Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Great War D.C.M., M.M. group of five awarded to Private N. Courtney, 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, whose D.C.M. was awarded for ‘a wonderful display of courage when he rushed a machine-gun post alone, and accounted for the whole crew with his fists and revolver’

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (10091 Pte. N. Courtney. 9/Devon: R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (10091 Pte. N. Courtney. 9/Devon R.); 1914-15 Star (10091 Pte. N. Courtney. Devon: R.); British War and Victory Medals (10091 Pte. N. Courtney. Devon. R.) minor edge bruises, otherwise better than very fine (5) £2,000-£2,600

D.C.M. London Gazette 18 February 1919; citation London Gazette 10 January 1920:
‘On the 23rd October, 1918, during the attack on Pommereuil, he rushed an enemy machine-gun post, accounting for the whole crew with his revolver. This magnificent action was the means of preventing many casualties.’

M.M. London Gazette 11 June 1919. Awarded for the attack at Le Cateau on 8 October 1918, when he, with others, ‘did most effective work with their Lewis guns’ (25th Divisional History refers).

At the time when Courtney won the D.C.M. and M.M., the 9th Devons were serving in the 7th Brigade, 25th Division, fighting a retreating German Army in the last weeks of the Great War. The Germans were still fighting stubbornly however, and, plentifully equipped with machine-guns and field artillery, were making full use of all the natural features of the ground.

On 24th October 1918, the weak 7th Brigade (only some 700 rifles) in a successful night attack overran the village of Pommereuil. Private Courtney won his D.C.M. during the previous morning in the words of the 25th Divisional History, ‘for a wonderful display of courage when he rushed a machine-gun post alone, and accounted for the whole crew with his fists and revolver.’ Casualties in this operation were heavy, 67 officers and 1386 other ranks in the Division.

The full citation as given in the History reads as follows:
‘On the 23rd October, during the attack on Pommereuil, Pte. Courtney, who was in charge of a Lewis Gun section, attacked an enemy machine-gun post, but finding that some of his company had advanced beyond the hostile machine-gun and would consequently suffer from the fire of his Lewis gun, he ordered the gun to cease fire, and then immediately rushed the post, accounting for the whole crew with his fists and revolver. This total disregard for his personal safety and his coolness and quickness of action were the means of preventing many casualties, and was the finest example he could set his men.’

Norman Courtney was born on 12 October 1898, at Luxulyan, Cornwall, and later moved to Yealmpton where his father was Station Master. He attended the Corporation Grammar School, and served in France with the 9th Devons from 25 July 1915. He died at Ham Estate, Plymouth, on 30 July 1963, aged 64 years.