Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. awarded to Acting Company Sergeant Major A. Everton, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who gallantly saved the life of his officer during the Battle of the Somme on 2 July 1916, and was severely wounded in the face during the German Spring Offensive of 1918

Military Medal G.V.R. (13757 Sjt: - A.C.S.Mjr: - A. Everton. 2/Linc: R.) light contact marks, very fine £280-£320

M.M. London Gazette 6 August 1918.

Abraham Everton was born at Bardney, Lincolnshire in 1885, the son of William Everton. He attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment and served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 July 1915. On 2 July 1916, the second day of the Battle of the Somme, at great risk, he carried his wounded officer, Lieutenant H. E. Sowerby, to safety. Everton was later thanked and given a gold watch by the parents of Lieutenant Sowerby as revealed in the Lincolnshire Chronicle of 31 March 1917:

‘Sergeant Abraham Everton, of the Lincolns, son of Mr. William Everton, of Abbey Road, on July 2nd, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, at risk of his own life, saved that of his officer, Lieutenant E. Sowerby. It was a gallant deed, and one which deserved recognition. Some days ago Sergeant Everton, who is now at Grimsby, received a beautiful gold watch, from the parents of Lieutenant Sowerby, accompanied by the following letter:
“Cleethorpes, 14 March 1917. To Sergeant Everton. Dear Sir, My wife and I hope you will honour us by accepting the enclosed watch as a small memento of the great service which you rendered to our son on July 2nd 1916, when you carried him in, at the risk of your own life. We are sorry that, owing to all the officers in the company being either killed or wounded, you failed to receive the recognition you deserved. We have put a small inscription inside the watch, yours faithfully, T. Sowerby.”
The inscription inside the case was: “In memory of a gallant and generous deed by Sergt. Everton.”’

Everton transferred for a time to the 6th (Service) Battalion before returning to the 2nd Battalion. He was wounded on at least three occasions during the Great War. On 4 August 1917 he was gassed. On 6 April 1918 it was reported in the Lincolnshire Chronicle that he had been shot in the right eye and bridge of nose, injuries likely sustained with the 2nd Battalion at the Battle of St. Quentin, 21-23 March 1918, during the opening stages of the Great German Spring Offensive of 1918. In mid-August 1918, one week after the announcement of his M.M. in the London Gazette, he was reported to have been again wounded. He was demobilised to Class Z reserve on 21 February 1919, at which time his pension card lists gun shot wounds to face and jaw being attributable to service. He died at Horncastle, Lincolnshire in 1962.