Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A ‘Gheluvelt’ 1914 D.C.M. awarded to Corporal M. Pugh, 3rd Battalion, South Wales Borderers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (13211 Cpl. M. Pugh. 3/S. Wales Bord:) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine £800-1200

D.C.M. London Gazette 16 January 1915:

‘For gallantry on 31st October in assisting to collect unattached men and bringing them to the trenches under a heavy fire, and again on 2nd November in gallantly assisting to extricate men who had been buried by a shell, under heavy fire.’

Later, at Zillebeke on 12 November 1914, the German XVth Corps Prussian Guard attacked, but were repulsed, a few prisoners being taken. The regimental history takes up the story:

‘Thus the weary survivors of the battalion were still able to give a good account of themselves, nor did they leave the initiative entirely to the enemy, for when a machine-gun posted in a house was making itself troublesome, Corporal Pugh and Private Black went out from our trenches, crawled up to the house and, rushing it, killed the entire team and put the machine-gun out of action.’

Matthews Pugh entered France on 8 October 1914. He was later a Sergeant with 170 Coy., Royal Engineers.