Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1917 ‘Western Front’ D.C.M group of five awarded to Lance-Corporal D. F. Langton, Royal Engineers, later Tank Corps, who received a gunshot wound to his hip, 22 September 1916, and was gassed 19 October 1917

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (48559 Sapr. D. F. Langton. 76/F. Coy. R.E.); 1914-15 Star (48559 Spr. D. [sic] Langton. R.E.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (48559 Spr. D. F. Langton. R.E.); Defence Medal, mounted for display, with 2 silver prize medals both obverses engraved ‘3rd R.B.R.E. Newark, Assault at Arms, March 1918’, and reverses engraved ‘Physical Training, L./Cpl. D. Langton’ and ‘Singlesticks, L/Cpl. D. Langton’, also with a small Guards Division enamelled badge, generally very fine or better (lot) £800-£1,000

D.C.M. London Gazette 22 October 1917 (details appearing in the London Gazette 26 January 1918):

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst laying an infantry track. Just as his party started, the officer and N.C.O. were killed and the remainder blown off their feet by a shell. Sapper Langton then obtained the map from the body of his officer and marked out the track himself, in spite of persistent sniping. The laying out of this track was in the highest degree important, and he showed the greatest courage and determination in leading his small party to the completion of the task.’

Douglas Frederick Langton was a native of Dartford, Kent, and enlisted in the Royal Engineers in September 1914. He served with the 76th Field Company in the French theatre of war from 25 August 1915. The 76th Field Company were attached for service with the Guards Division, and Langton received a gunshot wound to the hip 22 September 1916.

Langton advanced to Lance-Corporal in August 1917, and was gassed 19 October 1917. He transferred to the Tank Corps as a 1st Class Tank Mechanic in June 1918, and was posted as Lance-Corporal to No. 3 Advanced Work Shops in October 1918.

M.I.D. unconfirmed.

Sold with copied research, including a copied photographic image held by the Imperial War Museum, which has been annotated ‘Dad Cpl D. F. Langton RE DCM in the trenches at Zillebeke 1915.’