Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War Mareth Line operations M.M. group of six awarded to Driver S. Francis, Royal Army Service Corps, who was attached to the 5th Battalion, Black Watch as an ambulance driver

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (T/230936 Dvr. S. Francis, R.A.S.C.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45 the first with light contact marks and edge bruising, generally good very fine (6) £600-700

M.M. London Gazette 14 September 1943. The immediate recommendation, approved by Montgomery, states:

‘Driver Francis is a motor ambulance driver [in 174 Highland Field Ambulance] attached to the 5th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). On the night of 24-25 March 1943, an attack was put in by a company of the Battalion with an artillery barrage. The enemy retaliation was heavy. The track from the Regimental Aid Post to the Advanced Dressing Station, a distance of three miles, being under constant shell fire. Driver Francis, although his vehicle was hit several times, completed five journeys along this track with casualties, until the Regimental Dressing Station had been cleared. Throughout the campaign he has done consistently good work and has shown great courage and devotion to duty.’

The night of 24-25 March 1943 proved especially costly to the 5th Battalion, Black Watch, the first casualties being inflicted when our own artillery barrage came down on one of the two forward companies on the start line. The Company Commander was mortally wounded, the second-in-command killed, a third officer lost a leg, and almost every man in the Company was either killed or wounded.