1916, he was wounded a second time, this time severely, by gun shot to the left thigh on 3 October 1918, on the very same day he learnt of the award of his Distinguished Conduct Medal, and after a spell in a French Field Hospital was repatriated to England on 25 October.

Awarded a Second Bar to his Military Medal in 1919, and awarded his Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal the same year, Home was discharged on 8 March 1919, after 21 years and 48 days’ service. Retiring to Harlesden, Middlesex, he subsequently served as a Commissionaire at the British Museum.

Sold together with the following related items:
i. The recipient’s Princess Mary Christmas 1914 tin, complete with both tobacco and cigarettes.
ii. The recipient’s cigarette case, the lid inscribed ‘C.S.M. J.H. Dorset, Active Service in Flanders 1914-15-16-17-18.’
iii. An unusual piece of trench art in the form of a German soldier doll, with uniform and tunic, and wearing the Iron Cross.
iv. An album containing 72 postcards from India, a significant number of Poona.
v. The recipients Borough and Town of Stratford-upon-Avon Silver Jubilee Medal 1935, bronze.
vi. A frame containing the recipient’s following temperance and sporting medals, unit insignia, and riband bar:
Army Temperance Association, India, 6 Month Medal (2), one silvered copper, the other copper; Army Temperance Association, India, 1 Year Medal, silver; Army Temperance Association, India, 3 Year Medal, with top ‘Excelsior’ riband bar, silver; Army Temperance Association, India, 5 Year Medal, silver and enamel; Army Temperance Association, India, 6 Year Medal, silver; Army Temperance Association, India, 7 Year Medal, silver; Army Temperance Association, India, 8 Year Medal, silver and silver-gilt, with top riband bar; Royal Army Temperance Association, 9 Year Medal, silver; Army Temperance Association, Home, 10 Year Medal, silver; Army Temperance Association, India, Association Medal, silver, with top ‘For Merit’ riband bar; Royal Army Temperance Association, Prince of Wales’s Merit Medal, silver and enamel; Army Temperance Association, India, Queen Victoria Commemorative Medal 1901, silver; 2nd Dorset Regiment Football Tournament Medal 1908, silver; Dorset Regimental Hockey Tournament Medal 1910, silver, the reverse inscribed ‘Copl J. Home. A Coy. Centre Half Back’; Football prize medal, silver, the reverse inscribed ‘Six a side Football tournament, Winners, Poona, 1911, Serjt. Home, Back’; Cricket prize medal, silver and silver-gilt, the obverse inscribed ‘J. Home’, the reverse inscribed ‘E Coy. Winners, Cricket Shield 1913.’